NCERT Solutions For Class 10 Political Science Chapter 1 Power Sharing Long Answer Questions
Question 1. Describe the main forms of power-sharing arrangements in modern democracies.
Answer:
In modern democracies, power sharing can take different forms.
- Horizontal Power Sharing: It refers to power sharing among different organs of government. For example: the Legislature makes law, the Executive implements the law and the Judiciary gives justice. Each organ works as a check on other organs and maintains the balance of power. This system is known as A system of Checks and Balances.
- Vertical Power Sharing: In this type of power-sharing, power is shared among governments at different levels. The different levels of Government are Central Government, State Government, and Local Government. Powers are divided among these governments.
- Power Sharing among different social groups
- Religious Groups
- Linguistic Groups, etc.
- Power Sharing among political parties, pressure groups, and movements competition:
- Different parties come together and form a coalition government when no party gets an absolute majority in the legislature.
- Different pressure groups, interest groups, and movements also directly and indirectly influence the decision-making process of government.
- Example: Former UPA Government at Centre.
Read and Learn More Class 10 Social Science Solutions
Question 2. Write a note on power sharing in Sri Lanka.
Or
How is power shared in Sri Lanka?
Answer:
Sri Lanka became an independent country in 1948. On the basis of their majority, the people belonging to the ‘Sinhala’ community tried to establish their supremacy in administration. They tried to ignore the “Tamils”.
In 1956, a law was passed declaring ‘Sinhala’ as the national language. Preference was given to Sinahalese in government jobs and universities. A provision was made in the constitution to give preference to Buddhism.
As a result of these measures, conflicts started between the Sinhalese and the Tamils. Tamils organised themselves and started their struggle against these measures and oven put forward demand for a separate homeland or independent state.
This led to a Civil war in the country in which thousands of people were killed and a large number of them settled in other countries after leaving their own homeland.
Even today, a civil war is going on with the Sinhalese, due to their majority not being prepared to share power with the Tamils.
Question 3. What are the interesting elements of the Belgian Government?
Answer:
According to the Belgian Constitution, the number of Dutch and French-speaking ministers in the central government will be equal. Since both linguistic communities will have their own problems, no single community can make decisions.
The state governments have been given many powers by the central government. The state governments are not subordinate to the central government.
Equal representation of both communities has made the Brussels government a unique one.
Because the Dutch-speaking community has accepted equal representation in the central government, the French-speaking people have accepted equal representation in Brussels.
Question 4. How did the Belgian Government solve its ethnic problem?
Or
Describe the steps taken by the Belgian government to solve the ethnic problem.
Or
Write the main features of power power-sharing arrangement made in Belgium.
Answer:
In Belgium, leaders recognised the existence of regional differences and cultural diversities. The Belgian government accommodated its diverse ethnic population in the following manner:
- An equal number of ministers for both groups: The Constitution says that the number of Dutch and French-speaking ministers shall be equal in the central government.
- More powers to state government: Many of the powers of the central government have been given to the state governments of the two regions of the country. The state governments are not subordinate to the central government.
- Equal representation at the state and the central level: Brussels has a separate government in which both communities have equal representation.
- Community government: There is a third kind of government called the ‘community government’. This government is elected by the people belonging to one language community, French and German speaking, no matter where they live. This government has the power relating to culture, education, and language issues. These arrangements helped to avoid a civic strife between the two major communities and a possible division of the country on linguistic lines.
Question 5. What do you understand by community government?
- Where was it established?
- What values does it promote?
Answer:
Community government is a form of government in which different social groups ‘ are given power to handle the affairs related to their communities.
This type of government is expected to work jointly for the benefit of the common masses without undermining any one community.
- It was established in Belgium.
- The promotion and safeguarding of culture and language.
In modern democracies, power can be shared in many forms, for example., horizontal power sharing or vertical power sharing.
Question 6. The government of Sri Lanka has avoided the sharing of powers in their country and its outcomes are very painful. Even then the majority of people are not learning lessons. Explain it.
Answer:
It is because an animal instinct to rule over others is the strongest drive that believe in partisan or split impressions.
“Mine is better and yours is worse” like presumptions and their imprints deep-rooted in minds give birth to clashes, conflicts, and even civil wars as Sri Lanka had faced some years ago.
The priests, teachers, ancestors, and commentators can only immunize the youngsters of this country from this ailment that finally, brings consequences like civil war. Self-dependence and reflexivity can only alleviate the situation.
Question 7. The Belgian model of sharing power is very complicated but it has so far worked well. Explain the statement.
Answer:
The Belgian model of sharing power in their democratic set-up is very complicated. It is so because many provisions have been made by their constitution.
These provisions are not easy even for the people of Belgium to understand easily. But the people of Belgium are lucky because all political arrangements made by their constitution have so far worked well and successfully.
These provisions have helped avoid civil strife between the two major communities and a possible division along linguistic lines.
Question 8. Annette studies in a Dutch medium school in the northern region of Belgium. Many French-speaking students in her school want the medium of instruction to be French. selvi studies in a school in the northern region of Sri Lanka. all the students in her school are Tamil-speaking and they want the medium of instruction to be Tamil.
if the parents of Annette and Selvi were to approach their respective governments to realize the desire of their children, who is more likely to succeed? why?
Answer:
Annette’s parents would likely succeed, because, the constitution of Belgium declares that the community government has the power regarding cultural, educational, and language-related issues.
It can solve their issue, but in the case of Sri Lanka, Sinhalas have established their supremacy; so there is no chance of Selvi’s parents succeeding.
Question 9. Mention the four elements in Belgian power-sharing mode.
Answer:
- No single community can make decisions unilaterally. The Constitution prescribes the equal representation of the number of Dutch and French ministers in the central government.
- The state government is not subordinate to the central government.
- Brussels has a separate government where both communities have equal representation.
- Thirdkind of government, i.e., ‘community government’ is elected by the people belonging to one language community, i.e., either Dutch, French, or German-speaking community.
Question 10. Describe any three demands of the Sri Lankan Tamils. How did they struggle for their demands?
Answer:
- There were various demands of the Sri Lankan Tamils. These included political, religious, linguistic, social, and economic demands. Their demands are related to the legislature.
- In Sri Lanka, the Sinhala language is encouraged. Tamils demanded that ‘Tamil ’ must be recognized as an official language.
- Annoyed by facing various political biases for years, Tamils have demanded the establishment of regional autonomy.
- Even today, Tamils are struggling for equality of opportunity in securing education and jobs.
Question 11. What’s wrong if the majority community rules? If Sinhalas don’t rule in Sri Lanka, where else will they rule?
Answer:
There is nothing wrong with it. The democratic system proves beneficial for the majority community to come to power. Based on the democratic set up it was imminent for Sinhala to come to power in Sri Lanka.
Their rule was not beneficial for minority people living there. This policy of majoritarianism led to violence. As a result, civil war broke out in Sri Lanka which resulted in bloodshed killing thousands on both sides