POWER SHARING

 Belgium : It is a small country in Europe with a population of a little more than a crore, has an ethnic
problem that is highly complex. It has border with Netherlands, France & Germany.

(A) Of the country’s total population, 59 % lives in the Flemish region and speak Dutch language.

(B) 40% people live is the Wallonia region and speak French.

(C) Remaining 1 % of the Belgians speak German.

(D) In the capital city Brussels 80 % speak French while 20 % are Dutch speaking.

(E) The minority French speaking community was relatively rich and powerful.

(F) Dutch speaking people received benefits of economic development & education much later & this led to
tension between the two groups.

(G) The conflict between the two communities was more severe in Brussels because the Dutch speaking people
constituted a majority in the country, but a minority in the capital.

 Sri Lanka

(A) It is an island nation, just a few kilometres off the southern coast of Tamil Nadu.
 (B) It has a population of about 2 crore.

(C) It has diverse population. The major social groups in Sri Lanka are -

1. Sinhala speaking which are 74 %.

2. Tamil speakers which are 18 %. Tamil are also divided in two groups -

I. Tamil natives of the country are called ‘Sri Lankan Tamils’ (13 %)

II. Indian Tamil (Whose forefathers came from India as plantation workers during colonial period) are 5 %.

(D) Srilankan Tamils are concentrated in north and east of the country.

(E) Sinhala speaking people are Buddhists.

(F) Tamils are either Hindus or Muslim.

(G) About 7 % are Christians who are both Tamil & Sinhalas.

In Belgium & Srilanka the majority community, i.e., Dutch speakers & Sinhalas could take advantages of
their numeric majority & impose their will on the entire country.

The leader of the Sinhala community dominated the government & adopted a series of majoritarin measures.

(A) Srilanka become independent in 1948.

(B) In 1956, an Act was passed to recognise Sinhala as the only official language, thus disregarding Tamil.

(C) Sinhala applicants were favoured for university and government jobs.

(D) The constitution gives special protection to Buddhism.

(E) The result of these policies make the Srilankan Tamils feel that -

(I) Leaders were insensitive to their language and culture.

(II) Government policies deprived them of equal political rights.

(F) They were discriminated against in getting jobs & other opportunities.

 Demands of Srilankan Tamils :

1. Recognition of Tamils as an official language.

2. For regional autonomy.

3. Equality of opportunity in securing education & jobs.

4. Demand was made for an independent Tamil Eelam (state) in northern and eastern parts of Srilanka.

The distrust between the two communities turned into widespread conflict. It soon turned into a civil war.

Belgium leaders recognised the differences that existed in the regional & cultural aspects. So they amended
their constitution four times so as to enable everyone to live together within the same country. Some of the
elements of the Belgian model are -
1. Constitution prescribes that the number of Dutch and French speaking ministers shall be equal in the central
government.

2. Many powers of the central government have been given to state governments of the two regions of the
country. The state governments are not subordinate to the central government.

3. Brussels has a separate government in which both the communities have equal representation. The French
speaking people accepted equal representation in Brussels because the Dutch speaking community has
accepted equal representation in the central government.

4. A 3rd kind government called community government is elected by people belonging to one language
community no matter where they live. This government deals with language related issues.

 Comparison : In Belgium leaders realised that by a mutual arrangement for sharing power unity in the
country was possible.

In Sri Lanka the majority community wanted to dominate & refused to share power. This hindered the unity
of the country.

 Power sharing is good because :

1. It helps to reduce the conflict between social groups.

2. It is a good way to ensure the stability of political order.

3. It is good for democracy. It is the spirit of democracy because people have the right to be consulted on how
they are to be governed.

4. The first point is called prudential because it states that power sharing will bring out better outcomes.

5. Moral reasons emphasises the very act of power sharing as valuable.

Many people felt that if the power to decide is dispersed, it would not be possible to take quick decision and
to enforce them.

One basic principle of democracy is that people are the source of all political power, & people rule
themselves. In a good democratic government, due respect is given to diverse groups that exist in a society.
Every one has a voice in the shaping of public policies.

 In modern democracies, power sharing arrangements can take many farms.

1. Power is shared among different organs of the govt.

Horizontal distribution of power.

