Social Science (087) — CBSE Class 10 board question

Belgian Model vs Sri Lankan Model of Power Sharing:

| Basis | Belgium | Sri Lanka |
|-------|---------|-----------|
| Approach | Accommodative; power shared among communities | Majoritarian; Sinhala-speaking majority imposed dominance |
| Constitutional Change | Shifted from unitary to federal system (1993); regional governments given constitutional powers | Remained a unitary system; national government retains all powers |
| Minority Treatment | French-speaking minority given equal representation; community governments recognised | Tamil minority's language and interests ignored; Sinhala made official language |
| Outcome | Power-sharing prevented division of country on linguistic lines | Policies led to civil conflict and alienation of Tamil community |
| Lesson | Shows how accommodation and sharing can maintain unity | Shows how majoritarianism creates instability and demands for federalism |

The Belgian model is a positive example of power-sharing through negotiation, while the Sri Lankan model is a negative example showing how denial of power-sharing causes conflict.

Source: Chapter 1 – Power Sharing; Chapter 2 – Federalism

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• Examiners expect a direct comparison — either in a table (preferred for clarity) or parallel paragraphs.
• Key points to hit: Belgium → federal shift, accommodation, linguistic balance; Sri Lanka → unitary, Sinhala dominance, Tamil alienation, civil conflict.
• Mention the 1993 constitutional change in Belgium and the outcome in each case (unity preserved vs. conflict) for full marks.
• Avoid writing only about one country; both must be covered equally.