HBSE 10th Class Social Science Important Questions Civics Chapter 1 Power Sharing

Haryana State Board HBSE 10th Class Social Science Important Questions Civics Chapter 1 Power Sharing  Important Questions and Answers.

Haryana Board 10th Class Social Science Important Questions Civics Chapter 1 Power Sharing

Multiple Choice Questions

Power Sharing Important Questions HBSE 10th Class Question 1.
Which one of the following languages is not spoken in Belgium?
(a) French
(b) Dutch
(c) Hindi
(d) German.
Answer:
(c) Hindi

Class 10 Civics Chapter 1 Important Questions HBSE  Question 2.
Which of the following is the capital city of Belgium ?
(a) Antwerp
(b) Brussels
(c) Charleroi
(d) None of these.
Answer:
(b) Brussels

Power Sharing Questions HBSE 10th Class Question 3.
Which one of the following minority communities is relatively rich and powerful in Belgium?
(a) English
(b) French
(c) Dutch
(d) Hindus.
Answer:
(b) French

Question 4.
Which of the following are a major caste-group of Sri Lanka ?
(a) Sinhalas and Muslims
(b) Buddhists and Hindus
(c) Sinhalas and Tamils
(d) Sinhalas and Christians
Answer:
(b) Buddhists and Hindus

Question 5.
Tamil natives of Sri Lanka are called
(a) Sri Lankan Tamils
(b) Indian Tamils
(c) Muslim Tamils
(d) All of these.
Answer:
(a) Sri Lankan Tamils

Question 6.
What is the percentage of Sinhalese-speaking people in Sri Lanka?
(a) 74%
(b) 59%
(c) 30%
(d) 44%.
Answer:
(a) 74%

Question 7.
Which one of the following is the main religion of Sri Lankans?
(a) Buddhism
(b) Christianity
(c) Hinduism
(d) All of these.
Answer:
(a) Buddhism

Question 8.
Which one of the following languages was recognised as the official language of Sri Lanka in 1956?
(a) Tamil
(b) English
(c) Hindi
(d) Sinhala.
Answer:
(d) Sinhala.

Question 9.
When did Sri Lanka gain independence?
(a) 1949
(b) 1950
(c) 1952
(d) 1948.
Answer:
(d) 1948.

Question 10.
A war-like conflict between two opposite groups within a country is called.
(a) Ethnic war
(b) Civil war
(c) Summer war
(d) None of these.
Answer:
(b) Civil war

Question 11.
A belief that the majority community should be able to rule over a country in whichever way it wants is :
(a) Communism
(b) Majoritarianism
(c) Communalism
(d) Absolutism.
Answer:
(b) Majoritarianism

Question 12.
How many times was the Belgian constitution amended between 1970 to 1993?
(a) Thrice
(b) Twice
(c) Six times
(d) Four times.
Answer:
(d) Four times.

Question 13.
Who elects the community government in Belgium?
(a) The Community leaders of Belgium.
(b) People belonging to one language community only.
(c) The citizens of the whole country.
(d) The leader of Belgium.
Answer:
(b) People belonging to one language community only.

Question 14.
Which of the following statements about coalition government is true?
(a) Power is shared by different social groups.
(b) Power is shared among the different organs of the government.
(c) Power is shared among governments at different levels.
(d) Power is shared by two or more political parties.
Answer:
(d) Power is shared by two or more political parties.

Question 15.
Which is not one of the benefits of power sharing?
(a) It upholds the spirit of democracy.
(b) Reduce the possibility of conflicts between social groups.
(c) All political parties get their expected share.
(d) Ensures political stability in the long run.
Answer:
(c) All political parties get their expected share.

