NCERT Solutions for Class 10 Social Science Civics Democratic Politics Chapter 1 Power Sharing 

Q.1. What are the different forms of power sharing in modern democracies ? Give an example of each of these.
Ans. Ans. (i) Power sharing among the different organs of government (Horizontal power sharing). In a democracy, power is shared among the different organs of the government such as the legislature, executive and the judiciary. This is called the horizontal distribution of power because it allows different organs of the government placed at the same level to exercise different powers. Under this kind of power sharing arrangement, one can exercise unlimited powers. Each organ has its own powers, and it can also check the powers of other. So this results in a balance of power among the various institutions.

(ii) Power sharing among governments at different levels : Under this, people choose separate governments at separate levels, for example, a general local government for the entire country and local governments at the provincial, sub-national or regional levels. Such a general government for the entire country is usually called a Federal government.

(iii) Power sharing among different social groups : In a democracy, especially, in a multi-ethnic society, power is also shared
among 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 legislatures and the administration.
(iv) Power sharing among political parties, pressure groups and movements : In a democracy, power is also shared among different political parties, pressure groups and movements. Democracy provides the citizens a choice to choose their rulers. This choice is provided by the various political parties, who contest elections to win them. Such competition ensures that power does not remain in one hand.

Q.2. State one prudential reason and one moral reason for power sharing with an example from the Indian context. [CBSE Sept. 2010]
Ans. (i) (a) India is a multicultural society.
(b) India is a democratic country.

Q.3. After reading this chapter, three students drew different conclusions. Which of these do you agree with and why ? Give your reasons in about 50 words.
Thomman – Power sharing is necessary only in societies which have religious, linguistic or ethnic divisions.
Mattai – Power sharing is suited only for big countries that have regional divisions.
Ousep – Every society needs some form of power sharing even if they are small or do not have social divisions.
Ans. Every society needs some form of power sharing even if they are small or do not have social divisions because :
(i) Some power sharing is always needed to give voice to all, and representation to all the members of the country.
(ii) Power sharing solutions are adopted to maintain stability in the system, and peace among various groups to ensure the smooth functioning of the system, irrespective of the size of the country.

Q.4. The Mayor of Merchtem, a town near Brussels in Belgium, has defended a ban on speaking French in the town’s schools. He said that the ban would help all non¬Dutch speakers integrate in this Flemish town. Do you think that this measure is in keeping with the spirit of Belgium’s power sharing arrangements ? Give your reasons in about 50 words.
Ans. No, the measure taken by the Mayor of Merchtem is not in keeping with the spirit of Belgium’s power sharing arrangements. As 59 per cent of the population in the Flemish region speaks Dutch, the ban on speaking French in the town’s schools would prevent French and Dutch speakers to mingle with each other, and also create feelings of distrust and suspicion. The ban ignores the regional differences and cultural diversities. It is against the spirit of accommodating every linguistic group, and creating a right environment for everyone to live. The ban, rather, makes the ground for a civic strife, and a possible division of the community on linguistic lines.

Q.5. Read the following passage, and pick out any one of the prudential reasons for power sharing offered in this.
“We need to give more power to the panchayats to realise the dream of Mahatma Gandhi, and the hopes of the makers of our Constitution. The Panchayati Raj establishes true democracy. It restores power to the only place where power belongs in a democracy – in the hands of the people. Giving power to Panchayats is also a way to reduce corruption, and increase administrative efficiency. When people participate in the planning and implementation of developmental schemes, they would naturally exercise greater control over these schemes. This would eliminate the corrupt middlemen. Thus the Panchayati Raj will strengthen the foundations of our democracy.”
Ans. The following prudential reasons are cited into the passage for power sharing.
(a) Reducing corruption by giving power into the hands of the people and thus, making them responsible for their own decisions.
(b) Increasing administrative efficiency by delegating the decision-making function to the people affected by it.
(c) Improving the efficiency of the system by reducing the number of middlemen, and transferring the planning and implementation to the people concerned through the Panchayats.

Multiple Choice Questions

Previous Year’s Questions
1. Choose the correct option : [CBSE (CCE) 2011]
Power sharing is desirable because it helps :
(a) To increase pressure on government.
(b) To reduce possibilities of conflicts.
(c) To generate awareness among people.
(d) To increase percentage of voters.

