Class 10 Social Science (Political Science) Chapter 1 Power-sharing

Key Concept: Basic Facts

a) To establish Sinhala as the official language
[Solution Description] The 1956 Act aimed to promote Sinhalese as the official language, aligning with majoritarian policies favoring the Sinhalese community.

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Key Concept: Ethnic Groups

a) Sinhalese
[Solution Description] The major ethnic groups in Sri Lanka include Sinhalese, Sri Lankan Tamil, Indian Tamil, and Muslims.

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Key Concept : Simple Comparison

c) It undermines it
[Solution Description] Imposing the majority’s will can undermine national unity by creating feelings of exclusion and marginalization among minority groups, leading to potential conflicts and instability.

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Key Concept : Non-Straightforward Path, Conceptual Complexity

b) They provide immediate conflict resolution and stability.
[Solution Description] Prudential reasons focus on practical benefits like political stability, conflict reduction, and administrative efficiency. These reasons are based on achieving tangible positive results, such as peace and prosperity, which are essential for maintaining a stable society. Moral reasons, while important, emphasize ethical considerations that may not directly result in immediate beneficial outcomes. Therefore, in situations where pragmatic solutions are required, prudential reasons may take precedence.

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Key Concept : Community Government

c) Cultural, educational, and language-related issues
[Solution Description] The community government in Belgium deals mainly with cultural, educational, and language-related issues. It is elected by each language community and functions independently of other governmental structures to address these specific areas relevant to their respective communities.

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Key Concept :Critical Evaluation, Historical Context

b) Call for regional autonomy and secession
[Solution Description] Initially focused on recognition of Tamil as an official language and regional autonomy, these demands evolved into calls for outright secession due to unmet demands and growing alienation.

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Key Concept : Tamil Sub-groups

b) Indian Tamils
[Solution Description] One recognized sub-group of Tamil speakers in Sri Lanka is Indian Tamils.

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Key Concept : Real-World Application, Synthesis of Ideas

c) Balance cultural preservation with governance effectiveness
[Solution Description] In a multicultural context, emphasizing both prudential and moral aspects of power sharing is crucial. Prudentially, effective governance can be achieved by accommodating cultural diversity, reducing conflict, and facilitating cooperation. Morally, upholding the intrinsic worth of all cultures reinforces democratic values and helps preserve cultural heritage while promoting equity in decision-making.

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Key Concept : Cultural Impact

d) Buddhism
[Solution Description] The new constitution of Sri Lanka aimed to protect and foster Buddhism, aligning with the majoritarian focus on the Sinhalese Buddhist majority.

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Key Concept: Reasoning with Examples

c) Reserved constituencies for minority groups
[Solution Description] Reserving constituencies for minority groups ensures their representation and participation in governance, which helps prevent potential conflicts and maintains societal harmony, illustrating a prudential reason for power sharing.

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Key Concept: Basic Facts

c) 40%
[Solution Description] In Belgium, approximately 40% of the population speaks French.

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Key Concept :Power Sharing Levels

d) Power shared between the legislative, executive, and judicial branches
[Solution Description] Horizontal power sharing occurs among different branches at the same level, such as the legislature, executive, and judiciary. Each branch has separate powers and responsibilities to balance each other.

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Key Concept : Advanced Comparisons, Evaluating Policies

b) Parties influence centrally in a unitary state but regionally in a federal system
[Solution Description] In a federal system, political parties influence policy at both central and regional levels, allowing for diverse regional interests to shape legislation. In contrast, a unitary state consolidates policy-making at the central level, limiting regional party influence.

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Key Concept: Vertical Power

b) Vertical distribution
[Solution Description]
Vertical distribution of power refers to the allocation of powers across different levels of government: from central to state to local. This ensures that each level has its own responsibilities and authorities.

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Key Concept : Simple Comparison

a) Belgium
[Solution Description] Belgium’s model includes mechanisms for equal representation and regional autonomy, which helped to manage its diverse linguistic and cultural needs, avoiding division and promoting national unity.

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Key Concept : Cause and Effect

b) Tyranny of one branch
[Solution Description] Without horizontal distribution of power, there would be no checks and balances among the branches of government. This could lead to the tyranny of one branch, typically the executive, undermining democratic principles and potentially leading to authoritarianism.

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Key Concept :Prudential and Moral Reasons, Federal Division of Power

c) Facilitates regional self-governance based on local needs
[Solution Description]
Prudential reasons emphasize efficiency and stability; federal divisions allow different regions to address local needs effectively, reducing potential conflicts and enhancing overall governance.