Question 16.
The functioning of executive or laws made by legislatures are checked by the :
(a) Law Minister
(b) Parliament
(c) Judiciary
(d) All of these.
Answer:
(c) Judiciary

Question 17.
Modern democracies maintain check and balance system, identify the correct option based on the horizontal power-sharing arrangement.
(a) Unitary Government
(b) Dictatorship
(c) Federal Government
(d) Monarchy.
Answer:
(a) Unitary Government

Question 18.
Community government in Belgium is a good example of power sharing among:
(a) Different organs of government
(b) Different social groups
(c) Government at different levels
(d) Political parties.
Answer:
(b) Different social groups

Fill in the blanks

1. Sri Lanka is an ………….. just a few kilometres off the southern coast of Tamil Nadu.
2. …………. was chosen as the headquarters of European Union.
3. A ……….. government is one where citizens, through participation, acquire a stake in the system.
4. The idea of ………… has emerged in opposition to be notions of undivided political power.
5. In …………… power sharing arrangement can take many forms.
6. A system of checks and balances comes under …………. form of power sharing.
7. An example of power, sharing between social groups in Belgium is ………….. government.
8. In a democracy, the citizens must have ………….. to choose among various contenders for power.
Answer:
1. Island nation
2. Brussels
3. legitimate
4. power sharing
5. modem democracies
6. horizontal
7. community
8. freedom.

Very Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1.
Name any two countries with which Belgium has borders.
Answer:
Belgium has borders with France and Luxembourg.

Question 2.
What percent of total population of Belgium lives in the Flemish region?
Answer:
Of the country’s total population, 59 per cent lives in the Flemish region.

Question 3.
Which language is spoken in the Flemish region?
Answer:
Dutch language is spoken in the Flemish region.

Question 4.
What percent of total population of Belgium lives in the Wallonia region?
Answer:
Of the country’s total population, 40 per cent lives in the Wallonia region.

Question 5.
Which language is spoken in the Wallonia region?
Answer:
French language is spoken in the Wallonia region.

Question 6.
Which other language, besides Dutch and French, is spoken in Belgium?
Answer:
Besides Dutch and French, German is spoken in Belgium.

Question 7.
Which is the capital city of Belgium?
Answer:
Brussels is the capital city of Belgium.

Question 8.
Which language is spoken in Brussels?
Answer:
In Brussels, 80 per cent people speak French, while 20 percent speak Dutch.

Question 9.
Which community was more rich and powerful in Belgium?
Answer:
The French-speaking community was more rich and powerful in Belgium.

Question 10.
What is the cause of tension between Dutch-speaking and French-speaking communities?
Answer:
Dutch-speaking community got the benefits of economic development and education, much later, in comparison to the rich and powerful French-speaking community.

Question 11.
Mention the period of tension between Dutch-speaking and French-speaking communities.
Answer:
During 1950s and 1960s, there was a tension between Dutch-speaking and French¬speaking communities.

Question 12.
At which place was the tension between two communities more acute?
Answer:
In Brussels, the tension between two communities was more acute.

Question 13.
In which year Sri Lanka emerged as an independent country ?
Answer:
Sri Lanka emerged as an independent country in 1948.

Question 14.
Where is Sri Lanka situated?
Answer:
Sri Lanka is an island nation situated a few kilometres off the southern coast of Tamil Nadu (India).

Question 15.
What is the ethnic composition of Sri Lanka?
Answer:
Ethnic communities of Sri Lanka are Sinhalese, Sri Lankan Tamils, Indian Tamils and Muslims.

Question 16.
Which languages are spoken in Sri Lanka?
Answer:
Two languages Sinhala and Tamil are spoken in Sri Lanka.

Question 17.
Name the Sri Lankan community that follow Buddhism.
Answer:
Sinhala- speaking people follow Buddhism.

Question 18.
Name the social group constituting the largest share in the population of Sri Lanka.
Answer:
Sinhala-speakers (74%) constituted the largest share in the population of Sri Lanka.

Question 19.
Which language was recognised as the only official language of Sri Lanka in 1956?
Answer:
In 1956, an act was passed to recognise Sinhala as the only official language.

Question 20.
Name the two major social groups of Sri Lanka. =
Answer:
Sinhala-speakers (74%), Tamil-speakers (18%).

Question 21.
Which major social group consitutued the largest share in population of Sri Lanka?
Answer:
Sinhalese constituted the largest share in population of Sri Lanka.

