Power Sharing Class 10 NCERT Solutions & Notes PDF 2026
Subject: Social Science (Democratic Politics - II) | Chapter: 1
📥 Download Notes PDF 📢 Join Telegram📝 Introduction to Power Sharing
Power Sharing is the very spirit of democracy. This chapter introduces the concept through two fascinating case studies: Belgium (a small country in Europe) and Sri Lanka (an island nation in South Asia). Both democracies faced complex ethnic tensions, but they dealt with power sharing in completely opposite ways. While Belgium successfully amended its constitution to accommodate its diverse linguistic groups, preventing a civil war, Sri Lanka adopted a 'Majoritarian' approach, which forced the country into a devastating civil war. Understanding these two paths is crucial for grasping why sharing power among different organs and levels of government is essential for peace and stability.
🔑 Key Concepts & Terminology
- Majoritarianism: A belief that the majority community should be able to rule a country in whichever way it wants, by disregarding the wishes and needs of the minority.
- Accommodation: A policy of making adjustments to allow different ethnic and linguistic groups to live together peacefully (as seen in Belgium).
- Ethnic Group: A social division based on shared culture, descent, or history.
- Prudential Reason: Reasons based on careful calculation of gains and losses. Power sharing is prudential because it reduces the possibility of conflict between social groups.
- Moral Reason: Reasons based on purely moral considerations. Power sharing is moral because it is the very spirit of democracy.
- Checks and Balances: A system where each organ of the government checks the others, ensuring that none can exercise unlimited power.
📚 Part 1: NCERT Solutions (Textbook Questions)
Q1: What are the different forms of power sharing in modern democracies? Give an example of each of these.
Ans: The different forms of power sharing are:
1. Horizontal Distribution: Power is shared among different organs of government, such as the legislature, executive, and judiciary. Example: In India, the Parliament makes laws, the Executive implements them, and the Supreme Court checks their constitutionality.
2. Vertical Distribution: Power is shared among governments at different levels. Example: In India, power is divided between the Union (Central) Government, State Governments, and local bodies (Panchayats/Municipalities).
3. Power sharing among Social Groups: Power is shared among different religious and linguistic groups. Example: The 'Community Government' in Belgium.
4. Power sharing among Political Parties, Pressure Groups, and Movements: Example: A coalition government formed by two or more political parties when no single party gets a majority.
Q2: State one prudential reason and one moral reason for power sharing with an example from the Indian context.
Ans:
Prudential Reason: It helps to reduce the possibility of conflict between social groups, ensuring political stability. Example in India: Reservation of seats for SCs and STs in legislatures ensures that minority groups don't feel alienated, preventing social unrest.
Moral Reason: Power sharing is the very spirit of democracy. A democratic rule involves sharing power with those affected by its exercise. Example in India: Decentralization of power to Gram Panchayats allows citizens to directly participate in decision-making at the village level.
Q3: What is the ethnic composition of Belgium?
Ans: Belgium has a complex ethnic composition:
• Out of the total population, 59% live in the Flemish region and speak Dutch.
• Another 40% live in the Wallonia region and speak French.
• The remaining 1% speak German.
However, in the capital city, Brussels, the composition is reversed: 80% of people speak French, while 20% are Dutch-speaking.
⚡ Part 2: Top PYQs & Extra Questions
Short Answer Type Questions
Q4: Which language is spoken by the majority of the population in Sri Lanka?
Ans: The Sinhala language is spoken by the majority (74%) of the population in Sri Lanka.
Q5: What is a 'Community Government' in Belgium?
Ans: In Belgium, the 'Community Government' is elected by people belonging to one language community—Dutch, French, and German-speaking—no matter where they live. This government has the power regarding cultural, educational, and language-related issues.
Q6: Mention any two steps taken by the Sri Lankan government to establish Sinhala supremacy.
Ans:
1. An Act was passed in 1956 to recognize Sinhala as the only official language, disregarding Tamil.
2. The government followed preferential policies that favored Sinhala applicants for university positions and government jobs.
Long Answer Type Questions
Q7: Compare the different ways in which the Belgians and the Sri Lankans dealt with the problem of cultural diversity.
Ans:
The Belgian Model (Accommodation):
1. They recognized the existence of regional differences and amended their constitution four times between 1970 and 1993.
2. Dutch and French-speaking ministers got equal representation in the Central Government.
3. They created a separate government for the capital (Brussels) with equal representation, and a unique 'Community Government' to handle cultural affairs.
Result: Peace, unity, and Brussels was chosen as the headquarters of the European Union.
The Sri Lankan Model (Majoritarianism):
1. The democratically elected government adopted majoritarian measures to establish Sinhala supremacy.
2. Sinhala was made the only official language, and state policies favored Sinhalas in education and jobs.
3. Buddhism was fostered and protected by the state, ignoring the Tamil Hindus and Muslims.
Result: Alienation of Sri Lankan Tamils, leading to a devastating civil war that caused massive loss of life and economic regression.
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Q: Power sharing between different organs of the government (Legislature, Executive, and Judiciary) is known as:
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