Chapter-1

Power Sharing

Class 10

Q1. Define the term Majoritarianism.

Ans .A 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.

Q9.Explain the idea of Majoritarianism followed by Sri Lanka.
 Ans:. Majoritarianism is a political philosophy which asserts that a majority of the population has the right to take the decisions affecting the society.
 B. It means submission of the majority group for all t he decisions affecting their lives.
C. It often results in preferential policies being followed, favoring the majority group in university positions and government jobs and other opportunities and interests, thus denying the minority equal rights and opportunities  .

Q3.Define Civil War.

Ans. A violent conflict between opposing groups that becomes so intense that it like a war.

Q4.Describe three demands of Sri Lankan Tamils. How did they struggle for their independence?
Ans:A. Recognition of Tamil as an official language.
 B. Regional autonomy
 C. Equal opportunity in securing jobs and education.
D. They formed several political organizations, but when the government tried to suppress their activities by force, this led to demand for Tamil Elam(separate state for tamils)

Q5.What is the reason for tension in Belgium?
Ans.A.The Dutch form 59%, the French form 40% and the Ger man about 1% comprises the population of Belgium.
B. The French community is in majority in the capital of Belgium, Brussels.
 C. They are rich and powerful and this is not liked by the Dutch.
D. The Dutch speaking community got the benefit of economic development and education much later showed the resentment.
 E. This led to conflict between French and Dutch speaking people.

Q6. What was a community government?

Answer: It was elected by the people belonging to language community – Dutch French and German speaking no matter where they live. It deals with cultural, educational and language related issues.

Q7.Write any three provisions of the Act which passed in Sri Lanka in 1956 to establish Sinhala Supremacy
Ans. In 1956, an Act was passed to recognise Sinhala as the only official language, thus disregarding Tamil. The governments followed preferential policies that favoured Sinhala applicants for university positions and government jobs. A new constitution stipulated that the state shall protect and foster Buddhism.

Q8. Explain the power sharing arrangement among the different organs of the government.
Ans. A. In a democracy power is shared among the different organs of the government such as Legislature, Executive and Judiciary. This is also called as the horizontal distribution of power sharing. B. Legislature is lawmaking body, Executive is law implementing body and Judiciary is dispute solving body of the Government.
 C. Because it also allows different organs of government placed at the same level to exercise different power.
 D. Under this kind of power sharing arrangements, no organ of the government can exercise unlimited powers.
 E. Each organ has its own power and checks the powers of other. F. This results in the in a balance of power among various institutions.

Q9. Explain the power sharing arrangement among the different social groups.

Ans: A. In a democracy, especially in multiethnic society, power is also shared among social groups such as the religious and linguistic groups.
B. Community government in Belgium is a good example o f this arrangement.
 C. In some countries, there are constitutional and leg al arrangements whereby socially weaker sections and women are represented in the legislatures and administration.
D. In India to provide share in power to backward and other classes, a system of reserved constituencies in assemblies and the parliament is followed.
 E. This type arrangement is meant to give proper share in the government and administration to diverse social groups who otherwise would feel alienated from the Government.

Q10.What is power sharing?

Anss; A. Power sharing is a strategy wherein all the major segments of the society are provided with a permanent share of power in governance of the country.
 B. It is a means for sharing practices and established rule and roles to facilitate broad based decision-making, controlling and leading.
C. It is potential tool for solving disputes on the society.

Q11.Give reason for which power sharing is desirable?
Ans. A.Power sharing is desirable because it reduces the possibility of conflict

B.it ensures the stability of political order

C.it also strengthens the unity of the country.

D.It helps in citizens participation in government function.

E.Power sharing brings happiness for all sections of society (weather majority or minority).

 Q12.Explain Prudential and moral reason of power sharing.

 A. Prudential Reason: Power sharing is good because it helps to reduce the possibility of social conflict between social groups. Since social groups often lead to violence and political instability, power sharing is a good way to ensure the stability of political order.

