Power-sharing in Democracies:
Explore power-sharing mechanisms in modern democracies, enhancing political
stability, social harmony, and democratic governance.
Chapter 1 Power-sharing
Class 10 NCERT Civics: Democratic Politics-II
Updated for 2024-2025 Exams
Q.1 What are the different forms of power
sharing in modern democracies? Give an example of each of these.
Ans. In modern democracies, power sharing
takes the following forms:
- Power is shared among different
organs of government – For example, in India, power is divided among the
legislature, executive, and judiciary, ensuring a system of checks and
balances. - Power is shared among governments
at different levels – For example, India has both central and state
governments, which is a federal form of government. - Power is shared among different
social groups – For
example, Belgium’s community government represents linguistic communities. - Power sharing among political
parties, pressure groups, and movements – For example, coalition governments are common in
democracies like India, where different political parties form alliances.
Q.2 State one prudential reason and one
moral reason for power sharing with an example from the Indian context.
Ans.
- Prudential reason: Power sharing reduces social
conflicts and promotes political stability. For example, in India, the
system of reserved constituencies for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled
Tribes ensures political representation and reduces marginalization. - Moral reason: Power sharing is the very
essence of democracy. It allows citizens to have a stake in governance.
For example, the Panchayati Raj system in India empowers local
communities, promoting democratic participation.
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.
Ans. I agree with Ouseph’s conclusion that
“Every society needs some form of power sharing even if it is small or
does not have social divisions.” Power sharing promotes inclusion and
prevents domination by any single group, ensuring fair representation and
maintaining harmony in all societies, regardless of size or diversity.
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, this ban goes against Belgium’s
power-sharing spirit, which emphasizes respect for linguistic and cultural diversity.
By forcing non-Dutch speakers to adopt only Dutch, it undermines the equal
representation and accommodation that Belgium’s model aims to achieve,
especially in culturally diverse areas like Brussels.
Q.5 Read the following passage and pick
out any one of the prudential reasons for power sharing offered in this.
Ans. The prudential reason for power
sharing in the passage is that giving power to Panchayats reduces corruption
and increases administrative efficiency. This is because it allows local people
to participate directly in decision-making, ensuring greater transparency and
accountability.
Q.6 Different arguments are usually put
forth in favour of and against power sharing. Identify those which are in
favour of power sharing and select the answer using the codes given below.
Ans. (a) A B D F
(A) Reduces
conflict among different communities.
(B) Decreases the possibility of arbitrariness.
(D) Accommodates diversities.
(F) Promotes people’s participation in government.
Q.7 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 the government sought to ensure the dominance
of the Sinhala-speaking majority.
(C) The Tamils in Sri Lanka demanded a federal arrangement of power-sharing to
protect their culture, language, and equality of opportunity in education and
jobs.
(D) The transformation of Belgium from a unitary government to a federal one
prevented a possible division of the country on linguistic lines.
Ans. (d) B, C, and D.
Q.8 Match List I (forms of power sharing)
with List II (forms of government) and select the correct answer using the
codes given below in the lists.
Ans. (c) B D A C
- B. Separation of powers
- D. Federal government
- A. Community government
- C. Coalition government
Q.9 Consider the following two statements
on power sharing and select the answer using the codes given below:
(A) Power
sharing is good for democracy.
(B) It helps to reduce the possibility of conflict between social groups.
Ans. (b) Both A and B are true.