Question 22.
Which country do ‘Indian Tamils’ belong to ?
Answer:
‘Indian Tamils’ belong to Sri Lanka. ,

Question 23.
Which country has adopted Buddhism as its official religions?
Answer:
Sri Lanka has adopted Buddhism as its official religion.

Question 24.
What is the religion of Sinhala-speaking people?
Answer:
Most of the Sinhala-speaking people are Buddhists.

Question 25.
Name the two major ethnic communities of Sri Lanka. (CBSE 2019)
Answer:
The major ethnic communities of Sri Lanka are Sinhalese and Sri Lankan Tamils.

Question 26.
Who raised the demand of ‘Regional Autonomy1 in Sri Lanka?
Answer:
The Sri Lankan Tamils raised the demand of ‘Regional Autonomy’ in Sri Lanka.

Question 27.
Define the term civil war.
Answer:
A war-like conflict between different groups of people residing in the same country is called civil war.

Question 28.
How many times was the constitution of Belgium amended between 1970 and 1993?
Answer:
Between 1970 and 1993, the constitution of Belgium was amended four times.

Question 29.
What are the three levels of government in Belgium?
Answer:
In Belgium, there are three levels of government –
(i) central government
(ii) state government
(iii) community government.

Question 30.
Where is the headquarters of European Union situated?
OR
Which city was chosen as its headquarters when the European Union was formed?
Answer:
Brussels.

Question 31.
Who elects the community government in Belgium ? (CBSE 2011;
Answer:
‘Community government’ is elected by people lelonging to one language community— Dutch, French and German-Speaking, no matter where they live.

Question 32.
In which type of government power sharing is good ? (CBSE 2011)
Answer:
Democracy.

Question 33.
Why is power sharing desirable?
Answer:
Power sharing is desirable for two reasons-prudential reasons and moral reasons.

Question 34.
What are the common forms of power sharing in modern democracies?
Answer:
Power can be shared
(i) among different organs of government
(ii) among governments at different levels
(iii) among different social groups
(iv) political parties, pressure groups and movements.

Question 35.
Explain the meaning of Horizontal sharing of power. (CBSE 2010, 2012;
Answer:
Power shared among different organs of government, such as the legislature, executive and judiciary is called horizontal distribution of power.

Short Answer Type Questions-I

Question 1.
What is the complex ethnic composition of Belgium in terms of the percentage of each language spoken there?
Answer:
Of the country’s total population, 59%, lives in the Flemish region and speaks Dutch language. Another 40% people live in Wallonia region and speak French. Rema^iing 1% of the Belgians speak German. In the capital city Brussels, 80% people speak French while 20% are Dutch speaking.

Question 2.
What was the cause of tension between Dutch-speaking and French-speaking communities?
Answer:
The French-speaking minority community was relatively rich and powerful. On the other hand, the Dutch-speaking community got the benefit of economic development and education, much later. This created a tension between both communities.

Question 3.
Write a short note on the ethnic composition of Sri Lanka.
Answer:
Sri Lanka has a diverse population, 74 per cent are Sinhala-speakers while the percentage of Tamil-speakers is 18. Tamils are divided into two sub-groups- ‘Sri Lankan Tamils’ and ‘Indian Tamils’.

Question 4.
What is the religious composition of Sri Lanka?
Answer:
In Sri Lanka, most of the Sinhalese are Buddhists, while most of the Tamils are Hindus or Muslims. About 7 per cent are Christians, who are both, Tamil and Sinhalese.

Question 5.
What role has been played by the majority community in Belgium?
Answer:
In Belgium, the Dutch community is in majority, but it did not impose its will on minority communities, which are French and German-speaking population.

Question 6.
What measures were adopted by the leaders of Sinhalese community to secure dominance over government by virtue of their majority?
Answer:
The leaders of Sinhalese community sought to secure dominance over government by virtue of their majority. For this purpose, the democratically elected government adopted a series of ‘majoritarian’ measures to establish Sinhalese supremacy.

Question 7.
Explain the meaning of majoritarianism as practised in Sri Lanka. (CBSE 2010)
Answer:
Majoritarianism as practised in Sri Lanka means 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.

