Sure Shot Questions for Board Exams: Power Sharing | Social Studies (SST) Class 10 PDF Download

Ans: Power sharing is desirable because it helps in maintaining peace, stability, and fairness within a society. Here’s why:

• Prevents Conflict: Power sharing ensures that no single group dominates over others. This helps in reducing conflicts and tensions between different communities or groups, which might otherwise arise if one group holds too much power.
• Promotes Democracy: Power sharing is a key feature of a democratic system. It ensures that people from different backgrounds (such as ethnic, religious, or social groups) have a say in decision-making, making the system more inclusive.
• Encourages Cooperation: When power is shared, different groups are encouraged to cooperate and work together for the common good. This leads to more balanced and fair policies.
• Protects Minority Rights: Power sharing helps protect the rights of minority groups by ensuring that they have representation in government and decision-making processes, preventing their interests from being ignored.
• Ensures Political Stability: When different groups feel included in the governance process, it leads to greater political stability and reduces the chances of unrest or rebellion.

In summary, power sharing is desirable because it promotes fairness, reduces conflicts, supports democracy, and ensures that all groups have a voice in the political system.

Ans: (d)
The primary objective of power-sharing arrangements in Belgium was to accommodate the diverse linguistic and regional interests of the country's population, which includes Dutch-speaking, French-speaking, and a small German-speaking community. Belgium implemented a complex system of power sharing that allowed each linguistic group representation in the government to ensure peace and equality among communities, thus promoting social harmony and political stability.
Therefore, the correct answer is (d) Accommodating linguistic and regional interest.

Ans: (d)

Assertion (A): This is false. Sri Lanka adopted Sinhala, not Tamil, as the sole official language of the state in 1956, through the Sinhala Only Act. This led to discontent among the Tamil-speaking minority.

Reason (R): This is true. The Government of Sri Lanka did adopt a series of majoritarian measures, such as making Sinhala the official language and prioritizing Sinhala speakers in state employment and education, which marginalized the Tamil community.

Ans: (a)

Assertion (A): This is true. In some democratic states, the majority community can dominate decision-making, which may marginalise minority groups.

Reason (R): This is true. When the majority excludes or sidelines minorities, it can lead to dissatisfaction and conflict, threatening the country's unity and stability.

Ans: Horizontal power-sharing involves the distribution of power among various branches of government. 
The key features are:

• Power is shared among different organs of government, including the legislature, executive, and judiciary.
• Each organ exercises distinct powers, ensuring that no single organ can dominate.

Ans: During the 1950s and 1960s, tensions arose in Brussels between the two main communities in Belgium due to several factors:

• The French-speaking community was a minority but was relatively wealthy and influential.
• The Dutch-speaking community felt resentment as they had access to economic development and education much later.
• Brussels posed a unique challenge: While the Dutch-speaking people were the majority in the country, they were a minority in the capital.

Ans: (a)

Assertion (A): This is true. The distrust between the Sinhalese and Tamil communities in Sri Lanka escalated into widespread conflict, culminating in a brutal civil war.

Reason (R): This is true. The 1956 Act, which made Sinhala the sole official language, was one of the key majoritarian measures taken by the Sinhalese-dominated government. This decision marginalized the Tamil community and fueled their resentment, leading to tensions and eventually violent conflict.

Ans: (a)

Assertion (A): This is true. Power-sharing is considered beneficial as it promotes inclusivity and ensures that all groups in society have a voice in governance.

Reason (R): This is true. Power-sharing reduces the likelihood of conflict by addressing the grievances of different social groups, thereby fostering harmony and stability.

Ans: (a)
In Belgium, the Community Government is designed to represent and share power among different social groups, such as linguistic communities (like the Flemish and French speakers). This system ensures that the diverse interests and identities within the country are recognized and that each group has a say in governance, promoting unity and reducing conflict among them.

Ans: (a)
I. It deepens democracy: Power sharing allows various groups to participate in governance, making the political system more inclusive and democratic.

II. It helps to reduce conflicts among social groups: By giving different social groups a stake in political power, it reduces the chances of conflict, as everyone feels represented.

III. It is a way to ensure political stability: When power is shared among various groups, it promotes stability because it prevents any one group from dominating and causing unrest.

IV. This statement is incorrect: Power sharing aims to address socio-economic struggles rather than create them.