You are a citizen of a country that has a democratic form of government.You want to ensure that the system of power-sharing in your country is effective and that no one branch of government has absolute power.
Which of the following measures would best meet this goal?
a. All power is concentrated in the hands of the central government, which has the final say in all matters.
b. Power is divided between the central government and the states or provinces, with each level having its own sphere of influence.
c. Power is separated among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches, with each branch having its own responsibilities and powers.
d. Power is shared among different levels of government, such as the national, regional, and local governments, with each level having some degree of autonomy.
Answer:
Answer by Student
The correct answer is (c) Power is separated among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches, with each branch having its own responsibilities and powers.
Detailed Explanation by Teachoo
Let’s check all the options
- Option (a) All power is concentrated in the hands of the central government, which has the final say in all matters. This option does not allow for any power-sharing among different levels or organs of government. It creates a situation of centralization of power, which can lead to tyranny and oppression of minorities or weaker sections of society. This goes against the spirit of democracy, which is based on the principle of consent of the governed and respect for diversity. This option is incorrect .❌
- Option (b) Power is divided between the central government and the states or provinces, with each level having its own sphere of influence. This option only addresses one form of power-sharing, which is vertical power-sharing. Vertical power-sharing means that power is shared among different levels of government, such as the union, state and local governments. This is important to accommodate the regional and local aspirations of people and to prevent domination by the central government. However, this option does not mention anything about horizontal power-sharing, which means that power is shared among different organs of government, such as the legislature, executive and judiciary. Horizontal power-sharing is essential to ensure that no one organ of government can exercise unlimited power over the others and that there is a system of checks and balances among them. This ensures accountability and transparency in governance and protects the rights and freedoms of citizens. This option is incorrect .❌
- Option (c) Power is separated among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches, with each branch having its own responsibilities and powers. This option describes horizontal power-sharing, which is one of the key features of a democratic form of government. Horizontal power-sharing ensures that there is a separation of powers among the three branches of government, which perform different functions. The legislature makes laws, the executive implements them and the judiciary interprets and applies them. Each branch has its own powers and limitations and can check or balance the other branches if they overstep their authority or violate the Constitution. This prevents concentration or abuse of power by any one branch and safeguards democracy. This option is correct .✅
- Option (d) Power is shared among different levels of government, such as the national, regional, and local governments, with each level having some degree of autonomy. T his option only addresses vertical power-sharing, which is another form of power-sharing in a democracy. Vertical power-sharing allows for decentralization of power and devolution of authority to lower levels of government, which are closer to the people and can address their specific needs and demands. This also promotes the participation and representation of diverse groups and regions in decision-making and prevents domination by the central government. However, this option does not mention anything about horizontal power-sharing, which is equally important to ensure democracy. This option is incorrect .❌
Thus, option (c) is correct because it describes horizontal power-sharing among the three branches of government, which is a key feature of a democratic form of government.
