CBSE Class 10 Social Science Power Sharing MCQs

Question. Identify the two languages written below(Notice that place names and directions in two languages)

(a) French and German
(b) French and Dutch
(c) French and Sinhala
(d) None of these

Answer : B

Question. When European countries came together to form the European Union ………. was chosen as the headquarters.
(a) Belgium
(b) Germany
(c) Netherlands
(d) Brussels

Answer : D

Question. Belgium has borders with the Netherlands, France, Luxembourg and--------
(a) Sri Lanka
(b) Rome
(c) Germany
(d) Lebanon

Answer : C

Question. The people whose forefathers came from India to Sri Lanka as plantation workers during the colonial period are called…….
(a) Sri Lankan Tamils
(b) Indian Tamils
(c) Tamil Indians
(d) Indian Sri Lankans

Answer : B

Question. In Belgium……
(a) The State Governments are not subordinate to the Central Government
(b) The State Governments are subordinate to the Central Government
(c) The State Governments have no say before the central Government
(d) The Central Government is subordinate to the State Governments.

Answer : A

Question. What does the given picture represent? Choose the correct one.

(a) It refers to German Engineering
(b) It refers to problems of running a coalition government of Germany.
(c) It refers to problems of education
(d) It refers to poblems of ordinary people

Answer : B

ASSERTION AND REASONING

Two statements are given in the question below as Assertion (A) and Reasoning (R) . Read the statements and choose the appropriate option.
Options
(a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of (a)
(b) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of (a)
(c) A is true but R is false.
(d) A is false but R is true

Question. Assertion(A) :In 1956 an Act was passed to recognise Sinhala as the only official language of Sri Lanka
Reason(R) : The government of Sri Lanka wanted to establish the supremacy of Sinhala community.
Answer : A

Question. Assertion(A) :Power sharing is good for democracy.
Reason(R) :It leads to ethical tension
Answer : C

Question. Assertion(A) : In Belgium, the leaders realized that the unity of the country is possible by respecting the feelings and interest of Sri-Lankan people.
Reason(R) : The social disparity led to tensions between Dutch and French speaking communities during 1950’s and 1960’s.
Answer : D

Question. Assertion(A) : The minority French –speaking community was relatively rich and powerful in Belgium.
Reason(R) : Paris is the capital city of France
Answer : B

Question. Assertion(A) :Power sharing among different organs of government such as the legislature executive and judiciary is known as horizontal distribution of power.
Reason(R) : It allows different organs of government placed at the same level to exercise different powers.
Answer : A

CASE BASED QUESTIONS

1. “In the city of Beirut there lived a man called Khalil. His parents came from different communities. His father was an Orthodox Christian and mother a Sunni Muslim. This was not so uncommon in this modern, cosmopolitan city. People from various communities that lived in Lebanon came to live in its capital, Beirut. They lived together, intermingled, yet fought a bitter civil war among themselves.
One of Khalil’s uncles was killed in that war. At the end of this civil war, Lebanon’s leaders came together and agreed to some basic rules for power sharing among different communities. As per these rules, the country’s President must belong to the Maronite sect of Catholic Christians. The Prime Minister must be from the Sunni Muslim community. The post of Deputy Prime Minister is fixed for Orthodox Christian sect and that of the Speaker for Shi’a Muslims. Under this pact, the Christians agreed not to seek French protection and the Muslims agreed not to seek unification with the neigh bouring state of Syria When the Christians and Muslims came to this agreement, they were nearly equal in population. Both sides have continued to respect this agreement though now the Muslims are in clear majority.
Khalil does not like this system one bit. He is a popular man with political ambition. But under the
present system the top position is out of his reach. He does not practise either his father’s or his mother’s religion and does not wish to be known by either. He cannot understand why Lebanon can’t be like any other ‘normal’ democracy. “Just hold an election, allow everyone to contest and whoever wins
maximum votes becomes the president, no matter which community he comes from. Why can’t we do that, like in other democracies of the world?” he asks. His elders, who have seen the bloodshed of the civil war, tell him that the present system is the best guarantee for peace…”
The story was not finished, but they had reached the TV tower where they stopped every day. Vetal wrapped up quickly and posed his customary question to Vikram: “If you had the power to rewrite the rules in Lebanon, what would you do? Would you adopt the ‘regular’ rules followed everywhere, as Khalil suggests? Or stick to the old rules? Or do something else?” Vetal did not forget to remind Vikram of their basic pact: “If you have an answer in mind and yet do not speak up, your mobike will freeze, and so will you”.

