Explaining a compromise means saying what each side wanted, what was agreed and why agreement mattered. The frame is want, agree, why.
This lesson follows identifying the roles of constitutional bodies and is part of constitutional negotiations of 1957.
What is the want-agree-why frame?
For any negotiation question, answer three things in order.
- Want: what did each side ask for?
- Agree: what was accepted in the end?
- Why: what did agreement make possible?
The frame keeps the answer neutral, because it reports positions and outcomes rather than judging them.
Worked example from a source
Here is an original extract. “One group asked for arrangements that protected its community’s position. Another asked for equal treatment in citizenship. After discussion, both accepted provisions that addressed part of each request.”
The question: “Explain how compromise was reached, based on the source.”
Want: one group wanted protection for its community’s position, and another wanted equal treatment in citizenship.
Agree: after discussion, both accepted provisions that met part of each request. Neither side received everything it asked for.
Why: agreement let the groups put forward a common position, which made it easier to present a single proposal for the country.
A full answer: “The source shows that each group had a different request: protection for its community, and equal treatment in citizenship. Compromise was reached when both accepted provisions that addressed part of their requests, so the groups could present a common position.”
The mistake to avoid
The slip is to describe the outcome as though one side won. It costs marks because the source shows partial acceptance on both sides.
| Weak | Strong |
|---|---|
| “The first group got what it wanted.” | “The first group’s request was partly met, and the other group’s request was also partly met.” |
Another slip is to write “they compromised” and stop. The word needs a what and a why behind it, or it earns little.
Check yourself
An original extract says: “Each side gave up part of its first proposal so that one agreed text could be presented.” Explain in two sentences how this shows compromise.
Answer
Each side gave up part of its first proposal, so neither side’s full request was accepted. This shows compromise because the sides agreed on one text, which allowed a single proposal to be presented.
The answer has want (first proposals), agree (one agreed text) and why (a single proposal).
What to study next
Continue with connecting constitutional provisions with stated purposes. Use the evidence-to-explanation planner to plan your next answer.
For a teacher to rebuild a weak answer with you, see online one-to-one Sejarah tuition.