B.Moral  Reason:Power sharing is the very spirit of democracy. A democratic rule involves sharing power with those affected by its exercise, and who have to live with its effects. People have a right to be consulted on how they are to be governed. A legitimate government is one where citizens, through participation, acquire a stake in the system.

Q13.Explain the power sharing arrangement among the different levels of the government.

Ans:A. Under this people choose separate government at separate levels for example a general government for the entire country and governments at the provincial, sub- national or regional level.
 B. Such a general government for the entire country is usually called a federal government.
C. In India we refer to it as the union government. The governments at the provincial or regional level are called by different names in different countries.
D. In India these are known as state governments. This system is not followed in all the countries of the world.
 E. The division of power is more important under such type of Governments. A government at different levels enjoys different powers which are given to them by the constitution.
 F. The divisions of power involving higher and lower levels of government are called vertical division of power. 
Q14.What measures were adopted by the Belgium government to accommodate regional and cultural diversities?
Ans:A. In 1970-193, the constitution of Belgium was amended for times to accommodate linguistic, cultural and regional differences.
 B. The Dutch and French speaking ministers were equal number in the central government.
C. Special laws required the support of majority of members from each linguistic group.
D. Many powers of the central government had been give n to state governments of the two regions of the country.
E. Brussels had a separate government where both communities were given equal representation. F. Community government of each section was also introduced.

Q15.Describe the population composition of Sri Lanka and the reasons for the formation of Majoritarian government in 1948. 
 Ans: A. It is an Island nation south of India. Tamil native s are called Sri Lankan Tamils and formed 13% population.
 B. The Indian Tamils whose forefathers had come from India as plantation workers formed 5% population. C. The Sinhala Buddhist, who was 74% of the population , formed the majority government after independence in 1948. D. Tamils are either Hindus or Muslims, 7% of the people are Christian who are both Tamil and Sinhala. E. Sinhalese enjoy majority and can impose their will on the entire country.

Q16.Write Down the features of Vertical division of power sharing.

 Ans:A. In vertical division of Power Sharing power is shared among the different levels of the government like Union Government, state government and Lower levels.

 B. Different levels of the government exercise the power of the government.

C. No specification of the system of checks and balance.

D. It ensures the concept of deepening of democracy.

E. Central Government, State Government and Panchayat Raj are the example of the Vertical division of Power Sharing  

Q17.Write down the features of Horizontal division of power sharing.
Ans:A. Horizontal Division of power, in which power is shared among different organs of the government like legislature, Executive and Judiciary.
 B. Different organs of the government exercise the power.
C. It specifies the concept of check and balance.
D. It ensures the concept of the expansion of the democracy.
 E. Examples: Legislature, Executive and Judiciary are the organs Government of India

Q18.What are the outcomes and the lessons we learnt from the style of governance in Sri Lanka and Belgium?
Ans: A. We realize that the two countries, Sri Lanka and Belgium, are similar in respect of linguistic and ethnic diversity, yet both of them followed opposite policies to resolve the differences.
B. The Majoritarianism measures as followed in Sri Lanka created feeling of alienation among the Tamils leading to tensions in the region. It led to civil war waged by the Tamils who fight to create an independent state named Tamil Elam in the North and east of the Island. It is estimated that the war ha s claimed the lives of more than 68000 people since 1983 and it has caused significant harms to the population and the economy of the country.
C. The accommodation policies followed in Belgium have worked well so far. They are complicated but nevertheless, have been able to prevent any outbreak of civil war. The policies helped the leaders of the country in creating an enabling environment for everyone to live together with unity without disturbing the social fabric of the country. The policies of the government gave equal representation to the different sections of the society.
 D. Therefore it is clear that to be able to hold the country together, it is indispensable to recognize and regard the culture and other identifying differences of various groups and create mutually acceptable policies for sharing power