CBSE Class 10 Social Science Political Science Revision Notes Chapter 1

Q.1 Describe the ethnic composition of Sri Lanka.

Answer

Sri Lanka is an island nation that represents vast cultural diversity. The ethnic composition of Sri Lanka is as follows:-
First, Sinhalese accounts for nearly three-fourths of the people.
Second, The Tamil segment comprises two groups—Sri Lankan Tamils (long-settled descendants from southeastern India) and Indian Tamils (recent immigrants from southeastern India, most of whom were migrant workers brought to Sri Lanka under British rule).
Third, Christians, who are both Tamil and Sinhala.

Q.2 Mention various forms of power sharing.
Answer

The basic principle of democracy is the rule of the people. Everyone has voice in the shaping of public policies. Thus in modern democracies power sharing arrangement can take many forms:
(i) Power is shared among different organs of the government such as legislature, executive & judiciary. There is a horizontal distribution of powers are placed at the same level to eercise different powers. Each organ checks the other.
(ii) Power can be shared among government at different levels: The general government of entire country is usually referred as the central or union which is followed by state government and at the local level we have municipalities & Panchayats. This system helps in reducing corruption & increases administrative efficiency.
(iii) Power may also be shared among different social groups such as the religious & linguistic groups. Belgium is good example of this arrangement. This helps in giving the space to various social groups who would otherwise feel alienated from the government.
(iv) Power sharing arrangement can also be seen within various political parties, pressure groups & movements: In a democracy, citizen must have freedom to choose among various contenders for power such competition ensures that power does not remain in one hand. Sometimes this kind of sharing can be direct when two or more political parties together form a coalition government and shares the power. India has many interaction groups such as those of traders, farmers and industrial workers etc who also have a share in governmental power.

Q.3 Why power sharing is desirable?

Answer

Two sets of reasons can be given in favour of power sharing:-
a. Prudential Reason:- It helps to reduce the possiblity of conflict between social groups. It gives space to each and every social group in the democracy.
b. Moral Reasons :-Power sharing is the spirit of democracy. A legitimate government is one where citizens through participation acquire a stake in the system.

Q.4 Name the two major parties of Germany.

Answer

The two major parties of Germany are:-
a. Christian Democratic Union
b. Social Democratic Party

Q.5 Explain breifly the concept of “Horizontal’’ Distribution of Power.

Answer

Distribution of power among different organs of the government is known as Horizontal Distribution of Power. It allows different organs of government i.e. Legislature, Executive and Judiciary, which are placed at the same level, to exercise different powers. Each has its own responsibilities and, at the same time, they work together to make the country run smoothly and to assure that the rights of citizens are not ignored or disallowed.

Q.6 Explain the reasons why democracy is known as ‘a government by discussion’?
Answer

Democracy is known as ‘a government by discussion’ due to following reasons:
(i) Policy matters are decided after thorough discussion and in the absence of consensus, the majority view prevails.
(ii) Majority view is respected and are given due consideration during discussion.
(iii) Minority view is heard & not shut down by force.
(iv) Every aspect of a policy or law is discussed before passing and executing it.
Q.7 What is a coaltion government?
Answer

A coalition government is formed by an alliance of two or more political parties, usually when no single party enjoys majority support of the members in a legislature.
Q.8 Explain the ways in which power is shared between different organs of Government.
Answer

Power is shared among Legislature, Executive and Judiciary. It is called as horizontal distribution of power because it allows different organs of government placed at the same level to exercise different powers. Each organ check the other. Ministers and officials are responsible to the Legisalture. Judiciary checks the functioning of the Executive and laws made by Legislature.

Q.9 Explain the difference between horizontal and vertical power sharing.

Answer

Horizontal Power sharing
1. The power is shared among different organs of government such as the legislature, executive and judiciary.
2. Organs of the government are placed at the same level to exercise different powers.
3. Each organ checks the other.

Vertical Power sharing
1. Power is shared among the different levels of the governments like the Central and State.
2. The vertical division of power involves the highest and the lower levels of government.
3. The lower organs work under the higher organs of the Government.

