CENTRE POINT SCHOOL

SOCIAL SCIENCE
POWER SHARING NOTES

Q. 1. What were the Majoritarian measures to establish Sinhala Majority?

Or
The Leaders of the Sinhala community sought to secure dominance over the
government. Justify.

Ans:
1. In 1956, an Act was passed to recognize Sinhala as the only official language, thus
disregarding Tamil.

2. The government followed preferential policies that favoured Sinhala applicants for
university positions and government jobs.

3. A new constitution stipulated that the state shall protect and foster Buddhism.

Q.2. What factors led to a Civil war in Sri Lanka?

Ans.:
1. Measures taken in Majoritarianism gradually increased the feeling of alienation
among Sri Lankan Tamils.

2. They felt that the constitution and government policies denied them equal political
rights, discriminated against them in getting jobs and other opportunities and
ignored their interests.

3. As a result, the relations between Sinhalese and the Tamil communities got
strained over a period of time.

4. The Sri Lankan Tamil launched parties and struggles for the recognition of Tamil
as an official language, regional autonomy and equality of opportunities in getting
education and jobs.
 5. By the 1980's, several political organizations were formed, demanding an
independent. Tamil Eelam (state) in northern and eastern parts of Sri Lanka.

6. The distrust between the two communities turned into widespread conflict. It soon
turned into a civil war. As a result, thousands of people of both the communities
were killed.

Q3. How did the Belgium government solve its ethnic problem?

Or
Discuss the arrangements workout by the Belgium Government that would enable
everyone to live within the country peacefully.

Ans:
1. In Belgium, leaders recognized the existence of regional differences and cultural
diversities and between 1970 and 1993; they amended their constitution four times
so as to work out an arrangement that would enable everyone to live together
within the same country. The Belgian government accommodated its diverse
ethnic population in the following manner:

2. Constitution says that the number of Dutch and French speaking ministers shall be
equal in the Central government. Thus, no single community can make decision
unilaterally.

3. Many 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.

4. Brussels has a separate government in which both the communities have

representation. The French-Speaking people accepted equal representation in
Brussels because the Dutch-speaking community has accepted equal
representation Central Government.

5. There is a third kind of government, called the community government is elected

by the people belonging to one language community Dutch, French and German
 speaking, no matter where they live. This government has the power relating
cultural education and language related issues.

6. These arrangements helped to avoid a civic strife between the two major
communities and possible division of the country on linguistic lines.

Q4. How was the question of power sharing dealt different in Belgium & Sri Lanka?

Ans:
1. In Belgium, the leaders have realized that the unity of the country is possible only
by respecting the feelings and interests of different communities and regions.

2. In Sri Lanka it was seen 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.

Q5. Why is power sharing desirable?

Ans:
A. Prudential reason:

1. Power sharing helps to reduce the possibilities of conflict between various ethnic
groups living in a society.

2. It helps in ensuring political stability, since a country can be run by all the
communities without giving preference to any majority community.

3. It also reduces violence and linguistic problems. In India, there is diversity in

language but our constitution gives equal weightage to all the languages.

B. Moral reasons:

1. Power sharing is actually being called the true spirit of democracy. It helps in
bringing political, economic, social and cultural stability to the nation.
 2. So a legitimate government is one where citizens, through participation, acquire a
role in the system.

While prudential reasons stress that power sharing will bring out better outcomes, moral
reasons emphasis the very act of power sharing as valuable information

Q6. What do you mean by horizontal distribution of power?

Ans:
1. Power shared among different organs of the government.

2. It is also called horizontal distribution of power.

3. Here the power is shared among legislature, executive and judiciary.

4. It allows different organs of the government placed at the same level to exercise
different powers.

5. In this kind of government, each organ checks the other. This results in a balance
of power among various institutions.

6. This arrangement is called a system of checks and balances.

Eg: India

Q.7. What is the system of checks and balances?

Ans:
1. It ensures that none of the organs can exercise unlimited power.