2. Which major social group constituted the largest share in population of Sri Lanka ? [CBSE (CCE) 2011]
(a) Sinhalas
(b) Sri Lankan Tamils
(c) Indian Tamils
(d) Muslims

3. Which of the following is an example of horizontal sharing of power ? [CBSE (CCE) 2011]
(a) Power sharing between different states.
(b) Power sharing between different organs of the government.
(c) Power sharing between different levels of the government.
(d) Power sharing between different political parties.

4. Which of the following statements is NOT true ? [CBSE (CCE) 2011]
(a) In Belgium, leaders realised that unity of the country is possible only by sharing power.
(b) In Sri Lanka, the majority community wants to force domination over others.
(c) In Sri Lanka, the demand for more autonomy to provinces populated by Tamils has been granted.
(d) Division of Belgium along linguistic lines was averted due to power sharing.

5. Who elects the community government in Belgium ? [CBSE (CCE) 2011]
(a) People belonging to one language community only.
(b) By the leader of Belgium.
(c) The citizens of the whole country.
(d) The community leaders of Belgium.

NCERT Questions
6. Consider the following statements about power sharing arrangements in Belgium and Sri Lanka :
A. In Belgium the Dutch-speaking majority people tried to impose their domination on the minority French speaking community.
B. In Sri Lanka the policies of government ensured the dominance of the Sinhala speaking majority.
C. The Tamils in Sri Lanka demanded a federal arrangement of power sharingto protect their culture, language and equality of opportunity in education and jobs.
D. The transformation of Belgium from unitary government to a federal one prevented a possible division of the country on linguistic lines.
Which of the statements given are correct ?
(a) A, B, C and D
(b) A, B, and D
(c) C and D
(d) B, C and D

7. Match List I (forms of powe- sharing) with List II (forms of government) and select the correct answer using codes given below the lists :

(a) (i) – D, (ii) – A, (iii) – B, (iv) – C
(b) (i) – B, (ii) – C, (iii) – D, (iv) – A
(c) (i) – B, (ii) – D, (iii) – A, (iv) – C
(d) (i) – C, (ii) – D, (iii) – A, (iv) – B

Additional Questions
8. The Community Government signifies:
(a) The powers of government regarding community development.
(b) The powers of the government regarding law making for the community.
(c) The powers of the government regarding cultural, educational and language related issues.
(d) The government enjoys privileges to safeguard the interest of a particular community.

9. System of ‘checks and balances’ means:
(a) Horizontal distribution of powers.
(b) Separation of powers.
(c) Put a check on the exercise of unlimited powers of the organs of government by maintaining a balance of power among various institutions.
(d) Federal division of powers.

10. A belief that the majority community should be able to rule a country in whichever way it wants is
(a) Community Government
(b) Federal Government
(c) Majoritarian
(d) Prudential

11. Power sharing is :
(a) the very spirit of democracy.
(b) separation of powers at different levels.
(c) system of checks and balances.
(d) a type of balancing powers.

12. Vertical division of power is :
(a) a system in which each organ of government checks the others.
(b) a type of distribution in which power is shared among different organs of government.
(c) a type of distribution of power which involves the higher and lower levels of government.
(d) a type of government elected by people.

13. Coalition government is the government:
(a) based on prudential and moral reasons.
(b) government of majority community.
(c) government elected by the people.
(d) an alliance government formed by two or more parties, if no single party gets majority in the election.

14. The word ‘ethnic’ signifies :
(a) different religions.
(b) social division on shared culture.
(c) a violent conflict between opposite groups.
(d) a careful calculation of gains and losses.

