Power-sharing

Easy (15)

1. Which country in Europe is smaller in area than the state of Haryana and shares borders with France, the Netherlands, Germany, and Luxembourg?
   • Sri Lanka
   • Belgium (correct)
   • Germany
   • France

   Why: Belgium is a small European country, smaller than Haryana, bordering France, Netherlands, Germany, and Luxembourg.

2. What percentage of Belgium's total population lives in the Flemish region and speaks Dutch?
   • 40 per cent
   • 50 per cent
   • 59 per cent (correct)
   • 80 per cent

   Why: 59% of Belgium's population lives in the Flemish region and speaks Dutch.

3. In the capital city of Brussels, what percentage of people speak French?
   • 20 per cent
   • 40 per cent
   • 59 per cent
   • 80 per cent (correct)

   Why: 80% of people in Brussels speak French, while 20% speak Dutch.

4. Which community in Belgium was relatively rich and powerful, leading to resentment from the Dutch-speaking community?
   • German-speaking
   • Dutch-speaking
   • French-speaking (correct)
   • Flemish

   Why: The French-speaking community in Belgium was relatively rich and powerful.

5. Sri Lanka emerged as an independent country in which year?
   • 1947
   • 1948 (correct)
   • 1950
   • 1956

   Why: Sri Lanka gained independence in 1948.

6. What percentage of Sri Lanka's population consists of Sinhala-speakers?
   • 13 per cent
   • 18 per cent
   • 74 per cent (correct)
   • 7 per cent

   Why: Sinhala-speakers make up 74% of Sri Lanka's population.

7. In which year was an Act passed in Sri Lanka to recognise Sinhala as the only official language?
   • 1948
   • 1950
   • 1956 (correct)
   • 1980

   Why: An Act recognizing Sinhala as the sole official language was passed in Sri Lanka in 1956.

8. What is the term for a government where citizens, through participation, acquire a stake in the system?
   • Authoritarian government
   • Dictatorship
   • Legitimate government (correct)
   • Monarchy

   Why: A legitimate government is one where citizens participate and have a stake in the system.

9. The idea of power-sharing emerged in opposition to the notion of undivided political power.

   Why: Power-sharing contrasts with the idea of concentrated political power.

10. In Belgium, the Dutch-speaking people constituted a minority in the country but a majority in the capital, Brussels.

    Why: In Belgium, Dutch-speakers were a majority nationally but a minority in Brussels.

11. The Sri Lankan civil war ended in 2009.

    Why: The Sri Lankan civil war concluded in 2009.

12. The Belgian model of power-sharing is considered very __________.

    Why: The Belgian model is described as very complicated.

13. Power sharing is the very spirit of __________.

    Why: Power sharing is fundamental to democracy.

14. Identify the region in Belgium where the majority of the population speaks Dutch.
    • Wallonia region
    • Flemish region (correct)
    • Brussels
    • German-speaking region

    Why: The Flemish region is where the majority of the population speaks Dutch.

15. Identify the region in Sri Lanka where Sri Lankan Tamils are concentrated.
    • Southern coast
    • Central highlands
    • North and East (correct)
    • Western provinces

    Why: Sri Lankan Tamils are concentrated in the north and east of the country.

Medium (15)

1. Which of the following is NOT a feature of the Belgian model of power-sharing?
   • Equal number of Dutch and French-speaking ministers in the central government.
   • State governments are subordinate to the central government. (correct)
   • Brussels has a separate government with equal representation.
   • Existence of a 'community government'.

   Why: In Belgium, state governments are NOT subordinate to the central government.

2. What was the main reason for the tensions between the Dutch-speaking and French-speaking communities in Belgium during the 1950s and 1960s?
   • Disputes over land ownership
   • Religious differences
   • Resentment from Dutch-speakers who got economic development and education later than French-speakers (correct)
   • Border disputes with neighboring countries

   Why: Dutch-speakers resented French-speakers' earlier economic and educational benefits.

3. Which of the following measures adopted by the Sri Lankan government increased the feeling of alienation among Sri Lankan Tamils?
   • Recognising Tamil as an official language
   • Preferential policies favouring Sinhala applicants for university and government jobs (correct)
   • Granting regional autonomy to Tamil-populated provinces
   • Protecting and fostering all religions equally

   Why: Preferential policies for Sinhala applicants alienated Sri Lankan Tamils.

4. What is the primary prudential reason for power-sharing?
   • It is the very spirit of democracy
   • It helps to reduce the possibility of conflict between social groups (correct)
   • It ensures that citizens acquire a stake in the system
   • It allows for quick decision-making

   Why: Prudential reasons for power-sharing focus on reducing social conflict.

5. Match the following terms related to power sharing with their descriptions:

   Why: Horizontal, Vertical, Community, and Coalition governments represent distinct power-sharing forms.

6. Match the countries with their primary ethnic/linguistic groups:

   Why: This matches countries with their main ethnic/linguistic compositions as discussed in the chapter.

7. Match the following concepts with their definitions:

   Why: This matches key terms from the chapter with their correct definitions.

8. What term describes the system where different organs of government, placed at the same level, exercise different powers?

   Why: Horizontal distribution of power refers to sharing among organs at the same level.

9. What is the name given to the type of government in Belgium that is elected by people belonging to one language community?

   Why: The 'community government' in Belgium represents linguistic groups.