2. Each organ checks the others.

3. This results in a balance of power among various institutions.

4. In a democracy, even though ministers and government official exercise power, they
are responsible to the Parliament or State Assemblies.
5. Similarly, although Judges are appointed by the executive, they can check the
functioning of executive or laws made by the legislatures.

6. This arrangement is called a system of checks and balances.

Q8. What is vertical division of power?

Or

What is a federal division of Government?

Ans: Power is shared among governments at different levels.

1. It is also called vertical distribution of power.

2. There is a government at the central level and the government at the state
level also

3. This kind of government is also called federal division of power or federal

government.

4. Here subjects or their functions are divided and they work at their own
levels within their own limits.

Eg: India

Q.9 Explain the major forms of power sharing in modern democracies.

Ans:
A. Power sharing among the different organs of government (Horizontal power
sharing)

1. In a democracy, power is shared among the different organs of the government as

the legislature, executive and the judiciary:

2. 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.
3. Under this kind of power sharing arrangement, one can exercise unlimited powers.

4. Each organ has its own powers, and it can also check the powers of other

5. So this results in a balance of power among the various institutions.

B. Power sharing among governments at different levels:

1. 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.

2. Such a general government for the entire country is usually called a Federal
government.

C. Power sharing among different social groups:

1. 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.

2. In some countries, there are constitutional and legal arrangements whereby

socially weaker sections and women are represented in the legislatures and
the administration

D. Power sharing among political parties, pressure groups and movements:

1. In a democracy, power is also shared among different political parties,

pressure groups and movements.

2. Democracy provides the citizens a choice to choose their rulers.

 3. 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.10. Explain the power sharing arrangements among the political parties and
pressure groups.

Ans:
1. In a democracy, power is also shared among different political parties, pressure
groups and movements.

2. 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.

3. In the long run, power is shared among different political parties that represent
different ideologies and social groups. Sometimes, this kind of sharing can be
direct, when two or more parties form an alliance to contest elections. If their
alliances are elected, they form a coalition government and thus, share power.

4. In a democracy, various pressure groups and movements also remain active.They

also have a share in government power, either through participation in
governmental committees or having influence on the decision making process.

11. What is the ethnic composition of Belgium?

Ans. The ethnic composition of Belgium, a small country is very complex.

1. Of the country's total population, 59 per cent live in the Flemish region and speak
Dutch language.

2. Another 40 per cent people live in the Wallonia region and speak French.

3. Remaining 1 per cent of the Belgians speak German.

 4. In the capital city, Brussels, about 80 per cent people speak French while 20 per
cent are Dutch-speaking

12. What is the ethnic composition of Sri Lanka?

Ans. Sri Lanka has a diverse population.

1. The Sinhalese community forms the majority of the population (74%)

2. With Tamils (18%) who are mostly concentrated in the north and east of the
island, forming the largest ethnic minority.

3. Other communities include the Christians.

4. Among Tamils, there are two subgroups:

a. The Tamil natives of the country are called 'Sri Lankan Tamils' (13%).

b. The Tamils, who were brought as indentured labourers from India by British
colonists to work on estate plantations are called the 'Indian Origin Tamils (5%).

5. Most of the Sinhala-speaking people are Buddhists, while most of the Tamils are
Hindus or Muslims. There are about 7 per cent Christians, who are both Tamil and
Sinhalese.

13. Why is power sharing necessary among different social groups?

1. Power may be shared among different social groups such as the religious and
linguistic groups.

2. 'Community government' in Belgium. is a good example of this arrangement.

3. In some countries there are constitutional and legal arrangements whereby

socially weaker sections and women are represented in the legislatures and
administration . The system of reserved constituencies in assemblies and the
parliament of our country are meant to give space in the government and
 administration to diverse social groups who otherwise would feel alienated
from the government.

4. This method is used to give minority communities a fair share in power and
there are various ways of accommodating social diversity.