Power Sharing Notes for Class 10 – Belgium, Sri Lanka & Federalism Explained

Power Sharing Class 10 Notes

Subject	Social Science (Political Science)
Class	10
Board	CBSE
Chapter No.	1
Chapter Name	Power Sharing
Type	Notes
Session	2025-26
Weightage	2 marks

Table of Contents

• Belgium
• Sri Lanka
• Majoritarianism in Sri Lanka
• Accommodation in Belgium
• Belgium Vs Sri Lanka
• Why power sharing is desirable?
• Forms of Power Sharing
• Advantages of horizontal power-sharing
• Horizontal Vs Vertical division of powers

Belgium

• A small country in Europe.
• Neighbours: France, the Netherlands, Germany, and Luxembourg.
• 59% population lives in the Flemish region and speaks the Dutch language.
• 40% population lives in the Wallonia region and speaks French.
• 1% population speaks German.
• Capital City: Brussels
• 80% of people speak French
• 20% of people speak Dutch.
• The minority French-speaking community was relatively rich and powerful.

• Island nation
• Has a diverse population.
• Major social groups:
• 74% Sinhala speakers
• 18% Tamil speakers
• 13% Sri Lankan Tamils
• 5% Indian Tamils
• Sri Lankan Tamils are concentrated in the north and east of the country.
• Most of the Sinhala-speaking people are Buddhists.
• Most of the Tamils are Hindus or Muslims.

Majoritarianism in Sri Lanka

• Sri Lanka emerged as an independent country in 1948.
• The democratically elected government adopted a series of majoritarian measures to establish Sinhala supremacy:
• The government adopted majoritarian measures to establish Sinhala supremacy. In 1956, an Act was passed to recognize Sinhala as the only official language thus disregarding Tamil.
• The government followed preferential politics that favored Sinhala applicants for university positions and government jobs.
• A new Constitution stipulated that the state shall protect and foster Buddhism.
• Demands of the Tamils:
• Recognition of Tamil as an official language.
• Equal opportunities for Tamils in government jobs and educational institutions.
• Provincial autonomy for Tamil-dominated provinces.

 

Accommodation in Belgium

Between 1970 and 1993, they amended their constitution four times

Some of the elements of the Belgium model are:

• The number of Dutch and French-speaking ministers shall be equal in the central government.
• Some special laws required the support of the majority of members from each linguistic group.
• The state governments are not subordinate to the central government.
• Brussels has a separate government in which both communities have equal representation.
• Apart from the central and state government, there is a third kind of government called ‘community government’. Community government is elected by people belonging to one language community – Dutch, French, and German-speaking.

Brussels was chosen as the headquarters of the European Union.

Belgium Vs Sri Lanka

• Belgium adopted the policy of accommodation of social and ethnic divisions. On the other hand, Sri Lanka also adopted a democratic system but followed majoritarian policies.
• Under the Belgium model of democracy, power was shared among two ethnic groups. Sri Lanka favored the interests of the majority Sinhala community.
• In Belgium, both groups had an equal share in the working of government but in Sri Lanka, the minority community was isolated.
• To maintain political stability and unity, equal representation was provided to both groups. Apart from that, the community government of both ethnic groups also existed at the local level. Sri Lanka, however, had no such arrangement.
• Belgium's constitution was amended four times before arriving at a final draft to prevent civil strife. In Sri Lanka, majoritarianism led to civil war for twenty long years.

 

Why power sharing is desirable?

Power Sharing: When the power does not rest with any one organ of the state rather it is shared among different levels/organs of the government it is called power sharing.

Power sharing is desirable in democracy because:

i. Prudential reasons:

• It helps to reduce the possibility of conflict between social groups.
• Reducing conflict between social groups ensures the stability of political order.
• It promotes the unity of the nation.

ii. Moral reasons:

• Power sharing is the very spirit of democracy. A democratic rule involves sharing power with those affected by its exercise and who have to live with its effect.
• People have a right to be consulted on how they are to be governed.
• Power sharing helps in producing a legitimate government where citizens through participation acquire a  stake in the system.

Forms of Power Sharing

The major forms of power sharing in modern democracies are:

• Power sharing among the different organs of government. (Horizontal power sharing).
• Power sharing among governments at different levels.
• Power sharing among different social groups.
• Power sharing among political parties, pressure groups, and movements.
• In a democracy, we find interest groups such as businessmen, farmers, and industrial workers.

