Social Science (087) — AI-generated practice question

Prudential reason: Power sharing reduces the possibility of conflict between social groups, preventing violence and political instability. Imposing the majority's will may seem attractive in the short run, but undermines national unity in the long run. So power sharing leads to better outcomes.

Moral reason: Power sharing reflects the very spirit of democracy. People have a right to be consulted on how they are governed. A legitimate government requires citizens to participate and acquire a stake in the system. So power sharing is valuable in itself, not just for its results.

Key difference: Prudential reasons focus on consequences (stability, avoiding conflict), while moral reasons focus on the intrinsic value of sharing power as a democratic principle.

Source: "Why power sharing is desirable?", Chapter 1 — Power Sharing

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• Examiners expect students to clearly name and define both terms — prudential (based on careful calculation of gains/losses) and moral (based on principle/right).
• The textbook explicitly states: "prudential reasons stress that power sharing will bring out better outcomes, moral reasons emphasise the very act of power sharing as valuable." Use this line or paraphrase it.
• Always end with a crisp contrast sentence — that's what earns the third mark in a 3-mark answer.