Power sharing is a fundamental principle in modern democratic societies. It involves distributing power across various branches or levels of government to prevent any single entity from dominating the political landscape. This system ensures that different groups within society have a voice and that conflicts are minimized. In this article, we will explore 50 MCQ on power sharing with answers, focusing on key concepts, case studies, and the advantages of this approach.
50 MCQ on Power Sharing with answers
Basic Concepts of Power Sharing
What is power sharing?
- A) Concentration of power in a single authority
- B) Distribution of power among different organs of government
- C) Control of power by a single group
- D) Abolishing power structures
Answer: B
Why is power sharing important in a democracy?
- A) It ensures a single group dominates
- B) It helps to reduce conflicts
- C) It increases the power of the central government
- D) It eliminates regional governments
Answer: B
Which of the following best describes horizontal power sharing?
- A) Power shared among different levels of government
- B) Power shared among different social groups
- C) Power shared among different organs of government
- D) Power concentrated at the national level
Answer: C
Which form of power sharing is common in federations?
- A) Horizontal
- B) Vertical
- C) Societal
- D) Political party
Answer: B
What is an example of vertical power sharing?
- A) Separation of powers among executive, legislative, and judiciary
- B) Distribution of power between central and state governments
- C) Power shared among different social groups
- D) Power shared among different political parties
Answer: B
What percentage of Belgium’s population lives in the Flemish region?
- A) 40%
- B) 50%
- C) 59%
- D) 70%
Answer: C
Which languages are spoken in Belgium?
- A) Dutch, French, German
- B) Dutch, Spanish, Italian
- C) French, English, German
- D) German, Spanish, English
Answer: A
What type of government does Belgium have to manage linguistic diversity?
- A) Unitary government
- B) Federal government
- C) Centralized government
- D) Monarchical government
Answer: B
Which of the following communities has its own government in Belgium?
- A) Dutch-speaking community
- B) French-speaking community
- C) German-speaking community
- D) All of the above
Answer: D
How does Belgium’s power-sharing model prevent domination by any single community?
- A) By ensuring equal representation in the central government
- B) By having a single language policy
- C) By abolishing regional governments
- D) By concentrating power at the central level
Answer: A
What is the major ethnic group in Sri Lanka?
- A) Tamils
- B) Sinhalese
- C) Moors
- D) Burghers
Answer: B
Which act in 1956 led to ethnic tension in Sri Lanka?
- A) Tamil Language Act
- B) Sinhalese Only Act
- C) Federal Governance Act
- D) Community Governance Act
Answer: B
What percentage of the Sri Lankan population is Tamil-speaking?
- A) 10%
- B) 18%
- C) 25%
- D) 30%
Answer: B
Which group demanded a federal arrangement in Sri Lanka?
- A) Sinhalese
- B) Moors
- C) Sri Lankan Tamils
- D) Burghers
Answer: C
What is a major challenge in power sharing in Sri Lanka?
- A) Dominance of a single ethnic group
- B) Excessive regional autonomy
- C) Lack of a central government
- D) Over-representation of minorities
Answer: A
Types of Power Sharing
What is an example of horizontal power sharing?
- A) Federalism
- B) Separation of powers among the legislature, executive, and judiciary
- C) Local self-government
- D) Community governance
Answer: B
Which level of government is involved in vertical power sharing?
- A) National
- B) State
- C) Local
- D) All of the above
Answer: D
What does social group power sharing aim to achieve?
- A) Concentration of power
- B) Exclusion of minority groups
- C) Representation of diverse social groups
- D) Centralization of authority
Answer: C
Which form of power sharing involves coalition governments?
- A) Vertical
- B) Horizontal
- C) Political party
- D) Social group
Answer: C
Why is power sharing among social groups important?
- A) It increases the power of the majority
- B) It ensures representation and reduces conflict
- C) It centralizes authority
- D) It limits the power of the judiciary
Answer: B
Advantages of Power Sharing
How does power sharing contribute to political stability?
- A) By excluding minority groups
- B) By involving multiple groups in governance
- C) By centralizing power
- D) By abolishing regional governments
Answer: B
What is an advantage of decentralizing decision-making?
- A) Faster and more tailored responses to local issues
- B) Increased power of the central government
- C) Elimination of local authorities
- D) Concentration of power at the national level
Answer: A
How does power sharing enhance democracy?
- A) By involving diverse groups in governance
- B) By reducing public participation
- C) By centralizing decision-making
- D) By limiting the role of the judiciary
Answer: A
What is the primary benefit of social group power sharing?
- A) Prevents dominance by any single group
- B) Centralizes power
- C) Excludes minority groups
- D) Reduces public participation
Answer: A
How does power sharing reduce conflicts?
- A) By ensuring no group feels excluded from the political process
- B) By centralizing decision-making
- C) By abolishing local governments
- D) By limiting the role of the executive
Answer: A
Real-world Applications
Which country is known for its cantonal system of local governance?
- A) India
- B) Belgium
- C) Switzerland
- D) Sri Lanka
Answer: C
What is the main feature of India’s federal structure?