Q.10 Explain the third kind of Government in Belgium.
Answer

Apart from the central & the state government, there is a third kind of government which is known as community government. This community government is elected by the people belonging to one community that is Dutch, French or German speaking no matter whereever they live. It is mainly based on corporation & tolerance. It has the power regarding cultural, educational and language related issues.

Q.11 How political parties ensure power sharing?
Answer

Political parties compete with one another at the time of elections. Such competitions ensure that power does not remain in one hand. In the long run power is shared among different political parties that represent different ideologies and social group. Moreover, when two or more parties form an alliance to contest elections, they form a coalition government and thus share power.

Q.12 Describe the ethnic composition of Belgium.

Answer

Belgium is a small country in Europe which shares its borders with Netherlands, France & Germany. Its ethnic composition is very complex. Of the country’s total population, 59 percent live in the Flemish region and speak Dutch language. Another 40 percent people live in the Wallonia region and speak French. The remaining 1 percent of the Belgians speak German.
Q.13 What is the major difference between the political parties and the pressure groups?
Answer

The objective of political parties is to attain power and form the government, whereas the aim of pressure groups is only to influence the decision-making of the government

Q.14 What is ‘Majoritarianism’? Name the country which has lost its peace due to this.

Answer

Majoritarianism: A belief that the majority community should be able to rule a country in whichever way it wants, by diregarding the wishes and need of the minority. For e.g.: In Sri Lanka, 74% of the Sinhala speaking community enjoy the preferential policies over the Tamilians, who form only 18% of the population.

Q.15 What was the consequences of Sinhala supremacy?
Answer

“Sinhala Supremacy’’ gradually alienated the Tamils in Sri Lanka. They felt that the constitution and government policies denied them equal political rights, discriminated against them in getting jobs and ignore their interest. Subsequently, a struggle was launched, which ultimately led to the civil war. As a result thousand of people of both the communities have been killed. Many families were forced to leave the country as refugees and many more lost the livelihood.
Q.16 Define Community Government.
Answer

Community Government: A community government is the one in which different social groups are given the power to handle the affairs related to their community. They are expected to work together for the benefit of all the citizens without considering the communal tendencies. e.g. Belgium.

Q.17  Define Power Sharing.

Answer

Power Sharing is a strategy for resolving disputes over powerful positions in social or political hierarchy. It relies on sharing the joint power among various social groups within the government.

Q.18 How the regional differences and cultural diversities were resolved in Belgium?
Answer

An attempt was being made in Belgium to accommodate the interests of different regions and cultures, which ultimately led to the unity.
(i) Constitution prescribes that the number of Dutch & French speaking ministers shall be equal in the central government.
(ii) The State governments are not subordinate to the central government.
(iii) Brussels has a separate government in which both the communities have equal representation.
(iv) Apart from the central & the state government there is a third kind community government which is elected by the people belonging to one language community no matter where they live.

Q.19 Mention any three steps taken by the Sri Lankan government to achieve majoritarianism.

Answer

1. In 1956, an Act was passed under which English was replaced as the country’s official language not by Sinhala and Tamil but by Sinhala only.
2. The government followed preferential policies that favoured Sinhala applicants for university positions and government jobs.
3. A new constitution was stipulated that the state shall protect and foster Buddhism.

Q.20 Examine the main elements of the Belgian model of power sharing.

Answer

After the four amendments in the constitution between 1970 and 1993 the Belgian leaders worked out a very different and innovative power sharing arrangement.
a. Equal distribution of seats: – Dutch and the French speaking ministers shall be equal in the central government. No single community can make decisions unilaterally.

b. Concept of Federal Government: – Many powers of the central government have been given to state government for the two regions of the country. The state governments are not subordinate to the Central Government.

c. Equal representation in Brussels: – Brussels has a separate government in which both the communities have equal representation. The French speaking people accepted equal representation in Brussels because the Dutch-speaking community has accepted equal representation in the Central Government.

d. Community Government: – Apart from the Central and the State Government, there is a third kind of government. This ‘community government’ is elected by people belonging to one language community – Dutch, French and German-speaking – no matter where they live.