Question 8.
Describe the ‘majoritarian measures’ taken by the elected government to establish Sinhalese supremacy.
Answer:
(i) By the Act of 1956, Sinhala was recognized as the only official language.
(ii) Through preferential policies, Sinhalese applicants were favoured for university positions and government jobs.
(iii) It was decided that the state should protect Buddhism.

Question 9.
What were the reasons of strained relationship between Sinhalese and Tamil communities?
Answer:
The Sinhalese adopted ‘majoritarian measures’ to establish supremacy. This increased the feeling of alienation among Sri Lankan Tamils. They felt that nobody was sensitive towards their language and culture. As a result, relations were strained between them.

Question 10.
What forced Sri Lankan Tamils to launch their parties and struggles?
Answer:
(i) To recognize Tamil as an official language.
(ii) To gain regional autonomy.
(iii) To secure equal opportunities in education and jobs.

Question 11.
What were the consequences of civil war in Sri Lanka?
Answer:
As a result of civil war, thousands of people of Sinhalese and Tamil communities were killed. Many families were forced to leave the country as refugees and they lost their livelihood.

Question 12.
What were the gains of political arrangement as made in the Belgian model through amendments?
Answer:
(i) They helped to avoid civic strife between the two major communities.
(ii) It made possible the administrative division of country on linguistic basis.
(iii) Brussels was chosen the headquarters of European Union.

Question 13.
Explain the term community government in reference to Belgium.
Answer:
Apart from the central and the state government, there is a third kind of government in Belgium i.e. community government that caters to the needs of a single linguistic community.

Question 14.
State any one step taken in Belgium to rule out the problem of regional differences and cultural diversities.
Answer:
Belgium introduced a third kind of government, i.e. community government to rule out the problem of regional difference and cultural diversities. Community government is elected by all the people of a linguistic group irrespective of their region.

Question 15.
Why is power sharing desirable ?
Answer:
Power sharing is the very spirit of democracy and it helps to reduce the possibility of conflict between social groups. Therefore, it is strongly desired in a democracy.

Question 16.
What is the moral ground of power sharing?
Answer:
From the moral point of view, power sharing is a very essential element for the spirit of democracy. People have a right to be consulted on how they are to be governed.

Question 17.
What is the horizontal distribution of power?
Answer:
Power is shared among different organs of government, such as the legislature, executive and judiciary. As the different organs are placed at the same level to exercise different powers, it is known as ‘Horizontal distribution’.

Question 18.
What is the ‘Federal division’ of power?
Answer:
Power can be shared among governments at different levels. For example, a central government for entire country and state governments at the provincial or regional level. This is called the federal division of power.
Explain the vertical division of power.
When power is shared among governments at different levels, such as central government, state government and panchayats, etc. such division of power is known as the vertical division of power.

Question 19.
What do you know about coalition government?
Answer:
When no party gains a clear majority in the legislative assembly then two or more parties join to form the government. Such a government is called coalition government. Explain the relationship between democracy and power sharing. In a democracy, people are the basic source of political power. They rule through their representatives. In this, every citizen has the right to take part in decision making. Power sharing is the essence of democracy, in which every citizen inspite of various diversities, takes part in the political system.

Short Answer Type Questions-II

Question 1.
Describe the location and ethnic composition of Belgium.
Answer:
Belgium is a small country in Europe. It shares its borders with France, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Germany. Areawise, it is smaller than the state of Haryana. Its population is around one crore, about half the population of Haryana. The Ethnic composition of Belgium is very complex. Of the country’s total population, 59 percent lives in the Flemish region and speaks Dutch language, 40 per cent lives in the Wallonia region and speaks French and the remaining one per cent speaks German. The capital city is Brussels, where 80 per cent people speak French while 20 per cent people speak Dutch language.

