POWER SHARING CLASS 10 - NCERT SOLUTION

 POWER SHARING CLASS 10 - NCERT SOLUTION

For Class 10 students studying NCERT, our website offers comprehensive solutions for the topic of Power Sharing. With detailed explanations and easy-to-understand language, we help students grasp complex concepts with ease. Our content is designed to enhance learning and improve performance in exams.

1. What are the different forms of power sharing in modern democracies? Give an example of each of these.

Ans: 

A. Power Sharing Among the Different Organs of Government (Horizontal Power Sharing):

1. Definition: In a democracy, power is shared among different organs of the government, such as the legislature, executive, and judiciary. This sharing is known as horizontal distribution of power.

2. Characteristics:

• Each organ placed at the same level has distinct powers.
• No organ can exercise unlimited powers.
• Each organ can check the powers of the other, ensuring a balance of power among institutions.

B. Power Sharing Among Governments at Different Levels (Vertical Power Sharing):

1. Definition: This form of power sharing involves people electing governments at various levels, such as a general government for the entire country and local governments at provincial, sub-national, or regional levels. The general government is often termed a Federal government.

2. Example: A country like India has a central government for the entire nation and state governments for each of its states, demonstrating power sharing among different levels of government.

C. Power Sharing Among Different Social Groups:

1. Definition: In democracies, particularly in multi-ethnic societies, power is shared among social groups like religious and linguistic communities.

2. Example: Belgium’s “community government” illustrates this, where different linguistic communities have their own governments.

D. Power Sharing Among Political Parties, Pressure Groups, and Movements:

1. Definition: Democracy also involves power sharing among political parties, pressure groups, and movements.

2. Characteristics:

• Citizens have the choice to select their rulers through various political parties.
• Competition among parties ensures power is not concentrated in one group’s hands.

2. State one prudential reason and one moral reason for power sharing with an example from the Indian context.

Ans: 

(a) India is a multicultural society.

(b) India is a democratic country.

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.

Mathayi – Power sharing is suitable only for big countries that have regional divisions.

Ouseph – Every society needs some form of power sharing even if it is small or does not have social divisions.

Ans: Importance of Power Sharing in Every Society:

1. Necessity for Representation: Even in small or undivided societies, some form of power sharing is essential to give voice and representation to all members of the community.

2. Maintenance of Stability and Peace: Power sharing solutions are adopted to maintain stability and peace among various groups, ensuring the smooth functioning of the system regardless of the country’s size.

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: Critique of the Mayor of Merchtem’s Measure:

1. Violation of Spirit of Power Sharing: The ban on speaking French in schools goes against Belgium’s power sharing arrangements, as it inhibits interaction between French and Dutch speakers, fostering distrust and suspicion.

2. Neglect of Regional and Cultural Differences: The ban disregards regional differences and cultural diversities, contradicting the aim of accommodating all linguistic groups and creating a harmonious environment.

3. Potential for Civic Strife: Instead of promoting unity, the ban could lead to civic strife and division within the community along linguistic lines.

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. 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, Panchayati Raj will strengthen the foundations of our democracy.”

Ans: Prudential Reasons for Power Sharing:

1. Reducing Corruption: Giving power to the people makes them responsible for their decisions, thereby reducing corruption.

2. Increasing Administrative Efficiency: Delegating decision-making to those affected improves administrative efficiency.

3. Efficiency Improvement: Power sharing reduces the number of middlemen, enhancing efficiency by transferring planning and implementation to the concerned people through institutions like Panchayats.

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? Power sharing:

A. reduces conflict among different communities

B. decreases the possibility of arbitrariness

C. delays decision making process

D. accommodates diversities

E. increases instability and divisiveness

F. promotes people’s participation in government

G. undermines the unity of a country

1 2 3 4

a. A B D F

b. A C E F

c. A B D G

d.  B C D G

Ans:  (a)

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 unitary government to

a federal one prevented a possible division of the country on linguistic lines.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

(a) A, B, C and D 

(b) A, B and D 

(c) C and D 

(d) B, C and D

Ans: (a)

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:

List I	List II
Power shared among different organs of government Power shared among governments at different levels Power shared by different social groups Power shared by two or more political parties	A. Community government B. Separation of powers C. Coalition government D. Federal government

1 2 3 4

a. D A B C

b. B C D A

c. B D A C

d.  C D A B

Ans: (c)

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. Ithelpstoreducethepossibilityofconflictbetweensocialgroups.

Which of these 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

Ans: (b)