CBSE Class 10 Social Science Civics Power Sharing, Parties and Democracy Important Questions Set 08

Answer: Sinhala was recognised as the only official language.

Teacher's Note:
1. The Act of 1956 ignored Tamil and was seen as discriminatory by Sri Lankan Tamils.
2. This was a major step in the majoritarian policies of the country.

Answer: Belgium became independent on 4 October 1830 (declared its independence from the Netherlands).

Teacher's Note:
1. The country has French, Dutch and German-speaking communities.
2. Its model of power sharing is often compared with that of Sri Lanka.

Answer: The USA, Switzerland and Australia.

Teacher's Note:
1. In these federations, independent states came together to form a bigger unit.
2. India is an example of a 'holding together' federation.

Answer: It means taking power away from the central and state governments and giving it to local governments.

Teacher's Note:
1. Panchayats in villages and municipalities in towns are examples of local governments.
2. It is useful because many issues are better resolved locally.

Answer: One-third (33 per cent) of seats are reserved for women in panchayats and municipalities (many states have raised it to 50 per cent).

Teacher's Note:
1. This was brought about by the Constitutional Amendment of 1992.
2. Women's participation in local governance has increased as a result.

Answer: The Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), which grew out of the Assam movement against foreigners; the DMK is another example.

Teacher's Note:
1. Some parties begin as social or political movements and then enter elections.
2. Both parties were formed after long agitations.

Answer: Kerala has the lowest infant mortality rate among the major states.

Teacher's Note:
1. The state has invested a great deal in health and education.
2. This shows that development is not measured by income alone.

Answer: China, where the Communist Party of China is the only party that is allowed to rule.

Teacher's Note:
1. The Constitution of China allows other parties but they must follow the Communist Party.
2. A one-party system does not offer a fair choice to voters.

Answer: A legitimate government is one that has been elected by the people and has the support and consent of the people.

Teacher's Note:
1. Democracy is considered legitimate as it is the people's own government.
2. Even if it is slow, people accept it as their own.

Answer: Democracy is the form of government found in most countries today.

Teacher's Note:
1. The rule of the people, through elected representatives, has spread worldwide.
2. Citizens hold the government accountable through elections.

Answer: In a democracy, every adult citizen has one vote and every vote carries equal weight, irrespective of religion, caste, gender or wealth.

Teacher's Note:
1. This is the basic idea of political equality.
2. It does not by itself remove economic differences.

Answer: Democracy should produce a government that is accountable to the citizens and responsive to their needs and expectations.

Teacher's Note:
1. Such a government follows rules and procedures and acts in the public interest.
2. Citizens can also find out how decisions are made.

Answer: 1. The judiciary, headed by the Supreme Court, is the interpreter of the Constitution.
2. Disputes about the division of powers between the Union and the states are settled by the High Courts and the Supreme Court.
3. It makes sure that both levels of government stay within their powers, so it is called the guardian of federalism.

Teacher's Note:
1. The courts act as the referee of federal disputes.
2. A key judgment made it difficult for the Centre to dismiss state governments arbitrarily.

Answer: 1. Social reformers such as Jyotiba Phule, Gandhiji and Dr Ambedkar worked for a society without caste inequality.
2. Urbanisation, growth of literacy and occupational mobility reduced the hold of caste, especially in cities.
3. The Constitution prohibits discrimination on the basis of caste and untouchability is a punishable offence.

Teacher's Note:
1. Caste is still present in some forms, particularly in politics.
2. Education and economic growth have weakened it considerably.

Answer: 1. While choosing candidates, parties consider the caste composition of the constituency and put up candidates likely to win support.
2. Political parties and candidates appeal to caste sentiments to win votes.
3. Universal adult franchise and the principle of one person, one vote have forced political leaders to seek the support of different castes, which gives previously neglected groups a new awareness.

Teacher's Note:
1. Caste politics is not simply caste dividing politics.
2. It has also given the poor and the lower castes a voice, but it can sometimes lead to tensions.

Answer: 1. Spread of education, which helps to remove prejudice and wrong beliefs.
2. Reducing economic inequality between castes by providing equal opportunities.
3. Strict enforcement of the laws against caste discrimination and the use of caste for votes, and promotion of inter-caste interaction in schools and workplaces.

Teacher's Note:
1. Casteism can only be addressed by changing both attitudes and conditions.
2. Laws alone are not enough.

