CBSE Class 10 Social Science Power Sharing Important Questions Set 07

Answer: Majoritarianism is the belief that the majority community should be able to rule a country in whichever way it wants, by disregarding the wishes and needs of the minority.

Teacher's Note:
1. Sri Lanka is the standard example.
2. Link the term to the Sinhala majority.

Answer: The Sinhala Only Act of 1956 recognised Sinhala as the only official language, disregarding Tamil.

Teacher's Note:
1. It deepened distrust among Tamils.
2. Remember the year 1956.

Answer: About 59 per cent of Belgians live in the Flemish region and speak Dutch, and 40 per cent live in the Wallonia region and speak French. About 1 per cent speak German.

Teacher's Note:
1. Brussels has 80 per cent French and 20 per cent Dutch speakers.
2. Learn all three figures.

Answer: It is a government elected by people belonging to one language community, whatever place they live in. It looks after cultural, educational and language-related issues.

Teacher's Note:
1. Belgium has Dutch, French and German community governments.
2. It is a unique feature of Belgian power sharing.

Answer: Reservation of seats for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies is an example. Women also have reservation in local bodies.

Teacher's Note:
1. Such reserved constituencies give minorities a voice.
2. This is called power sharing among social groups.

Answer: Checks and balances mean that different organs of government are placed at the same level and can check one another's powers. This prevents any organ from becoming too powerful.

Teacher's Note:
1. The legislature, executive and judiciary are the three organs.
2. It is also called horizontal distribution of power.

Answer: 1. Distrust between the Sinhala and Tamil communities increased because of majoritarian measures.
2. The demand of Sri Lankan Tamils for regional autonomy and recognition of Tamil as an official language was ignored.
3. By the 1980s, several Tamil organisations demanded an independent Tamil Eelam in the north and east, and this turned into a civil war.

Teacher's Note:
1. The war caused huge loss of life and affected the economy.
2. Link the causes to language and autonomy.

Answer: 1. It reduces the possibility of conflict between social groups.
2. It ensures the stability of political order.
3. It is the very spirit of democracy, as people have a right to be consulted on how they are to be governed.

Teacher's Note:
1. The first two are prudential reasons and the last is a moral reason.
2. Mention both prudential and moral reasons.

Answer: 1. In 1956 an Act recognised Sinhala as the only official language.
2. The government followed preferential policies that favoured Sinhala applicants for university positions and government jobs.
3. A new constitution stipulated that the state shall protect and foster Buddhism.

Teacher's Note:
1. Together these steps made Tamils feel alienated.
2. Cover language, jobs and religion.

Answer: 1. Belgium's leaders recognised regional differences and cultural diversity.
2. The arrangement of accommodation they worked out is innovative and different from other countries.
3. It avoided civic strife and brought stability.

Teacher's Note:
1. The arrangement is complex but works.
2. Link the choice to Belgium's stability.

Answer: 1. Power is shared among the legislature, executive and judiciary.
2. Each is placed at the same level but exercises different powers.
3. This separation ensures that none can exercise unlimited power, as each checks the other, resulting in a balance of power.

Teacher's Note:
1. Ministers in a democracy are answerable to the legislature.
2. State the three organs.

Answer: Prudential reasons: it helps reduce conflict between social groups and ensures stability.
Moral reasons: it is the spirit of democracy, as sharing power respects the right of people to participate in governance.

Teacher's Note:
1. The idea is that sharing power creates a stronger state.
2. Name the two types.

Answer: 1. Dutch and French-speaking ministers are equal in number in the central government.
2. Many powers of the central government have been given to state governments, which are not subordinate to the centre.
3. Brussels has a separate government in which both communities have equal representation.
4. A third kind of government, the community government, is elected by people of each language group wherever they live.
5. This accommodation helped keep the country united.

Teacher's Note:
1. The Belgian model is based on respecting the feelings of the different communities.
2. Contrast it with the Sri Lankan approach.

Answer: 1. Horizontal distribution: among the legislature, executive and judiciary, as in India.
2. Vertical distribution: among governments at the union, state and local levels, called federal division of power.
3. Among social groups: community government in Belgium, reserved constituencies in India.
4. Among political parties, pressure groups and movements: competition among parties and coalition governments in India.

Teacher's Note:
1. Each form prevents concentration of power.
2. Match each form to an example.

Answer: 1. Sri Lanka's Sinhalas are a majority, while no group in Belgium is overwhelmingly dominant in the whole country.
2. Sri Lanka adopted majoritarian measures, while Belgium adopted accommodation.
3. In Sri Lanka, Tamils felt alienated, which led to civil war.
4. In Belgium, power was shared with Dutch and French speakers and a community government was created.
5. As a result, Belgium stayed united.

Teacher's Note:
1. The comparison shows the value of power sharing.
2. Set the answer out as a two-column contrast.

Answer: 1. It reduces conflict between social groups.
2. It ensures stability of political order, since forcing the majority will on minorities may be unstable in the long term.
3. It is the very spirit of democracy.
4. People have a right to be consulted on how they are governed.
5. Legitimate government is one where citizens, through participation, acquire a stake in the system.

Teacher's Note:
1. This is why power sharing is called good for the unity of the nation.
2. Cover both prudential and moral grounds.