Question. As per the agreed basic rule the President of the country must belong to which community?
(a) Sunni Muslims
(b) Shia Muslims
(c) Maronite sect of Catholic Christians
(d) Orthodox Christians
Answer : C

Question. How does Power sharing occur in a democratic country like India?
(a) Byvoting (universal adult franchise)
(b) By majoritarian rule
(c) By certain basic rules as in Lebanon
(d) All of the above
Answer : A

Question. What is the capital city of Lebanon?
(a) Meerut
(b) Beirut
(c) Syria
(d) Paris
Answer : B

Question. Which type of Government does Lebanon have?
(a) Democratic Government
(b) Primary Government
(c) Community Government
(d) Coalition Government
Answer : C

Question. Under the pact from which country did Christians in Lebanon agree not to seek Protection from and which country did Lebanon Muslims agree not to seek Unification with?
(a) France and Belgium
(b) Syria and Brazil
(c) Brazil and Belgium
(d) France and Syria
Answer : D

2. The Belgian leaders took a different path. They recognized the existence of regional differences and cultural diversities. Between 1970 and 1993, they amended their constitution four times to work out an arrangement that would enable everyone to live together within the same country. The arrangement they worked out is different from any other country and is very innovative. • Constitution prescribes that the number of Dutch and French-speaking ministers shall be equal in the central government. Some special laws require the support of majority of members from each linguistic group. Thus, no single community can make decisions unilaterally. • Many powers of the central government have been given to state governments of the two regions of the country. The state governments are not subordinate to the Central Government. • Brussels has a separate government in which both the communities have equal representation. The French speaking people accepted equal representation in Brussels because the Dutch-speaking community has accepted equal representation in the Central Government. • Apart from the Central and the State Government, there is a third kind of government. This ‘community government’ is elected by people belonging to one language community – Dutch, French and German-speaking – no matter where they live. This government has the power regarding cultural, educational, and language-related issues.

Question. How many times did the Belgian Government amend their constitution during the period 1970-1993?
(a) 3
(b) 5
(c) 2
(d) 4
Answer : D

Question. The constitution of Belgium prescribes that the number of Dutch and French speaking ministers ........ in the central government
(a) Shall be equal
(b) Dutch speaking shall be more
(c) French speaking will be more
(d) None of the above
Answer : A

Question. Who elects the community government in Belgium?
(a) People belonging to one language community only.
(b) By the leaders of Belgium.
(c) The citizens of Luxembourg.
(d) The community leaders of Belgium.
Answer : A

Question. In what all areas do the community government has power?
(a) Cultural affairs
(b) Education
(c) Language related issues
(d) All of these
Answer : D

Question. Brussels has a separate government in which
(a) Both the communities have equal representation
(b) Both the communities have different representation
(c) French speakers have more representation
(d) Community government have more representation
Answer : A

Question : Which factor is responsible for increasing the feeling of alienation among the Sri Lankan, Tamil?
Answer : Majoritarianism

Question : What is the significance of years 1970-1993 for Belgium?
Answer : The constitution was amended four times

Question : In which continent is Belgium located?
Answer : Europe

Question : The term Eelam stands for
Answer : State

Question : Who formed the majority in terms of population in Sri Lanka?
Answer : Sinhala community

Question : How did Sri Lanka and the Belgium government try to solve the ethnic problem?
Answer : (i) The Belgium leaders tried to solve the ethnic problem by respecting the feelings and interests of different communities and regions, whereas the Sri Lankan government tried to solve the problem through majoritarianism.
(ii)  Belgian leaders established a federal structure under   which  power  was  shared  between  the Union   Government   and  its  other  constituent units whereas Sri Lankan leaders adopted Unitary Government structure.
(iii) The Belgium solution helped in avoiding civic strife whereas the majoritarianism in Sri Lanka led to the civil war.

Question : Explain any one benefit of ‘Power Sharing’.
Answer : Power sharing helps to reduce the possibility of conflict between different social groups. A social conflict often leads to violence and political instability power sharing helps to ensure the stability of political order.

Question : "In a democracy, political expression of social division is very normal and can be healthy." Justify this statement with suitable arguments.
Answer : Every expression of social division in politics does not lead to disasters but it is beneficial too. In a democracy, political expression of social divisions is very normal and can be healthy. In the cases of India, and Belgium it has been  observed that social diversities can be accommodated in a very positive manner.
But a positive attitude towards diversity and a willingness to accommodate it do not come about easily.
(i) People who feel marginalized, deprived and discriminated have to fight against the injustices.
(ii) Such  a  fight  often  takes  the  democratic path  voicing their  demands  in  a  peaceful and constitutional manner.
(iii) Seeking a fair position through elections.
(iv) Sometimes social differences can take the form of unacceptable level of social inequality and injustice. The struggle against such inequalities sometimes takes the path of violence and defiance of state power. However, history shows that democracy is the best way to fight for recognition and also to accommodate diversity.
(iv) Relations  between  Tamils  and  Sinhalese became strained.

Question : "The outcome of politics of social divisions depends on how the political leaders raise the demands of any community". Explain the statement. 
Answer : (i)  It is easy to accommodate demands that are within the constitutional framework and are not at the cost of another community.
(ii)  The demand for only the Sinhala community in Sri Lanka was at the cost of interest and identity of Tamil community.
(iii) In  Yugoslavia, the  leaders of  the  different ethnic communities presented their demands in such a way that these could not be accommodated within a single country.

Question : What system of power sharing is called "Checks and Balances"?
Answer : When one arm of the government can question the functioning of other arms in horizontal power distribution.