Advantages of horizontal power-sharing

The advantages of horizontal power-sharing are:

• The power is shared among different organs of government equally.
• Horizontal power-sharing places all the organs of the government i.e., legislature, executive, and judiciary at the same level.
• Under this kind of power-sharing no organ can exercise unlimited powers.
• That is why this system is also known as the system of checks and balances.
• Example: in India, though the ministers and government officials exercise power, they are responsible to the parliament or state legislatures. Similarly, although the judges are appointed by the executive they can check the functioning of the executive or laws made by the legislatures.

 

Horizontal Vs Vertical division of powers

Horizontal Division of Power	Vertical Division of Power
Horizontal Division of Power is a power-sharing arrangement in which power is shared among different organs of government such as the executive, legislative, and judiciary.	In the vertical division of power, power is shared among governments at different levels like union, state, and local levels of government i.e., it involves higher and lower levels of government.
In the horizontal division of power, different organs of government exercise different powers.	In the vertical division of power, the constitution clearly lays down the power of different levels of government.
Horizontal distribution specifies the concept of checks and balances in order to check the exercise of unlimited powers of the organs.	There is no concept of checks and balances because powers are clearly given by the constitution from the higher level to the lower level.

Keywords

Ethnic: Division based on shared culture.

Civil war: Conflict between opposing groups.

Prudential: Calculation of gains and losses.

Majoritarian: A belief that let the majority community rule a country.

 

 Chapter 1: Power Sharing – NCERT Solutions

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🔹 Q1: What are the different forms of power-sharing in modern democracies? Give an example of each.

Answer:

There are four forms of power-sharing in modern democracies:

1. Power Sharing Among Different Organs of Government
   ➤ Example: Legislature, Executive, and Judiciary in India.

2. Power Sharing Among Governments at Different Levels
   ➤ Example: Union, State, and Local Governments (Federalism in India).

3. Power Sharing Among Different Social Groups
   ➤ Example: Community governments in Belgium; reservation of seats for SCs/STs in India.

4. Power Sharing Among Political Parties, Pressure Groups, and Movements
   ➤ Example: Coalition governments; trade unions influencing decision-making.

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🔹 Q2: State one prudential reason and one moral reason for power sharing.

Answer:

• Prudential Reason: Power sharing reduces the chances of conflict between social groups and ensures political stability.

• Moral Reason: Power sharing respects the diversity and the spirit of democracy by giving equal rights and participation to all citizens.

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🔹 Q3: After reading this chapter, three students drew different conclusions. Which of these is most in keeping with the spirit of the chapter and why?

(a) Madhu: Power sharing is necessary only in societies which have religious, linguistic or ethnic divisions.
(b) Mathai: Power sharing is suitable only for big countries that have regional divisions.
(c) Ouseph: Every society needs some form of power sharing even if it is small or does not have diversity.

Answer:
Ouseph’s conclusion (c) is most in keeping with the spirit of the chapter because power sharing is essential in every democracy to avoid tyranny, ensure equality, and maintain participation of all citizens, regardless of the size or diversity of the country.

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🔹 Q4: The Mayor of Merchtem, a town near Brussels in Belgium, has defended a ban on speaking French in the town’s schools. Give three arguments against the ban that you could use to convince him to lift it.

Answer:

1. The ban discriminates against the French-speaking community and violates their cultural and linguistic rights.

2. It can lead to alienation and resentment among the French speakers, disturbing harmony.

3. In a democratic setup, everyone has the right to education in their own language; the ban contradicts democratic principles.

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🔹 Q5: Match the following.

Column A	Column B
(1) Power shared among different organs of government	(a) Community government
(2) Power shared among governments at different levels	(b) Separation of powers
(3) Power shared by different social groups	(c) Federal government
(4) Power shared by two or more political parties	(d) Coalition government

Answer:

• (1) → (b)

• (2) → (c)

• (3) → (a)

• (4) → (d)

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🔹 Q6: Consider the following statements about power sharing arrangements in Belgium and Sri Lanka.

1. In Belgium, the Dutch-speaking majority people tried to impose their domination on the French-speaking minority.

2. In Sri Lanka, the policies of the government sought to ensure the dominance of the Sinhala-speaking majority.

3. The Tamils in Sri Lanka demanded a federal arrangement of power that would protect their culture, language, and equality of opportunity in education and jobs.

4. The transformation of Belgium from a unitary government to a federal one prevented a possible division of the country on linguistic lines.