Question 2.
What was the cause of tension between Dutch-speaking and French-speaking communities in Belgium during the 1950s and 1960s?
OR
What led to the tension between the French-speaking and Dutch-speaking communities in Belgium in 1950s-1960s.
Answer:
In Belgium, the French-speaking minority community was relatively rich and powerful. On the other hand, the Dutch-speaking community got the benefit of economic development and education much later. This created resentment among Dutch-speaking people and also proved the chief cause of tension between the Dutchspeaking and French-speaking communities during 1950s and 1960s. This tension between two communities was more acute in capital city, Brussels.

Question 3.
Clarify the difference between ‘Sri Lankan Tamils’ and ‘Indian Tamils’.
Answer:
The ethnic composition of Sri Lanka is comprised of chiefly two linguistic groups- Sinhalese and Tamil. These Tamils are further divided into two categories-Sri Lankan Tamils and Indian Tamils. Tamil natives of the country are called ‘Sri Lankan Tamils’. On the other hand, the Tamils, whose forefathers came from India as plantation workers during colonial period, are called ‘Indian Tamils’. Sri Lankan Tamils are concentrated in the North and East of the country.

Question 4.
What were the results of Majoritarianism in Sri Lanka?
Or
Discuss the causes of strained relationship between Sinhalese and Tamil communities.
Answer:
In 1948, Sri Lanka became an independent country. The leaders of Sinhalese community sought to secure dominance over government by virtue of their majority. As a result, the democratically elected government adopted a series of ‘majoritarian’ measures to establish Sinhalese supremacy.

By the Act of 1956, Sinhala was recognized as the sole official language. Preference was given to Sinhalese applicants for university positions and government jobs. The Tamils felt that constitution and government policies denied them equal rights and discriminated against them in getting jobs. As a result, relationship was strained between the Sinhalese and Tamil communities.

Question 5.
Which factors were responsible for civil war in Sri Lanka? What were its results or consequences?
Or
What were the demands of Sri Lankan Tamils? Trace the development of their struggle.
Answer:
Majoritarianism in Sri Lanka led to strained relationship between The Sinhalese and the Tamils. Sri Lankan Tamils launched parties and struggles for-
(i) the recognition of Tamil as an official language
(ii) regional autonomy
(iii) equal opportunities in securing education and jobs.

But, their demands were repeatedly denied. By 1980s, several political organizations were formed, demanding an independent Tamil Eelam (state) in northern and eastern parts of Sri Lanka. Soon, it turned into a civil war and as a result, thousands of people were killed and a large number of people became refugees.

Question 6.
What measures were adopted by Belgium and Sri Lanka in dealing with the question of power sharing?
Answer:
Belgium and Sri Lanka adopted quite different methods in dealing with the question of power sharing. In Belgium, the leaders realized that the unity of the country was possible only by respecting the feelings and interests of different communities and regions. It resulted in mutually acceptable arrangements for sharing power. On the contrary, Sri Lanka presents the example, that if a majority community wants to force its dominance over others and refuses to share power, it can undermine the unity of the country.
Thus, Belgium dealt with ethnic problem peacefully while Sri Lanka faced a civil war.

Question 7.
Which type of government is much better- Unitary Government or Federal Government? Explain with the examples of Belgium and Sri Lanka.
Answer:
In unitary government, we see the centralization of powers while in federal type of government, the power is divided between centre and its units. As far as the examples of Belgium and Sri Lanka are concerned, the Belgian leaders tried to solve ethnic problems by establishing a federal government. Sri Lankan goverment tried to solve the problem through majoritarianism. The Belgian government avoided the civil strife whereas Sri Lankan government had to face the civil war. Thus, federal type of government is much better in comparison to unitary government.

Question 8.
Compare the different ways in which the Belgians and Sri Lankans have dealt with the problem of cultural diversity.
Answer:
Both Belgium and Sri Lanka are democracies, yet they have dealt with the problem of cultural diversity very differently.
Belgium:
(1) leaders realised that for the unity of the country, it is important to respect the feelings and interests of different communities. The constitution prescribes that the number of Dutch and French speaking ministers shall be equal in the central government.

(2) Both Dutch and French communities, share power on an equal basis at the centre. Along with the state government, both communities have a third kind of government called ‘community government which decides on cultural, education and language related issues.

