power sharing

What led to the ethnic tension in Belgium? Why was it more acute in Brussels?

( a) The French-speaking minority was relatively wealthy and powerful. Thus, the Dutch-speaking community, far benefiting from economic development and education, showed resentment among the Dutch-speaking and French-speaking communities in the 1950s and 1960s. The conflict between the two communities was more serious in Brussels, as the Dutch-speaking population was the majority in the country, but the minority in the capital.

( b) A community government is one in which different social groups are given the power to handle the affairs related to their communities. They are expected to work jointly for the benefit of the common masses without undermining any one community.

( c) The ethnics composition of Belgium, a small country is very complex. Of the country’s total population, 59 per cent live in the Flemish region and speak Dutch language. Another 40 per cent people live in the Wallonia region and speak French. Remaining 1 per cent of the Belgians speak German. In the capital city, Brussels, about 80 per cent people speak French while 20 per cent are Dutch-speaking.

( d) The ethnic composition of Belgium, a small country, is complexes. Of the country's total population, 59% live in the Flemish region and speak Dutch. 40% of the population lives in the Walloon Region and speaks French. The remaining 1% of the Belgians speak German. In the capital, Brussels, about 80% of residents speak French while 20% speak Dutch.

• a

• b

• c

• d

Assertion (A) : Sri Lanka has a diverse population. Reason (R) : The major social groups are Sinhala speakers ( 74 % ) and Tamil speakers ( 18 % ).

( a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.

( b) Assertion (A) : Sri Lanka has a diverse population. Reason (R) : The major social groups are Sinhala speakers ( 74 % ) and Tamil speakers ( 18 % ).

( c) MCQ

( d) -2

• a

• b

• c

• d

People from the same language-speaking communities — Dutch, French, and German-speaking — preferred “community government.” What skills does he have?

( a) Culture, educational and language related issues

( b) Political issues

( c) Defence related issues

( d) All the above

• a

• b

• c

• d

Match the following : A. Ethnic Composition (i) A violent conflict between opposite groups within a country. B. Majoritarianism (ii) Based on prudence, i.e., a careful calculation of gains or losses. C. Civil War (iii) A social division based on shared culture. D. Prudential reason (iv) A belief that the majority community should be able to rule a countF. Horizontal (vi) Power is involved in the division of the higher and lower power levels of governmentry. E. Vertical division (v) Power is shared among power different organs of the government.

( a) (a) A – (iv), B – (iii), C – (ii), D – (i), E – (v), F – (vi)

( b) (b) A – (iii), B – (iv), C – (i), D – (ii), E – (vi), F – (v)

( c) (c) A – (i), B – (ii), C – (iii), D – (iv), E – (v), F – (vi)

( d) (d) A – (ii), B – (iv), C – (iv), D – (v), E – (vi), F – (i)

• a

• b

• c

• d

Power shared among governments at different level is also called:

( a) Horizontal distribution

( b) Vertical distribution

( c) Slant distribution

( d) Straight distribution

• a

• b

• c

• d

Which language was declared as the only official language of sri lanka by an Act passed in 1956?

( a) Tamail

( b) Sinhalese

( c) Hindi

( d) English

• a

• b

• c

• d

Explain the meaning of Majoritarianism as practiced in Sri Lanka?

( a) The leaders of the Sinhala community sought to secure dominance over the government by virtue of their majority and thus, the democratically elected government adopted a series of majoritarian measures to establish Sinhala supremacy.

( b) The leaders of the Hindu community sought to secure dominance over the government by virtue of their majority and thus, the democratically elected government adopted a series of majoritarian measures to establish Hindu supremacy.

( c) The leaders of the Tamil community sought to secure dominance over the government by virtue of their majority and thus, the democratically elected government adopted a series of majoritarian measures to establish Tamil supremacy.

( d) The leaders of Muslim community sought to secure dominance over the government by virtue of their majority and thus, the democratically elected government adopted a series of majoritarian measures to establish Muslim supremacy.

• a

• b

• c

• d

Power sharing is desirable because it helps

( a) to increase preessure on government

( b) to reduce possibilities of conflicts

( c) to generate awareness among people

( d) to increase percentage of votes

• a

• b

• c

• d

Assertion : French speaking community in Belgium was rich and powerful. Reason : Belgian Government favoured French speaking community.

( a) If both assertion and reason are true and reason is the correct explanation of assertion.

( b) If both assertion and reason are true but reason is not the correct explanation of assertion. ( c) If assertion is true but reason is false.

( d) If both assertion and reason are false

• a

• b

• c

• d

Non-sharing of power leads to

( a) peace among all the communities

( b) tyranny of the majority and oppression of the minority

( c) negation of the very spirit of oppression of the minority

( d) negation of the very spirit of democracy

• a

• b

• c

• d