- A) Centralized power
- B) Division of power between central and state governments
- C) No regional representation
- D) Single-party rule
Answer: B
How does Germany’s coalition government exemplify power sharing?
- A) Power is concentrated in a single party
- B) Multiple parties share executive power
- C) No power sharing among parties
- D) Exclusive representation of the majority party
Answer: B
What is a key feature of South Africa’s post-apartheid power-sharing arrangements?
- A) Exclusion of minority groups
- B) Representation of all racial groups
- C) Centralized authority
- D) Single-party governance
Answer: B
Which system in the United States illustrates horizontal power sharing?
- A) Federalism
- B) Separation of powers among executive, legislative, and judiciary
- C) Local self-government
- D) Community governance
Answer: B
Specific Case Studies
How does power sharing work in the European Union?
- A) Centralized power in Brussels
- B) Shared power among member states
- C) No power sharing
- D) Dominance of larger states
Answer: B
Which country has a unique power-sharing arrangement to manage its linguistic diversity?
- A) India
- B) Canada
- C) Belgium
- D) Australia
Answer: C
What led to the adoption of federalism in Belgium?
- A) Ethnic tensions between Dutch-speaking and French-speaking communities
- B) Economic differences
- C) Religious conflicts
- D) Military threats
Answer: A
Which community in Sri Lanka demanded a federal arrangement?
- A) Sinhalese
- B) Moors
- C) Tamils
- D) Burghers
Answer: C
Which country is an example of power sharing among different social groups?
- A) Germany
- B) Canada
- C) Belgium
- D) India
Answer: C
What was a key feature of the Good Friday Agreement in Northern Ireland?
- A) Single-party dominance
- B) Exclusion of minority groups
- C) Power sharing between Unionists and Nationalists
- D) Centralized governance
Answer: C
How did the Swiss cantonal system enhance power sharing?
- A) By centralizing power
- B) By allowing each canton significant autonomy
- C) By excluding minority groups
- D) By eliminating local governments
Answer: B
In which country does the ‘Community Government’ system help manage cultural diversity?
- A) France
- B) Belgium
- C) United Kingdom
- D) Australia
Answer: B
Which region in Spain is known for its demand for greater autonomy and power sharing?
- A) Andalusia
- B) Catalonia
- C) Galicia
- D) Valencia
Answer: B
Which type of power sharing is used in India’s Panchayati Raj system?
- A) Horizontal
- B) Vertical
- C) Political party
- D) Social group
Answer: B
What was the main objective of power sharing in post-apartheid South Africa?
- A) To centralize power
- B) To exclude minority groups
- C) To ensure representation of all racial groups
- D) To limit the role of the judiciary
Answer: C
Which aspect of power sharing is illustrated by Switzerland’s multilingual policies?
- A) Horizontal power sharing
- B) Vertical power sharing
- C) Social group power sharing
- D) Political party power sharing
Answer: C
How does the federal structure of the United States exemplify power sharing?
- A) Power is concentrated at the federal level
- B) Power is shared between the federal government and the states
- C) Only the federal government has authority
- D) State governments have no power
Answer: B
Which country uses power sharing to manage its diverse linguistic communities through three official languages?
- A) Belgium
- B) Switzerland
- C) Canada
- D) India
Answer: B
What is an example of power sharing to prevent ethnic conflict in Africa?
- A) Centralized governance in Kenya
- B) Federal arrangement in Nigeria
- C) Single-party rule in Zimbabwe
- D) Military rule in Sudan
Answer: B
In which country does the concept of ‘regional autonomy’ play a significant role in power sharing?
- A) United Kingdom
- B) India
- C) Spain
- D) Australia
Answer: C
How does community government in Belgium ensure cultural preservation?
- A) By centralizing power in the capital
- B) By giving each community control over cultural matters
- C) By excluding certain communities from governance
- D) By merging different cultural groups
Answer: B
Which form of power sharing is demonstrated by India’s linguistic states?
- A) Horizontal power sharing
- B) Vertical power sharing
- C) Social group power sharing
- D) Political party power sharing
Answer: B
What was a significant outcome of the power-sharing agreement in the Dayton Accords?
- A) Centralized power in Bosnia and Herzegovina
- B) Established a federal system to balance ethnic groups
- C) Eliminated regional autonomy
- D) Consolidated power among major political parties
Answer: B
Which Southeast Asian country has implemented a federal system to manage its diverse ethnic groups?
- A) Vietnam
- B) Thailand
- C) Malaysia
- D) Philippines
Answer: C
- Which Middle Eastern country has adopted a confessional power-sharing system to manage its diverse religious groups?
- A) Saudi Arabia
- B) Israel
- C) Lebanon
- D) Jordan
Answer: C
Wrapping Up
Power sharing is a fundamental principle that underpins the stability and effectiveness of democratic governance. By distributing power among different branches, levels of government, and social groups, it ensures that diverse perspectives are included in decision-making processes. This inclusivity not only fosters social harmony but also enhances the efficiency and responsiveness of governance. The 50 MCQ on power sharing with answers provided in this article serve as a valuable resource for understanding these concepts in depth. These questions, along with their detailed answers, offer a comprehensive overview of how power sharing operates and its critical role in maintaining democratic integrity.