Class 10 Civics Chapter 1

The study of rights and responsibilities of citizens in a society is called Civics. The term civics refers to the behaviour that impacts other people, especially in the context of urban development. Civics is also involved with the study of governance, emphasising people’s roles.

In Ch 1 Civics Class 10- Power Sharing, the concept of power-sharing is well described, with comparisons drawn between the Belgian and Sri Lankan situations. For the construction of democracy, a sensible distribution of power among the legislative, executive, and judiciary is essential.

Extramarks presents NCERT Solutions for Class 10 Civics Chapter 1. These Power Sharing Class 10 Solutions have been created by experts at Extramarks to make it easier for the students to grasp the fundamentals of the chapter. In addition, power Sharing Class 10 Question Answers allow the students to understand the chapter without the need to memorise it.

Students can access several study materials on the Extramarks’ website. NCERT Solutions, Additional Questions, Sample Papers, Revision Notes, CBSE past years’ question paper, and a lot more can be found on the Extramarks’ website. 

Key Topics Covered in Class 10 Civics Chapter 1

Extramarks make it easier for the students by creating the Class 10 Civics Chapter 1 as an aid to study well and score good marks. The key topics that are covered in Class 10 Civics Chapter 1 are as listed below.

Let us look at Extramarks in-depth information on each subtopic in Class 10 Civics Chapter 1- Power Sharing:

Story of Belgium

Belgium is a small European country with over one crore people, around half that of Haryana. Fifty-nine per cent of the population speaks Dutch, 40 per cent speaks French, and the remaining 1% speak German. The wealthy and influential minority French-speaking community benefited from economic development and education. During the 1950s and 1960s, this produced conflicts between the Dutch and French-speaking communities.

Accommodation in Belgium

Belgium’s government handled the communal divide well. Belgian leaders changed their Constitution four times between 1970 and 1993, resulting in a new governance paradigm.

Extramarks Class 10 Civics Chapter 1 highlights the Belgian model that includes the following elements:

• In the Central Government, the Constitution mandates that the number of Dutch and French-speaking ministers be equal. In addition, most members from each language group must approve certain specific legislation. Therefore, no single community can make choices on its own.
• State governments are independent of the Central government.
• Brussels has its government with equal representation for both groups.
• There is a third type of government in addition to the Central and State Governments. This ‘community government’ is chosen by individuals who speak the same language — Dutch, French, or German – regardless of where they live. This government has authority for cultural, educational, and linguistic matters.

Extramarks Class 10 Civics Chapter 1 states that the Belgian model was complex, but it effectively prevented civil disputes between the two large communities.

Story of Sri Lanka

Let us now consider the scenario in another nation, Sri Lanka. It is an island nation with a population of roughly two crores, like Haryana. Sri Lanka’s population is varied. Sinhala-speakers (74 per cent) and Tamil-speakers are the two largest social groupings (18 per cent). Tamils have two subcategories: “Sri Lankan Tamils” and “Indian Tamils.” The Sinhala population in Sri Lanka had a more significant majority and imposed its will on the whole country.

Majoritarianism in Sri Lanka

Extramarks Class 10 Civics Chapter 1 explains the Majoritarianism in Sri Lanka, a country which became an independent nation in 1948. Because the Sinhala population was the majority, they constituted the government. They also implemented regulations that gave preference to Sinhala candidates for academic posts and government employment. However, the government’s actions increasingly worsened the feeling of estrangement among Sri Lankan Tamils. Sri Lankan Tamils believed that the constitution and government policies denied them equal political rights, discriminated against them in the employment market, and ignored their concerns. As a result, relations between the Sinhala and Tamil communities deteriorated.