(A) In this form of distribution power is shared among different organs of government such as the legislature,
executive and judiciary.

(B) This type of distribution advocates separation of powers in which different organs of government at the same
level exercise different powers.
(C) Separation of powers ensures a check over the unlimited powers of each organs. This results in a balance of
power among various institutions.

(D) It is also called a system of “checks and balances”.

2. Vertical Distribution of Powers :

(A) Under this form of power sharing arrangement, power is shared among governments at different levels. e.g. a
general government for the entire country and a government at the provincial level.

(B) A general government for the entire country is usually called Federal government. In our country it is called
as central government.

(C) In some countries like India & Belgium, the constitution clearly lays down the powers of the government at
different levels. This is called the “Federal division of powers”.

All such division of powers involving higher and lower level of government is called vertical division of
powers.

3. Power sharing among different social groups :

(A) In another way power may also be shared among different social groups, such as the religious and liguistic
groups.

(B) This type of arrangement is meant to give space in the government and administration to diverse social
groups who otherwise would feel alienated from the government.

(C) This method is used to give minority communities a fair share in power.

(D) Community government in Belgium and Reserved constituencies in assemblies and Parliament in India
are the examples of this type of arrangement.

4. Power sharing among political parties and pressure groups :

Sometimes power sharing arrangements can also be seen in the way political parties, pressure groups and
movements control or influence power because in a democracy the citizens must have a choice among
various contenders for powers.
 GLOSSARY

1. Ethnic : A social based division based on shared culture people belonging to same ethnic group believe in their
common descent because of similarities of physical type or of culture, or both. They need not always have the
same religion or nationality.

2. Majoritarian : A concept which signifies a belief that the majority community should be able to rule a country
in whichever way it wants is known as “Majoritarian”. In this type of rule they disregard the wishes and needs
of the minority.

3. Civil war : A violent conflict between opposing groups within a country is known as civil war. Some times it
becomes so intense that it appears like a war.

4. Prudential : Based on prudence, or on careful calculation of gains and losses. Prudential decisions are usually
contrasted with those decisions, which are based purely on moral considerations.

5. Moral : It is a set of reasons which emphasise the intrinsic worth of power sharing.

6. Community government : A type of government which is elected by people belonging to one language
community is called community government.

7. Federal government : It is a type of government in which powers are shared among the different levels.

8. Power sharing : It is the distribution of powers among the organs of the government at different level.

9. Checks and Balance : A system in which each organ of the government checks the others which results in a
balance of power among various institutions.

10. Sri Lankan Tamils : Tamil natives of Sri Lanka are called Sri Lankan Tamils.

11. Indian Tamils : The Tamilians whose forefathers came from India as plantation workers during colonial
period and settled in Sri Lanka are called Indian Tamils.

12. Horizontal Distribution of Power : A type of distribution in which power is shared among different organs of
government such as the legislature, executive and judiciary. They are placed at the same level.
 EXERCISE
Q.2 Why the ethnic composition of Belgium is
very complex ?
Q.1 What does the term power sharing signify ? Q.3 What led to the tensions between the Dutch
Q.2 What is ethnic composition ? speaking and French speaking communities
during 1950 s and 1960s ?
Q.3 What was the special problem of Dutch
speaking in Belgium ? Q.4 Give an account of ethnic composition of Sri
Lanka.
Q.4 Why was the Act of 1956 passed ?
Q.5 What made Sri Lankan Tamils feel alienated?
Q.5 How did Sri Lankan Tamil start their
struggle? Q.6 Why did civil war break out in Brussels ?

Q.6 Why did the Belgian leaders amend the Q.7 What are the two sets of reason which signify
constitution four times ? power sharing ?

Q.7 What importance lies with Brussels ? Q.8 What are the basic principal of democracy ?

Q.8 What do you mean by community Q.9 Differentiate between horizontal division of
government ? powers and vertical division of powers.