Q.21 What is a reserved constituency?
Answer

Some constituencies are reserved for people who belong to the Scheduled Castes [SC] and Scheduled Tribes [ST]. In a SC reserved constituency, someone who belongs to the Scheduled Castes can stand for election. Similarly, only those belonging to the Scheduled Tribes can contest an election from a constituency reserved for ST.
Q.22 How many times the constitution of Belgium has been amended between 1970 and 1993?
Answer

Between 1970 and 1993, Belgian government amended their constitution four times, so as to work out an arrangement that would enable everyone to live together within the same country.
Q.23 State one prudential reason and one moral reason for power sharing with an example from the Indian context.
Answer

Indian is a country of diverse population where the society has caste system. Each caste has its own interests. Some are dominant classes and some are backward. So to avoid any possible social conflict and political instability, power sharing is must. This is called prudential approach.

Similarly, from time immemorial, backward classes have been deprived of their political rights. They, however, form the majority population but have minimal participation in political activities. So they should be given ample chance to participate in the political process. This is called moral approach.

Q.24 What made Sri Lankan Tamils feel alienated?

Answer

The measures of the Act 1956 introduced by Sinhalese Government made the Sri Lankan Tamils feel alienated. They felt that none of the major political parties led by the Buddhist Sinhalese were sensitive to their language and culture. They also felt that the constitution and government policies denied them equal political rights, discriminate against them in getting jobs and other opportunities by ignoring their interest. As a result the relation between the Sinhalese and Tamil communities strained overtime.

Q.25 What does the term “separation of powers” mean?
Answer

The system of dividing the powers and duties of a government into different branches is termed as separation of powers. Each has its own responsibilities and at the same time they work collectively to make the country run efficiently and assure that the rights of the citizens are not violated.
Q.26 Who is the head of the Sri Lankan government?
Answer

The President of Sri Lanka is the head of state, the commander in chief of the armed forces, as well as the head of government and is popularly elected for a term of six-years.
Q.27 What is the basic principle of democracy?
Answer

People are the source of all powers. They rule themselves through the institution of self governance. They are the ones who shape the public policies.
Q.28 Where is European Union Parliament situated?
Answer

The European Union Parliament is elected by the citizens of the European Union to represent their interests. It has three places of work, i.e.,Brussels (Belgium), Luxembourg and Strasbourg (France).
Q.29 Which country formed a Grand Coalition after the elections of 2005?
Answer

The two historically rival parties in , namely, the Christian Democratic Union and the Social Democratic Party joined hands to form the Grand Coalition government due to the absence of clear majority after 2005 elections.
Q.30 What is the main objective of federal system?
Answer

The main objectives of the federal system are to promote the unity of the country and to accommodate regional diversity.

Q.31 Bring out the differences between Horizontal and Vertical Division of power.

Answer

Q.32 Define the term
a) Federal government
b) Checks and Balance

Answer

a Federal Government: -The form of government in which power is divided by constitutional right between national and local units of government in regions.

b. Checks and Balance:- It is a type of power sharing arrangement in which each organ of the government checks the others. This in turn results in a balance of power among various institutions. It ensures that none of the organ can exercise unlimited powers. Each branch has certain powers to “check” the other branches and make sure that power is balanced among them.

Q.33 Which form of government upholds the concept of “collective responsibility?”
Answer

The Parliamentary form of government upholds the principle of collective responsibility that serves to bind the government together. The ministers are collectively answerable to Parliament for their conduct and actions.
Q.34 What is a unitary form of government?
Answer

In unitary form of government, there is no constitutional division of powers, except that there may be the delegation of authority by the central government to the local one.
Q.35 What are the two main functions of a political party?
Answer

The two main functions of a political party are electioneering and governing.
Q.36 What led to tensions between the Dutch speaking and French speaking communities during 1950s and 1960s?
Answer

The minority French-speaking community was relatively rich and powerful. This was resented by the Dutch-speaking community who got the benefit of economic development and education much later. This led to tensions between the Dutch-speaking and French-speaking communities during the 1950s and 1960s. The tension between the two communities was more acute in Brussels as the Dutch-speaking people constituted a minority.

