Class 10 Social Science - MP
Political Science: Power-sharing
The chapter 'Power-sharing' in Class 10 Political Science explores how democracies manage diversity and resolve conflicts through the distribution of political power. It draws crucial comparative lessons from Belgium and Sri Lanka, highlighting the perils of majoritarianism and the benefits of accommodation. Students will learn why power-sharing is desirable both prudentially and morally. This chapter is a high-scoring section in the MPBSE board exams, frequently featuring direct questions on case studies, forms of power-sharing, and reasons for its necessity in a democratic setup.
Start Learning FreeKey Concepts
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.
Prudential Reason for Power-sharing
Power-sharing is good because it helps to reduce the possibility of conflict between social groups and ensures political stability.
Moral Reason for Power-sharing
Power-sharing is the very spirit of democracy, where citizens have a stake in governance and are entitled to be consulted.
Horizontal Distribution of Power
Power is shared among different organs of government, such as the legislature, executive, and judiciary, practicing a system of checks and balances.
Vertical Distribution of Power
Power is shared among governments at different levels, such as a general government for the entire country and governments at regional or provincial levels.
Community Government
A unique system in Belgium elected by people belonging to one language community, dealing with cultural, educational, and language-related issues.
Important Formulas
Board Exam Info
In the MPBSE Class 10 Social Science board examination, this chapter typically carries around 4 to 6 marks. Questions usually include objective-type questions (fill in the blanks, true/false), short-answer questions (2-3 marks) comparing Belgium and Sri Lanka, and long-answer questions (4 marks) explaining the various forms of power-sharing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is power-sharing desirable in a democracy?
Power-sharing is desirable because it reduces social conflicts, ensures political stability (prudential reason), and upholds the true democratic spirit where every citizen has a voice in governance (moral reason).
What is the difference between horizontal and vertical power-sharing?
Horizontal power-sharing involves sharing power among different organs of government at the same level (Legislature, Executive, Judiciary) with checks and balances. Vertical power-sharing involves power shared among different levels of government (Central, State, Local).
What led to the civil war in Sri Lanka?
The civil war was triggered by majoritarian measures adopted by the Sinhala-dominated government, such as making Sinhala the sole official language and neglecting the rights and demands of the Sri Lankan Tamil minority.
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