(3) Between 1970 and 1993, the consittution was amended four times to enable all linguistic groups to live together within the same country.

Sri Lanka :
(1) Both communities have lived in tension as the Sinhalese have denied political, educational, religious, employment and economic rights to the Tamils leading to the civil war.
(2) In 1956, the government passed an act to recognise Sinhala as the only official language, thus disregarding Tamil.

Question 9.
Explain any three consequences of the majoritarian policies adopted by the Sri Lankan government. (CBSE2013)
Answer:
Sri Lanka emerged as an independent country in 1948. The democratically elected government adopted a series of majoritarian measures to establish Sinhala supremacy. Consequences of these majoritorian policies : •
(1) The Sri Lankan Tamils felt that none of the major political parties led by the Buddhist Sinhala leaders were sensitive to their language and culture, and the government policies denied them equal political righs which led to increased feelings of alienation among them.

(2) The Sri Lankan Tamils felt that the constitution denied them equal rights in politics, in getting jobs and ignored their interests. The relation between the Tamil and Sinhala communities became extremely strained as a result.

(3) The Sri Lankan Tamils launched parties and struggles for the recognition of Tamil, for regional autonomy and equality opportunity in every field.

(4) Therefore, the measures adopted by the government to establish Sinhala supermacy led to distrust between the two communities which turned the widespread conflict into a civil war. As a result, thousands of people of both communities were killed and many families were forced to leave the country as refugees and lost their livelihoods.

Question 10.
Examine the reasons for strained relationship between the Sinhala and Tamil communities. (CBSE 2010)
Answer:
(1) In 1956, an act was passed under which, Sinhala was recognized as Sri Lankan official language. No consideration was given to Tamil language.

(2) The government followed preferential policies which favoured Sinhala applicants for university positions and government jobs.

(3) The new constitution stipulated that state would protect and promote Buddhism. All these government measures increased the feeling of alienation among Sri Lankan Tamils and they felt that government’s constitution denied them equal political rights, discriminated against them in getting jobs and other opportunities and ignored their interests. Thus, the relations between the Sinhala and Tamil communities became strained over time.

Question 11.
Give the difference between Horizontal division of power and Vertical division of power.
Answer:
Horizontal Division of Power:
1. Power is shared among different organs of government, i.e. legislature, executive and judiciary.
2. In this, different organs exercise their power based on the concept of separation of powers.
3. In this, the concept of ‘checks and balances’ is followed.

Vertical division of power:
1. Power is shared at different levels of government, i.e. union, state and local levels.
2. In this, constitution clearly lays down the power of different governance levels.
3. In this, there is no concept of checks and balances.

Question 12.
Explain the prudential and moral reasons given in favour of power sharing ?
Answer:
Prudential Reasons: First, power sharing is good because it helps to reduce the possibility of conflict between social groups, since social conflict often leads to violence and political instability, power sharing is a good way to ensure the stability of political order. Imposing the will of majority community over minority community may look good in the short run but in the long run it undermines the unity of the nation.

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.

Question 13.
Explain how power is shared among different organs of government? (CBSE 2009)
Answer:
Power is shared among different organs of government such as the legislature, judiciary and executive. It is called horizontal distribution of power because it allows different organs of government placed at the same level to exercise different powers. Each organ checks the others. This results in a balance of power among various institutions. Although, judges are appointed by the executive, they can check the functioning of executive or laws made by the legislatures. This arrangement is called a system of checks and balances.

Question 14.
How far do you agree with the statement that power sharing is keeping with spirit of democracy ? (CBSE 2012 )
Answer:
Power sharing is desirable in democracy because it helps to reduce the possibility of conflict between social groups. Conflict between social groups leads to violence and political instability. Power sharing is a good way to ensure the stability of political order. Imposing the will of majority community over others, in the long run may undermine the unity of the nation. Tyranny of the majority is not just oppressive for the minority, it oft^ brings ruin to the majority as well.

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. Prudential reasons stress that power sharing brings out better outcomes, whereas moral reasons emphasize the act of power sharing as valuable.