 Sri Lankan Tamils formed political parties and fought for recognition of Tamil as an official language, regional autonomy, and equal access to schools and jobs. However, the government has continuously dismissed their request. The hostility between the two populations erupted into widespread violence, culminating in a CIVIL WAR. Thousands of individuals from both communities have been killed, therefore. A huge number of families have been forced to flee the nation as refugees, and many more have lost their jobs. The civil war ended in 2009, but it had a devastating impact on the country’s social, cultural, and economic life.

Lessons to be learnt from the stories of Belgium and Sri Lanka by Extramarks Class 10 Civics Chapter 1

• Both countries are democracies, but they approach the notion of power-sharing in different ways.
• Belgium’s authorities have realised that the best way to achieve national unity is to respect the sentiments and interests of various populations and regions. Consequently, mutually acceptable power-sharing agreements were reached.
• Sri Lanka demonstrates how a majority society seeking supremacy over others and refusing to share authority may jeopardise the country’s unity.

Reasons why Power Sharing is desirable 

• Power-sharing is beneficial since it helps to lessen the chance of social conflict.
• The second argument is that democratic rule involves sharing power with people impacted by it and must live with its consequences. People have a right to be heard regarding how they are governed.

The first set of reasoning is referred to as prudential, whereas the second is considered moral. The prudential grounds emphasise that sharing power will result in better outcomes, whereas the ethical reasons emphasise the value of sharing power.

Form of Power Sharing

Most of you must believe that sharing power means sharing power and that sharing power means weakening the country. In the past, people thought something similar. All a government’s authority was supposed to be concentrated in one person or group of people in one location. Making timely choices and enforcing them would be extremely difficult otherwise. With the advent of democracy, however, these perceptions have shifted. People rule themselves in democracy through self-government institutions. Everyone must have an ability to influence how public policies are developed. As a result, political power in a democratic government should be dispersed among citizens.

Extramarks Class 10 Civics Chapter 1 highlights that power sharing in modern democracies can take numerous forms, as seen below:

• Different government organs, such as the legislative, executive, and judiciary, share power. Because it permits various government organs at the same level to exercise distinct powers, this is known as horizontal power distribution. Because of this separation, none of the organs can exert infinite power. Each organ keeps an eye on the others. A system of checks and balances is the term for this setup.
• Power can be shared across governments at several levels, including national and provincial or regional governments (federal governments).
• Different social groupings, such as religious and linguistic communities, may also share power. Belgium’s ‘community government’ is an excellent illustration of this setup. This strategy ensures that minorities have a fair share of power.
• The way political parties, pressure organisations, and movements control or influence those in power may also be considered part of power-sharing agreements. For example, when two or more parties create an alliance to run for office, and if they win, they form a coalition government and share power.

Class 10 Civics Chapter 1 NCERT Solutions 

Extramarks Class 10 Civics Chapter 1 NCERT Solutions has explanations of all the essential concepts as well as other key topics covered in the Class 10. Students should carefully read the chapter a few times to understand it thoroughly and for a fast and accurate recall.

Click on the below links to view NCERT Solutions for Class 10 Civics Chapter 1:

Class 10 Civics Chapter 1: Very Short Answer Type Questions

Class 10 Civics Chapter 1: Short Answer Type Questions

Class 10 Civics Chapter 1: Long Answer Type Questions

Students may access NCERT Solutions for Class 10 Civics Chapter 1 and other chapters by clicking here. In addition, students can also explore NCERT Solutions for other classes below.

By getting access to NCERT Solutions for Class 10 Civics Chapter 1- Power Sharing, students can easily understand the different forms of power sharing.

Key Features of The Class 10 Civics Chapter 1

The NCERT Solutions by Extramarks are made precisely for each chapter keeping in mind all the needs of the students. These solutions prove of great benefit to the students and help in grasping the fundamentals better and quicker. Why trust us? Here we tell you why:

•  These solutions are prepared to keep in mind all the guidelines laid by CBSE.
• Going through these solutions creates a sense of confidence in students, confident that they have grasped the central concepts of the chapter in one go.
• These solutions have been prepared in a stepwise and detailed manner.