One-Word Answer Type Questions – Majoritarianism in Sri Lanka
1. Which community forms the majority population in Sri Lanka?
Answer: Sinhalese
Explanation: The Sinhalese make up about 74% of Sri Lanka’s population and have historically dominated the government and policy-making processes.
2. Which community in Sri Lanka faced discrimination due to majoritarian policies?
Answer: Tamils
Explanation: The Tamil minority, making up about 18% of the population, faced discrimination in language, education, and government jobs due to Sinhala-majority policies.
3. Which language was declared the only official language of Sri Lanka in 1956?
Answer: Sinhala
Explanation: The Sinhala Only Act of 1956 made Sinhala the official language, ignoring Tamil, which alienated the Tamil-speaking population.
4. Which religion was given a special status in Sri Lanka’s constitution?
Answer: Buddhism
Explanation: The Sri Lankan constitution provides special protection and promotion to Buddhism, the religion of the majority Sinhalese.
5. What term describes the idea that the majority community should have complete political dominance?
Answer: Majoritarianism
Explanation: Majoritarianism is the belief that the majority community has the right to make decisions without considering minority interests, as seen in Sri Lanka’s policies.
6. What did the Tamil community demand to protect their cultural and political rights?
Answer: Autonomy
Explanation: Sri Lankan Tamils demanded regional autonomy to have control over their language, education, and governance, which was denied by the government.
7. Which policy of the Sri Lankan government gave preference to Sinhala-speaking candidates in government jobs?
Answer: Preferential
Explanation: The government implemented preferential policies favoring Sinhala-speaking candidates for university admissions and public sector jobs, discriminating against Tamils.
8. What was the name of the militant organization that fought for an independent Tamil state?
Answer: LTTE
Explanation: The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) led an armed struggle for a separate Tamil state in northern and eastern Sri Lanka.
9. What term describes violent internal conflict between groups within a country?
Answer: Civil War
Explanation: The Sri Lankan conflict escalated into a civil war between the government and Tamil militants, lasting nearly three decades and causing massive destruction.
10. Which year did the Sri Lankan civil war officially end?
Answer: 2009
Explanation: The Sri Lankan civil war ended in 2009 when government forces defeated the LTTE, but ethnic tensions between Sinhalese and Tamils continued.