Which of the statements are correct?
Answer: Statements 2, 3, and 4 are correct.

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🔹 Q7: Read the following passage and pick out any one of the prudential reasons for power sharing offered in this.

Answer:
Prudential reason highlighted: Power sharing is good because it helps to reduce the possibility of conflict between social groups.

PREVIOUS YEAR CBSE EXAM QUESTIONS:

✅ 1-Mark Questions (Very Short Answer)

1. In which part of Sri Lanka are Sri Lankan Tamils concentrated?
   📅 Year: 2013
   👉 North and East

2. Which two major ethnic groups are found in Belgium?
   📅 Year: 2014
   👉 Dutch-speaking and French-speaking communities

3. What is the capital of Belgium?
   📅 Year: 2011
   👉 Brussels

4. What is majoritarianism?
   📅 Year: 2015
   👉 A belief that the majority community should rule the country.

5. Which ethnic group is in majority in Sri Lanka?
   📅 Year: 2014
   👉 Sinhala (74%)

6. What is meant by horizontal distribution of power?
   📅 Year: 2016
   👉 Power shared among Legislature, Executive, and Judiciary.

7. Name the system of government in which power is divided at different levels.
   📅 Year: 2012
   👉 Federal government

8. Which level of government is responsible for national-level decisions?
   📅 Year: 2013
   👉 Central or Union Government

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✅ 2-Mark Questions (Short Answer)

1. Give one prudential and one moral reason for power sharing.
   📅 Year: 2015
   👉 Prudential – avoids social conflict; Moral – respects democratic principles.

2. Differentiate between horizontal and vertical power sharing.
   📅 Year: 2016
   👉 Horizontal – among organs; Vertical – among levels of government.

3. Why is power sharing desirable in modern democracies?
   📅 Year: 2017
   👉 Ensures stability, prevents tyranny, respects diversity.

4. What is a community government? How does it function in Belgium?
   📅 Year: 2014
   👉 An elected body managing culture, education, language among linguistic communities.

5. Mention two consequences of majoritarianism in Sri Lanka.
   📅 Year: 2015
   👉 Civil war, Tamil alienation, loss of trust in govt.

6. Mention any two features of the Belgian model of power sharing.
   📅 Year: 2018
   👉 Equal representation for communities; separate govt for Brussels.

7. Name any two countries that successfully practice power sharing.
   📅 Year: 2013
   👉 Belgium and India

8. State two examples of power sharing in India.
   📅 Year: 2011
   👉 Between Centre and States; among Legislature, Executive, Judiciary.

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✅ 3-Mark Questions (Short Answer in Detail)

1. Explain any three forms of power sharing in modern democracies.
   📅 Year: 2016
   👉 Among organs, levels, social groups, political parties.

2. Describe any three consequences of majoritarianism in Sri Lanka.
   📅 Year: 2015
   👉 Denial of Tamil rights, civil unrest, rise of militant groups.

3. How is power shared among different organs of government?
   📅 Year: 2017
   👉 Horizontal division: Legislature, Executive, Judiciary with checks and balances.

4. Compare the power-sharing arrangements in Belgium and Sri Lanka.
   📅 Year: 2014
   👉 Belgium – inclusive; Sri Lanka – majoritarian domination.

5. What are three advantages of power sharing?
   📅 Year: 2013
   👉 Promotes unity, reduces conflict, upholds democratic spirit.

6. How did the Belgium government try to solve the ethnic problem?
   📅 Year: 2019
   👉 Equal community representation, community govt, decentralization.

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✅ 5-Mark Questions (Long Answer)

1. "Power sharing is the very spirit of democracy." Justify the statement.
   📅 Year: 2012, 2016
   👉 Avoids conflict, respects diverse groups, ensures inclusion, deepens democracy.

2. How did Belgium successfully handle the problem of regional and cultural diversity?
   📅 Year: 2014
   👉 Balanced representation, separate Brussels govt, community govt, federal structure.

3. Explain any four forms of power sharing with examples.
   📅 Year: 2018
   👉 Among organs (horizontal), levels (vertical), social groups, political parties.

4. Discuss the consequences of the majoritarian policies adopted by the Sri Lankan government.
   📅 Year: 2015
   👉 Civil war, Tamil alienation, migration, weakened democracy.

5. Describe horizontal and vertical power sharing in detail with examples.
   📅 Year: 2020
   👉 Horizontal: Legislature, Executive, Judiciary; Vertical: Centre, State, Local.