15. Which are the important features of prudential reason ?
(i) Emphasises intrinsic worth of power sharing.
(ii) Based on careful calculation of gains or losses.
(iii) Based on moral consideration.
(iv) Stresses on beneficial consequences.
(a) (ii) and (iii)
(b) (i) and (iv)
(c) (ii) and (iv)
(d) (i) and (iii)

16. Which statement justifies ethnic complexity of Sri Lanka ?
(a) Sinhalese – 80%, Tamils – 20%
(b) Sinhalese – 60%, Tamils – 40%
(c) Sinhalese – 74%, Tamils – 18%
(d) Sinhalese – 76%, Tamils – 18%

17. Consider the statements on Ethnic composition :
(a) The Ethnic composition of Belgium is very complex because of diverse language speaking people like Dutch speaking, French speaking and German speaking.
(b) French speaking community was in minority and more powerful.
(c) Dutch speaking community was in majority and less powerful.
(d) There was conflict between the French and the Dutch communities.

18. Prudential reasons of power sharing stresses on:
(a) The stability of political order.
(b) To reduce the possibility of conflict between social group.
(c) A fair chance/share to minority.
(d) All the above.

19. The majority of population in Brussels, the capital city of Belgium speaks :
(a) French
(b) Dutch
(c) German
(d) Roman

20. The proportion of Tamils in Sri Lanka’s total population is about:
(a) 8 per cent
(b) 18 per cent
(c) 28 per cent
(d) 38 per cent

21. In India, power sharing mechanism does not directly involve:
(a) Judiciary
(b) Legislature
(c) Executive
(d) Industry

22. Power sharing does not:
(a) accommodate diversities.
(b) speed up the decision making process.
(c) increases conflict among different commuriities.
(d) All the above.

23. Coalition Government implies :
(a) power sharing among different organs of the government.
(b) power sharing by different communities.
(c) power sharing by two or more political parties.
(d) power sharing within the government at different levels.

24. The religion of state in Sri Lanka is :
(a) Buddhism
(b) Christianity
(c) Hinduism
(d) Islam.

25. A strategy under which all the major segments of the society are provided with a permanent share of power in the governance of the country is known as:
(a) secularism
(b) power sharing
(c) majoritarianism
(d) minoritism.

26. The majority of population in Belgium lives in:
(a) Wallonia region and speaks French
(b) Wallonia region and speaks Dutch
(c) Flemish region and speaks Dutch
(d) Flemish region and speaks French

27. Belgium successfully solved its problem by :
(a) rejecting policy of majoritarianism.
(b) developing power sharing mechanism.
(c) respecting the interest of different communities.
(d) All the above.

28. The power of different levels of government shows:
(a) separation of powers.
(b) community Government.
(c) coalition Government.
(d) federal division of power.

29. Match the following :
A. Ethnic Composition (i) A violent conflict between opposite groups within a country.
B. Majoritarianism (ii) Based on prudence, i.e., a careful calculation of gains or losses.
C. Civil War (iii) A social divisions based on shared culture.
D. Prudential reason (iv) A belief that majority community should be able to rule a country.
E. Vertical division (v) Power is shared among of power different organs of the government.
F. Horizontal (vi) Power is involved at division of the higher and lower power levels of government.
(a) A – (iv), B – (iii), C – (ii), D – (i), E – (v), F – (vi)
(b) A – (iii), B – (iv), C – (i), D – (ii), E – (vi), F – (v)
(c) A – (i), B – (ii), C – (iii), D – (iv), E – (v), F – (vi)
(d) A – (ii), B – (iv), C – (iv), D – (v), E – (vi), F – (i)

30. Consider the following two statements on power sharing and select the answer using codes given below:
A. Power sharing is good for democracy.
B. It helps to reduce the possibility of conflict between social groups.
Which of the statements are true and false ?
(a) A is true but B is false
(b) Both A and B are true
(c) Both A and B are false
(d) A is false but B is true.

31. Indicate true and false for given statements and give valid reasons:
(a) In Belgium, the Dutch speaking majority people tried to impose their domination on the minority French speaking community.
(b) In Sri Lanka, the policies of the government sought to ensure the domination of the Sinhala speaking majority.
(c) The Transformation of Belgium from unitary government to a federal one presented possible division of the country on linguistic lines.
(d) The Tamils in Sri Lanka demanded a federal arrangement of power to protect their culture, language and equality of opportunity in education and jobs.

ANSWERS

31. (a) False – because French people tried to impose their domination.
(b) True – As Sri Lanka followed majoritarian concept.
(c) False – But it helped in power sharing on linguistic lines.
(d) True – As Tamils were alienated from the main stream of power sharing.