Q.37 What role do the pressure groups play in politics?
Answer

Pressure groups use various forms of advocacy to influence public opinion and/or policy; they have played and continued to play an important part in the development of political and social systems.What does the word Q.38 “Eelam” means in Sri Lanka?
Answer

The word Eelam means the State of Tamil people. It is the name given by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam to the independent state, which they aspire in the Northern and Eastern portions of Sri Lanka.

Q.39 What is the moral reason of power sharing?
Answer

Power sharing is the basic spirit of democracy. A democracy rule involves sharing of power with those affected by its exercise and who have to live with its effects. People have a right to be consulted on how they are to be governed.
Q.40 How did the Sri Lankan and the Belgium Government try to solve the ethnic problem?
Answer

The Belgium leaders tried to solve the ethnic problem by respecting the feelings and interests of different communities and regions, whereas the Sri Lanka Government tried to solve the problem through majoritarianism.
Q.41 What does the word “Ethnic” means?
Answer

It means a social division based on shared culture. People belonging to the same ethnic group believe in their common descent because of similarities of physical type or of culture. They need not have the same religion or nationality.
Q.42 Which type of government is formed if no political party is able to get a majority?
Answer

Inability of any political party to get a majority leads to a Coalition Government. It is a government where two or more political parties join together in parliament to run the government and agree on a policy programme.
Q.43 What is a political party?
Answer

It is an organisation that recruits and campaigns for candidates. Group of people aim to organise and control legislature and executive branches of the government.
Q.44 Name any two countries who are the members of EU.
Answer

The two countries that are members of European Union are:

a)Belgium

b)Netherlands.

Q.45 What is LTTE?
Answer

LTTE stands for Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). It is a Tamil militant group, demanding for an independent Tamil Eelam in northern and eastern parts of Sri Lanka.
Q.46 What is European Union?
Answer

The economic association of over two dozen European countries that seek to create a unified, free market for goods and services throughout the continent, as well as a common currency with a unified authority over that currency.
Q.47 Explain the concept of separation of powers.
Answer

It is the system of dividing the powers and duties of a government into different branches. Each has its own responsibilities and at the same time, they work collectively to make the country run efficiently and assure that the rights of citizens are not violated.
Q.48 How did Belgium resolve its problem of regional differences and cultural diversities?

Answer

The ethnic composition of Belgium, which is a small country, is very complex. The Belgian leaders took a path whereby they recognized the existence of regional differences and cultural diversities. Between 1970 and 1993, they amended their constitution four times so as to work out an arrangement that would enable everyone to live together within the same country. Here are some of the elements of the Belgian model:

(i) Constitution prescribes that the number of Dutch and French speaking ministers shall be equal in the central government.

(ii) Many powers of the central government have been given to state governments of the two regions of the country. The state governments are not subordinate to the Central Government.

(iii) Brussels has a separate government in which both the communities have equal representation.

(iv) Apart from the Central and the State Government, there is a third kind of government – Community Government. This ‘Community Government’ is elected by people belonging to one language community – Dutch, French and German-speaking – no matter where they live.

Q.49 What are the various forms of power sharing?

Answer

Democracy is based on the basic principle of the Rule of the People. Everyone is given an opportunity in shaping the public policies, through his or her representative. Thus, in modern democracies, power sharing arrangement can take many forms:

(i) Power is shared among different organs of the government – Legislature, Executive & Judiciary. There is a horizontal distribution of powers. These are placed at the same level to exercise different powers. The powers are defined in such a way that each organ checks the other.

(ii) Power is shared at different levels of the government: The government of the entire country is referred to as the Central or Union government, which is followed by State government at the State level, and at the local level we have municipalities & Panchayats. This system helps in reducing corruption & increases administrative efficiency.

(iii) Power may also be shared among different social groups, such as the religious & linguistic groups. Belgium is a good example of this arrangement. This helps in giving the space to various social groups who would otherwise feel alienated from the government.

(iv) Power sharing arrangement can also be seen within various political parties, pressure groups & movements: India has many interaction groups such as those of traders, farmers and industrial workers, etc. who also have a share in governmental power.
Sometimes, this kind of sharing can be direct when two or more political parties together form a coalition government and share the power.
In a democracy, citizens must have freedom to choose among various contenders for power. Such competition ensures that power does not remain in one hand.