10. What is the term for the system where power is shared among governments at different levels, like central and state governments?

    Why: Federal government refers to power sharing across different levels of government.

11. Arrange the following events in Sri Lanka in chronological order:

    Why: The events occurred in the order: independence (1948), official language act (1956), Tamil struggles (1980s), civil war end (2009).

12. Arrange the following steps taken by Belgian leaders to accommodate diversity in chronological order:

    Why: Belgian leaders first recognized diversity, then amended the constitution, established equal representation, and finally Brussels became EU HQ.

13. Identify the type of power-sharing represented by the image showing different branches of government.
    • Vertical power sharing
    • Community government
    • Horizontal power sharing (correct)
    • Power sharing by political parties

    Why: The image depicts horizontal power sharing among different government organs.

14. Identify the type of power-sharing arrangement illustrated by the image showing different levels of government.
    • Horizontal power sharing
    • Community government
    • Vertical power sharing (correct)
    • Power sharing by pressure groups

    Why: The image illustrates vertical power sharing, with power distributed across different government levels.

15. What is the percentage of Sri Lankan Tamils among the total population of Sri Lanka?

    Why: Sri Lankan Tamils constitute 13% of the population.

Hard (10)

1. Assertion (A): Power sharing is desirable because it helps to reduce the possibility of conflict between social groups. Reason (R): Imposing the will of the majority community over others may look like an attractive option in the short run, but in the long run it undermines the unity of the nation.

   Why: Both A and R are correct, and R provides a valid explanation for A's desirability.

2. Assertion (A): The Belgian model of power sharing is very complicated. Reason (R): It involves multiple levels of government and special arrangements for linguistic groups, making it difficult for outsiders to understand.

   Why: Both A and R are correct, and R explains why the Belgian model is complicated.

3. Assertion (A): In a democracy, all power does not rest with any one organ of the government. Reason (R): An intelligent sharing of power among legislature, executive and judiciary is very important to the design of a democracy.

   Why: Both A and R are correct, and R explains why power is distributed in a democracy.

4. A country faces significant linguistic diversity. The majority linguistic group constitutes 70% of the population, while a minority group forms 20%. The remaining 10% speak various other languages. The majority group insists on making its language the sole official language and implementing policies that give its members preferential treatment in education and government jobs. Based on the case studies in the chapter, what is the most likely outcome of such policies?
   • Increased national unity and stability as the majority's will is respected.
   • Economic prosperity for all groups due to clear linguistic policies.
   • Increased feeling of alienation among minority groups, leading to conflict and instability. (correct)
   • The minority group will quickly assimilate and adopt the majority language.

   Why: Such policies, like in Sri Lanka, lead to minority alienation and conflict.

5. In a country with diverse ethnic groups, the government decides to decentralize power. It creates regional governments for different ethnic areas, ensures equal representation for major groups in the central government, and establishes a 'cultural council' for each major linguistic group to manage their cultural and educational affairs. Which country's model does this approach most closely resemble?
   • Sri Lanka
   • India
   • Belgium (correct)
   • Lebanon

   Why: This approach closely resembles the Belgian model of power-sharing.

6. Khalil, from Lebanon, believes his country should be a 'normal' democracy where the person with the most votes becomes president, regardless of community. His elders argue that the current system, which reserves specific posts for different religious communities, guarantees peace. Which of the following statements best reflects the elders' perspective?
   • Power sharing should always be based on direct elections and majority rule.
   • Fixed power-sharing arrangements, even if complex, can prevent civil strife in deeply divided societies. (correct)
   • Economic development is more important than political power-sharing arrangements.
   • The current system is unfair and will inevitably lead to future conflict.

   Why: The elders believe complex power-sharing prevents conflict in divided societies.

7. The image shows a political cartoon depicting a tug-of-war between two political parties forming a coalition government. What does this cartoon primarily illustrate about power-sharing?
   • The ease with which coalition governments make decisions.
   • The concentration of power in a single party in a democracy.
   • The challenges and compromises involved when power is shared among different political parties. (correct)
   • The complete absence of power-sharing in a democratic setup.

   Why: The cartoon illustrates the challenges of power-sharing in coalition governments.

8. The image shows a diagram of the 'system of checks and balances' in a democratic government. Which of the following statements accurately describes a function of this system?
   • It allows one organ of government to exercise unlimited power.
   • It ensures that no single organ can exercise unlimited power by allowing each to check the others. (correct)
   • It concentrates all decision-making power in the executive branch.
   • It eliminates the need for a judiciary in a democracy.

   Why: Checks and balances prevent unlimited power by allowing organs to check each other.

9. Which of the following statements about power sharing are correct? Select all that apply.
   • Power sharing helps to reduce the possibility of conflict between social groups. (correct)
   • Power sharing is suitable only for big countries with regional divisions.
   • Power sharing is the very spirit of democracy. (correct)
   • Imposing the will of the majority community always leads to national unity.

   Why: Power sharing reduces conflict and is fundamental to democracy; majority imposition can undermine unity.

10. Which of the following are examples of horizontal distribution of power? Select all that apply.
    • Power shared among the legislature, executive, and judiciary. (correct)
    • Power shared between the central government and state governments.
    • The system of checks and balances. (correct)
    • Power shared by different linguistic groups in a community government.

    Why: Horizontal power sharing involves organs at the same level, like legislature, executive, judiciary, and the system of checks and balances.