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Key Concept :Cause and Effect

c) To prevent the concentration of power at a single level
[Solution Description] A vertical division of power exists to prevent the concentration of all political authority at one level. It distributes powers across various levels – central, state, and local governments, promoting democracy and efficiency by addressing regional needs more effectively.

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key Concept: Policy Evaluation, Historical Context

c) Caused prolonged civil conflict and ethnic strife

[Solution Description] The majoritarian policies favoring the Sinhala majority led to civil unrest and prolonged ethnic conflicts with the Tamil minority, as they felt marginalized and discriminated against, leading to the outbreak of a civil war that lasted decades.

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Key Concept : Cause and Effect

b) It integrates diverse communities into political processes
[Solution Description] Power sharing involves different groups having representation and a say in governance, which reduces tensions by ensuring that no single group dominates. This involvement can decrease feelings of alienation or marginalization among minority groups.

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Key Concept :Policy Implications, Comparative Analysis

b) Implementing decentralized governance and equal representation
[Solution Description] Belgium’s model focuses on decentralization and equal representation, providing a framework for managing diverse linguistic groups without central dominance. Sri Lanka could adopt similar measures to address its ethnic tensions effectively.

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Key Concept :Comparative Analysis

c) Political party is based on electoral competition, social group is based on community representation
[Solution Description] Political party power-sharing involves competition and coalition among political parties to share power, while social group power-sharing refers to representation of different social groups within the government structure. For instance, political parties compete in elections and may form coalitions, whereas social group sharing ensures certain communities have guaranteed representation.

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Key Concept :Coalition Government

c) Coalition government
[Solution Description] A coalition government occurs when multiple political parties cooperate, reducing the dominance of any one party. This is common in parliamentary systems where no party has a majority.

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Key Concept :Critical Analysis, Federal Transformation

c) It may cause slower decision-making due to bureaucratic complexity
[Solution Description] While federalism supports regional autonomy and reduces ethnic conflicts, it can complicate decision-making processes by increasing bureaucratic layers and potentially slowing down policy implementation due to coordination challenges across different government levels.

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Key Concept: Prudential vs Moral Reasons

b) It reduces social conflict
[Solution Description] Prudential reasons for power sharing focus on practical benefits, such as reducing social conflict and improving governance outcomes, unlike moral reasons which emphasize intrinsic values like fairness.

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Key Concept :Tamil Demands and Struggles, Policy Consequences

b) Recognition of Tamil language and regional autonomy
[Solution Description] The Tamil minority in Sri Lanka sought several key changes: the recognition of Tamil as an official language alongside Sinhala, greater regional autonomy to manage their own affairs particularly in the Northern and Eastern Provinces, and equal opportunities in education and employment. These demands emerged as a reaction to the Sinhalese-centric policies perceived as exclusionary. The failure to address these demands contributed to escalating tensions, leading to organized protests, insurgencies by rebel groups like the LTTE, and eventually a protracted civil war, deeply affecting the nation’s political environment.

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Key Concept :Evaluative Questions, In-depth Analysis

c) Because it provides a pragmatic approach towards maintaining stability.
[Solution Description] Prudential reasoning focuses on practical considerations like stability, peace, and efficiency. It suggests that power-sharing prevents conflict by accommodating diverse interests, thereby enhancing political stability and democratic integrity. It emphasizes realistic approaches over ideological purity to sustain harmony within a complex societal structure.

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Key Concept :Simple Comparison

d) United Kingdom
[Solution Description] The United Kingdom does not have a state or provincial government system like federal countries do, making it a non-federal system.

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Key Concept :Policy Implication Analysis, Synthesis of Information

c) Providing a model for balanced power-sharing and inclusion.
[Solution Description] The 13th Amendment offers a precedent for policies seeking to balance authority between central and local governments. For diverse societies, it suggests that empowering local councils can reduce central government burdens, promote diversity, and foster peace through self-governance. However, careful design is required to ensure fair representation and prevent fragmentation or disunity, emphasizing dialogue and inclusive decision-making.

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Key Concept :Real-World Application

a) Enforces the decision made by the judiciary
[Solution Description] When a new law is challenged, the executive branch’s role is not to interfere directly; instead, it is the judiciary that will review the law. The executive may express its position but does not have direct powers like the judiciary.

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Key Concept : Alienation Causes

c) Sinhala as the sole official language
[Solution Description] The alienation of Sri Lankan Tamils was primarily due to several majoritarian policies that marginalized them. One significant factor was the 1956 Official Language Act, which made Sinhala the only official language, disregarding Tamil and causing a sense of exclusion among the Tamil-speaking population. This linguistic discrimination led to increased feelings of alienation.

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