Question 15.
Why is decentralization favoured in democracy ? Explain any three advantages.
Answer:
Advantages of decentralisation of power :
When power is taken away from central and state governments and given to local governments, it is called Decentralisation. The basic idea behind decentralisation is that there are a large number of problems and issues which are best settled at the local level. People have better knowledge of problems in their localities.
They also have better ideas on where to spend money and how to manage things more efficiently.

Question 16.
How is power shared among different social groups ?
Answer:
Power is shared among different social groups such as the religious and linguistic groups. Community government in Belgium is a good example of this arrangement. In some countries, there are constitutional and legal arrangements whereby socially weaker sections and women are represented in the leg is latures and administration. ‘Reserved constituencies’ in assemblies and the Parliament of our country is meant to give space in the government and administration to diverse social groups who otherwise would feel alienated from the government. This method is used to give minority communities a fair share in power.

Question 17.
How is power shared among political parties, pressure groups and movements?
Answer:
(1) In democracies, there is competition among the political parties. In the long run, the power is shared among the political parties which can directly be done by forming alliance or coalition government. They also have a share in governmental power either through participation in governmental committees or bringing influence on the decision-making process. Power is shared among different political parties that represent different ideologies and social groups.

Long Answer Type Questions

Describe the geographical distribution of different ethnic communities in Belgium and Sri Lanka.
Answer:
Geographical Distribution of Ethnic Communities in Belgium: In Belgium, the geographical distribution of ethnic groups is as mentioned below of the total population, 59% lives in the Flemish region and speaks Dutch language. 40% lives in the Wallonia region and speaks French. 1% speaks German. As a whole, Dutch-speaking people are in majority, but in Brussels, French-speaking people are in majority.

Geographical Distribution of Ethnic Communities in Sri Lank:
In Sri Lanka, the geographical distribution of ethnic communities is as given below-Sinhala-speaking people are spread all over the country except north and eastern coastal areas.Sri Lankan Tamils are spread in the east and northern parts. They are also seen in some pockets of west coastal area. Indian Tamils are concentrated in the central and southern parts of Sri Lanka. Muslims are very small in number and scattered in various parts of Sri Lanka.

Question 2.
What is the ethnic composition of Sri Lanka? Explain some steps taken by the Sri Lankan Government to achieve majoritarianism.
Answer:
The Ethnic Composition of Sri Lanka:
Sri Lanka is an island nation. It has a diverse population. The major social groups are the Sinhala-speakers (74 per cent) and the Tamil speakers (18 per cent).

There are two sub-groups among Tamils:
(i) Sri Lankan Tamils: Tamil natives of the country are called Sri Lankan Tamils, who comprise 13 per cent of the population of Sri Lanka; and
(ii) Indian Tamils: Tamils whose forefathers came here from India as plantation workers during colonial period are called Indian Tamils. They who comprise 5 per cent of the population of Sri Lanka. Most of the Sinhala-speaking people are Buddhists, while most of the Tamils are Hindus or Muslims. There are about 7 per cent Christians, are both Tamil and Sinhalese.

Steps taken by the Sri lankan Government to achieve majoritarianism:
(i) In the year 1956, an Act was passed to recognise Sinhala as the only official language, thus disregarding Tamil.
(ii) The Sri Lankan Government followed preferential policies that favoured the Sinhalese applicants for university positions and government jobs.
(iii) A new constitution stipulated that the government will protect and foster Buddhism.

Question 3.
What were the main causes of tension between the two different linguistic communities of Belgium? How was this problem resolved? Describe it.
Or
In what ways is the political system of Belgium different from that of the other countries of the world? Explain.
Or
What steps did the Belgian government take to accommodate all the social groups in its system of governance?
Answer:
Main reasons of tension between the two different linguistic communities in Belgium were as follows : .
(i) The ethnic composition of Belgium is very complex. Of the country’s total population, 59 per cent lives in the Flemish region and speaks Dutch language. Another 40 per cent lives in the Wallonia region and speaks French. Remaining 1 per cent speaks German. The capital city is Brussels, where 80 per cent people speak French, while 20 per cent people speak Dutch language.