Answer: The Concurrent List includes subjects such as education, forests, marriage and adoption, trade unions and the protection of wild animals.
Both the Union and the State governments can make laws on these subjects. If the two laws conflict, the law made by the Union government prevails.

Teacher's Note:
1. The Concurrent List is the common list of subjects between the Centre and the states.
2. The Union List has the highest priority, while the State List belongs to state governments.

Answer: 1. The Constitution divides legislative powers between the Union and the states through three lists: Union, State and Concurrent.
2. The basic provisions of power sharing cannot be unilaterally changed by Parliament alone; changes need the consent of at least half of the state legislatures.
3. The Courts have the power to settle disputes related to the division of powers.

Teacher's Note:
1. This shows that India is a federal country.
2. Both levels have their own areas of power.

Answer: A national party is a party that has its units in several states and generally follows the same policies and programme in all of them.
1. It must secure at least 6 per cent of the total votes in Lok Sabha or Assembly elections in four states.
2. It must win at least four seats in the Lok Sabha.

Teacher's Note:
1. State parties are recognised on the basis of their performance in one state.
2. The Election Commission recognises parties and may revise these conditions.

Answer: 1. In democracies, one vote per person gives political equality, but a small group of rich people holds a large share of income and wealth.
2. The poorest people have a very small share of national income.
3. In some democracies the poor depend on the rich for work, and a large number of people live in poverty.

Teacher's Note:
1. Democracy does not by itself ensure economic equality.
2. This is a major challenge for democratic governments.

Answer: 1. Horizontal division: power is shared among the legislature, executive and judiciary, which keeps checks and balances on each other.
2. Vertical division (federal division): power is shared among governments at different levels, i.e. the Union, state and local governments. In India, it is divided among the Centre, states and panchayats.
3. Division among social groups: communities share power, for example, community government in Belgium or reserved constituencies in India.
4. Division among parties, pressure groups and movements: competition among parties and the role of interest groups such as traders, farmers and industrial workers.

Teacher's Note:
1. Power sharing is the basis of a healthy democracy.
2. For full marks, each form must be explained with one example.

Answer: 1. The Act of 1956 made Sinhala the only official language, disregarding Tamil.
2. Governments followed preferential policies that favoured Sinhala applicants for university positions and government jobs.
3. A new constitution stated that the state would protect and foster Buddhism.
4. All these measures made the Tamils feel that none of the major political parties was sensitive to their language and culture, and they began to feel alienated, which eventually led to a civil war.

Teacher's Note:
1. The majoritarian policies of the government hurt the Tamil community's sense of equality.
2. The conflict lasted for many years and caused great loss of life.

Answer: 1. Belgium accommodated the different language groups through power sharing, while Sri Lanka followed majoritarianism.
2. In Belgium, the Constitution requires equal representation of the Dutch and French speaking communities in the central government, but in Sri Lanka, the Sinhala majority dominated.
3. Belgium has a community government for each language community, while Sri Lanka has no such arrangement.
4. Belgium led to stability and unity, while Sri Lanka's policies led to a civil war that lasted for many years.

Teacher's Note:
1. Belgium shows that power sharing can protect unity.
2. The experience of Sri Lanka shows that ignoring minorities can threaten it.

Answer: A political party is a group of people who come together to contest elections and hold power in the government.
1. It has leaders and followers who agree on certain ideas about what policies the government should follow.
2. It contests elections with the aim of winning power.
3. It puts forward policies and programmes, and the voters choose among them.
4. It plays a decisive role in making laws, forming governments and acting as the opposition.

Teacher's Note:
1. A party is a link between the people and the government.
2. It also works to shape public opinion.

Answer: 1. Parties contest elections: In most democracies, elections are fought mainly between the candidates put up by political parties.
2. Parties put forward policies and programmes and the voters choose from them.
3. Parties play a decisive role in making laws, as the majority of members in the legislature belong to parties.
4. They form and run governments, serve as the opposition, shape public opinion and give people access to welfare schemes.

Teacher's Note:
1. A democracy without parties would be unthinkable.
2. The answer should state three clear roles.

Answer: 1. Democracy promotes equality among citizens and enhances the dignity of the individual.
2. It improves the quality of decision making through consultation and discussion.
3. It provides a method to resolve conflicts peacefully.
4. It allows room to correct mistakes, and its government is accountable and legitimate.

Teacher's Note:
1. Democracy is not perfect, but it provides the means to improve itself.
2. This is why most people prefer it.