Power Sharing: Multiple Choice Questions
Power Sharing: Multiple Choice Questions
Power Sharing: Multiple Choice Questions
POWER SHARING
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS
1. Which of the following statements is NOT true?
(a) In Belgium, leaders realised that unity of the country is possible only by sharing
power
(b) In Sri Lanka, the majority community wants to force domination over others
(c) In Sri Lanka, the demand for more autonomy to provinces populated by
Tamils has been granted
(d) Division of Belgium along linguistic lines was averted due to power sharing
2. Which one of the following is an example of horizontal sharing of power?
(a) Power sharing between different states.
(b) Power sharing between different organs of the government.
(c) Power sharing between different levels of the government.
(d) Power sharing between different political parties.
3. Choose the correct option: Power sharing is desirable because it helps:
(a) To increase pressure on government. (b) To reduce possibilities of conflicts
(c) To generate awareness among people (d) To increase percentage of voters
4. Which major social group constituted the largest share in population of Shri Lanka
(a) Sinhalas (b) Shri Lankan Tamils (c) Indian Tamils (d) Muslims
5. How many times the constitution of Belgium was amended between 1970 and 1993
(a) Two times (b) Three times (c) Four times (d) One time
6. Who elects the community government in Belgium ?
(a) People belonging to one language community only. (b) By the leader of
Belgium
(c) The citizens of the whole country (d) The community leaders of Belgium
7. Power is shared among different Political Parties that represent :-
(a) different candidates (b) same ideologies
(c) different ideologies and social groups (d) none of these
8. Which one of the following is the only official language of Sri Lanka ?
(a) English (b) Hindi (c) Tamil (d) Sinhala
9. Which of these is a major social group in SriLanka?
(a) Buddhist (b) Christians (c) Tamils (d) Muslims
10. In which of the following year, Srilanka emerged as an independent country ?
(a) 1947 (b) 1948 (c) 1949 (d) 1950
11. Which one of the following communities is not related to SriLanka?
(a) Sinhalas (b) Indian Tamils (c) Parsis (d) Srilankan Tamils
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(ii) French speaking people constitute 40% of the population. They live in Wallonia
region.
(iii) In capital city, Brussels 80% speak French and 20% speak Dutch.
2. What was the main cause of tension between the two linguistic groups of
Belgium?
OR
What were the two main causes of resentment in Belgium in 1960?
OR
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(ii) The French were rich and powerful. The Dutch were poor. This created
discontent among the Dutch.
(iii) Tension and conflicts started between the French and the Dutch.
Belgium amended their constitution 4 times and made the following arrangement.
(i) Equal number of ministers from both French and Dutch communities in the
Central Government.
(ii) Some special laws need the support of majority of the members from each
linguistic group.
(iii) State Governments are made autonomous and they got many powers.
(iv) Each community will elect its own separate community government. This
government will look into cultural, education and language matters.
5. What were the reasons for the alienation of Sri Lankan Tamils ? What was the
effect of this on the country?
OR
Give an account of Sri Lankan problem?
OR
7. Explain three measures taken by Sri Lanka, according to an Act passed in 1956.
(i) It declared Sinhala as national language.
(ii) Sinhala speakers are given preference in government jobs and university
positions.
(iii) Buddhism was declared as the state religion.
8. What is the principle that is being followed by the government in Sri Lanka?
Describe.
OR
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9. What were the demands of the Srilankan Tamils? How did they struggle for
their demands?
OR
“Both Belgium and Sri Lanka are democracies but they follow different systems of
power – sharing”. Support the statement by giving three points of difference.
14. Which factor is responsible for increasing the feeling of alienation among the
Srilankan Tamils?
Majoritarianism.
15. What measure was adopted by the democratically elected Government of
Srilanka to establish Sinhala supremacy?
Majoritarianism.
16. In which country the principle of majoritarianism led to Civil War?
Srilanka.
17. Srilankan Tamils refers to which social group?
Tamil natives of Srilanka
18. Which language is not spoken by most of the people of Belgium?
German
19. Who elects the community Government in Belgium?
People belonging to one language community.
20.Name countries with which Belgium has borders?
Netherlands. France, Germany and Luxemberg.
21. Explain any three consequences of the majoritarian policies adopted by the
Srilankan Government.
(i) Tamils felt alienated. They thought that they are being treated as second class
citizens.
(ii) Tamils demanded official language status for Tamil, equal treatment and
autonomy to Tamil majority areas.
(iii) Tamils formed political organizations to put forward their demand.
(iv) Tamils demanded a separate state called Ealam.
(v) A civil war started between the Tamils and the Government.
22. Why is power sharing necessary in democracy? Explain.
OR
Sharing of powers makes a country more powerful and united’. Do you agree with this
statement and why ?
OR
Explain the two main reasons why power sharing is important in a democracy.
Prudential reason for power sharing: Power sharing helps to reduce conflicts
between social groups. It establishes political stability and strengthens the unity
of the country. It is good for the majority also because it provides them peace
and security.
Moral reason for power sharing: Democracy means power sharing among the
people. So power sharing is the spirit of democracy. All the social groups must
get a share of power.
23. Why is power sharing desirable? Explain moral reasons in this regard.
OR
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“Power Sharing is the very spirit of democracy”. Justify this statement with three suitable
points.
(i) Democracy means power sharing among the people. So power sharing is the spirit
of democracy. All the social groups must get a share of power.
(ii) Power sharing ensures active participation of people in democratic process.
This
will make the Government more effective.
(iii) It helps in accommodating diversities.
24. Why is power sharing desirable? Give three prudential reasons.
(i) Power sharing helps to reduce conflicts between social groups.
(ii) It establishes political stability and strengthens the unity of the country.
(iii) It is good for the majority also because it provides them peace and security.
OR
OR
Explain how power is shared in modern democracies.
(i) Power sharing among different organs of government: In democratic
countries power is shared between legislature, executive and judiciary. Each organ
checks the other. There is a balance of power. This system is called the system of
checks and balance or horizontal distribution of power. For example, the Bombay
High Court ordered Maharashtra government to take steps in order to improve the
condition of street children.
(iii) Power is shared among different social groups: Power is shared among
different social groups such as the religious and linguistic groups. Example: the
community government in Belgium.
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26. In modern democracies, power is often shared among different organs of the
government. Explain.
OR
Why is horizontal distribution of power often referred to as a system of “checks and
balances”? Explain three reasons ?
(i) In democratic countries power is shared between legislature, executive and
judiciary.
(ii) Each organ checks the other. There is a balance of power. This system is called
the system of checks and balance or horizontal distribution of power.
(iii) For example, the Bombay High Court ordered Maharashtra government to
take steps in order to improve the condition of street children.
27. How is power shared between different levels of the Government? Explain.
In a federal system, political power in shared between two sets of governments-one
at the centre and the other at the state. This is called vertical division of power. For
example, in India the constitution divides power among the central and state
governments.
29. Describe with examples the ways in which power can be shared between
different social and linguistic groups.
Power is shared among different social groups such as the religious and linguistic
groups. Examples: (i) the community government in Belgium. (ii) Reservation of
seats for dalits in Parliament.
(ii) In a federal system, political power in shared between two sets of governments-
one at the centre and the other at the state.
(iii) In a democracy, the citizens have the freedom to choose the government.
Competition between political parties in the election ensures that the power does
not remain in the hands of one party.
(iv) Power is shared among different social groups such as the religious and
linguistic groups.