(ii) The French-speaking minority community was relatively rich and powerful. On the other hand, the Dutch-speaking community got the benefit of economic development and education much later. This led to resentment among Dutch-speaking people and also proved to be the chief cause of tension between the Dutch-speaking and Frenchspeaking communities during 1950s and 1960s. This tension between two communities was more acute in capital city, Brussels.

Solutions of the Linguistic Problem of Belgium:
The Belgian leaders recognized the existence of regional differences and cultural diversities. Between 1970 and 1993, they amended their constitution four times. The arrangements made through amendments were innovative and different from that of other countries of the world.

The chief features of the Belgian model are as follows:
(i) The number of Dutch and French-speaking ministers shall be equal in the Central Gov-ernment. A special law requires the support of majority of members from each linguistic community.
(ii) Many powers of the Central Government have been given to the State Government, which is not subordinate to the Central Government.
(iii) The capital city Brussels has a separate government, in which both the communities have equal representation.
(iv) Belgium also implemented the model of community government which is elected by the people belonging to one language community-Dutch, French and German-speaking people. This government has the power regarding language, culture and education-related matters.

Question 4.
What is majoritarianism? How has it increased the feeling of alienation among Sri Lankan Tamils ? Explain with examples.
Answer:
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, is majoritarianism. Sri Lanka emerged as an independent country in The democratically elected

government adopted a series of measures to establish Sinhala supremacy:
(1) In 1956, an act was passed to make Sinhala the official language.
(2) The government followed preferential policies favouring Sinhala applicants for university positions and government jobs.
(3) The constitution provided for state protection and fostering of Buddhism. The Sri Lankan Tamils felt that none of the major political parties led by the Buddhist Sinhala leaders were sensitive to their language and culture, and the government policies denied them equal political rights which led to increased feeling of alienation among them. The Sri Lankan Tamils launched parties and struggles for the recognition of Tamil, for regional autonomy and equality of opportunities in every field.

Therefore, the measures adopted by the government to establish Sinhala supremacy led to distrust between the two communities which turned the widespread conflict into a civil war.

Question 5.
What were the methods adopted by Belgian leaders to accommodate diversity in Belgium ? (CBSE 2016, 2017)
Answer:
The Belgian leaders recognized the existence of regional differences and cultural diversities. Between 1970 and 1993, the constitution was amended four times so as to work out an arrangement which would satisfy everybody. Following steps were taken:
(1) Equal number of ministers from both the groups in the central government : This was done to ensure that no single community can make decisions unilaterally.

(2) More powers to state governments: Under the new power-sharing arrangement, many powers of the central government were given to state governments of the regions of the country.

(3) Equal representation at state and central level: A separate government was set up at Brussels where both communities have equal rep esentation.

(4) Formation of community government: Apart from central and state governments, a third from of government was formed which was elected by people belonging to one language community, i.e. Dutch, French and German speaking-no matter where they live. This government has the power to discuss educational, cultural and language related issues.

Question 6.
Why is power sharing desirable? Explain with examples.
Answer:
Power sharing is desirable due to the following reasons:
(1) To Prevent Social Conflicts:
Power sharing is desirable because it reduces the possibility of conflicts among different social groups. Since, social conflicts often lead to violence and political instability. So, power sharing is a good way to ensure the stability of the political order.

(2) Spirit of Democracy:
Power sharing is the basis of democracy. It is essential for its development. In modem democracy, the power resides in the hands of public. This power is used by the people through their elected representatives. In this way, all the communities are given power through participation in administration.
Examples: The below-mentioned examples show the desirability of power sharing –

(i) In Belgium, French-speaking communities were richer and more powerful. They had the power. Their power was not shared by Dutch-speaking communities. This was non-democratic, and consequently a conflict took place in the society.

(ii) In Sri Lanka, the majority Sinhalese had the power, while minority Tamils were deprived of it. As a result of it, Tamils revolted against the Sinhalese. This caused civil war in Sri Lanka.
Thus, power sharing is desirable for the development and welfare of society.

Map Work

Question
Show Belgium and Sri Lanka on an outline map of the world.
Answer: