Social Science — CBSE Class 10 board question

Democracy accommodates social diversities in the following ways:

1. Political expression of differences: Democracy allows social differences based on gender, religion, and caste to be expressed politically. This expression is sometimes desirable as it gives voice to all groups.

1. Mechanisms to negotiate conflicts: No society can fully resolve conflicts, but democracy evolves procedures to negotiate differences, reducing the possibility of tensions becoming explosive or violent.

1. Power-sharing among social groups: Constitutional arrangements such as reserved constituencies ensure that weaker sections, minorities, and women are represented in legislatures and administration, preventing alienation.

1. Majority works with minority: Democracy requires the majority to work with the minority so that government represents the general view — majority and minority positions are not permanent.

1. Prevention of majority tyranny: Rule by majority must not become rule by a majority community based on religion, race, or language. Every citizen must have a chance of being in the majority at some point.

However, the example of Sri Lanka warns us that democracy must fulfil these conditions; otherwise, social conflict can intensify rather than reduce.

Source: Chapter 5 (Outcomes of Democracy), Chapter 1 (Power-Sharing)

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• Examiners expect 5 distinct, labelled points for a 5-mark question — each point earns 1 mark.
• The counterexample of Sri Lanka adds analytical depth and is directly from the textbook — include it for full marks.
• Avoid vague statements; tie each point to a specific mechanism (reserved constituencies, power-sharing, majority-minority balance, etc.).
• The phrase "non-democratic regimes suppress social differences" is a good contrast to include if space allows.