Q.9 Define the term civil war ? Q.10 How powers are shared in different social
groups and why ?
Q.10 What do you mean by the term ‘Prudential’ ?
Q.11 What led to the ethnic tension in Belgium?
Q.11 Give the difference between ‘Prudential and
Why was it more acute in Brussels ?
Moral’.
Q.12 How did the Sri Lankan and the Belgium
Q.12 In what way the term ‘Democracy’ came into
governments try to solve the ethnic problem ?
existence.
Q.13 What is the relationship between democracy
Q.13 What is horizontal distribution of powers ?
and power sharing ?
Q.14 What is system of ‘checks and balances ?
Q.14 Mention any four steps which were taken by
Q.15 What is vertical division of power ? the Sri Lankan government to achieve
Q.16 Define the term Federal Government. majoritarianism.
Q.17 What is a coalition government ?
Q.18 State two main bases of the social division in
Q.1 Examine the main elements of the Belgian
Sri Lanka.
model of power sharing.
Q.19 Which are the two social groups in Sri Lanka ?
Q.2 Why is power sharing desirable ?
Q.20 What is majoritarianism ?
Q.3 Explain the major forms of power sharing in
modern democracies.
Q.1 What were the series of majoritarian Q.4 Explain the power sharing arrangement
measures ? among the political parties and pressure
groups.
Q.5 How is federal government better than unitary Q.8 .................. lives in Flemish region and speak
government ? Explain with examples of Dutch language.
Belgium and Sri Lanka. (A) 57 % (B) 58 %
Q.6 How were the ethnic problems solved in (C) 59 % (D) 60 %
Belgium? Mention any four steps which were
Q.9 The minority French speaking community
taken by the government to solve the
was relatively .................. and .............
problems ?
(A) Rich and powerful
Q.7 Explain the major forms of power sharing in (B) Strong & poor
modern democracies. (C) Poor and Lazy
Q.8 What are some of the basic elements of (D) None of these
Belgium model of power sharing ? Write any
Q.10 In the capital city Brussels ............. % of
three.
speak French while .................... % are Dutch
speaking.
(A) 20 % and 80 % (B) 80 % and 20 %
Q.1 Belgium has border with Netherlands, France
(C) 40 % and 60 % (D) 60 % and 40 %
& ................
(A) Germany (B) Srilanka Q.11 The major social groups of Sri Lanka
(C) Pakistan (D) England are ......... and .........
(A) Hindus and Sinhalese
Q.2 The people who live in Flemish region
(B) Sinhalese and French
speak ................. language.
(C) Dutch and French
(A) English (B) Dutch
(D) Sinhalese and Sri Lankan Tamils
(C) French (D) Hindi
Q.12 In which one of the following years Sri Lanka
Q.3 ................... people live in wallonia region
emerged as an independent country ?
and speak French.
(A) 1946 (B) 1947 (C) 1948 (D) 1949
(A) 30 % (B) 20 %
(C) 40 % (D) 50 % Q.13 To establish Sinhala supremacy Sri Lankan
government passed an act under which ..........
Q.4 What is the capital of Belgium ?
(A) Sinhala was recognised as only official
(A) London
language
(B) Delhi
(B) Tamil and Sinhala both were reciognised
(C) Washington
as official languages
(D) Brussels
(C) English was recognised as only official
Q.5 What percent of the Belgians speak German ? language
(A) 5 % (B) 1 % (D) Sinhala and English were recognised as
(C) 2 % (D) 3 % official languages

Q.6 Sinhala speaking people are ............. Q.14 The Principle of majoritarianism led to a
(A) Jainism (B) Buddhist Civil War in ..................
(C) Hindus (D) Muslim (A) Sri Lanka (B) India
(C) Belgium (D) Britain
Q.7 Srilanka became independent in .............. ?
(A) 1945 (B) 1947 Q.15 Under vertical division of power, sharing of
(C) 1948 (D) 1950 power is ..................
(A) Among governments at different levels
 (B) Among different organs of the (A) Horizontal distribution
government (B) Parallel distribution
(C) Among different social groups (C) Vertical division
(D) Among different political parties (D) Diagonal division

Q.16 'Sri Lankan Tamil' refers to which of the Q.19 Under distributions of power sharing, power
following ? is shared which among legislature, executive
(A) Tamil Muslim and judiciary -
(B) Tamil native of the country (A) Diagonal (B) Parallel
(C) Tamil whose forefathers came from India (C) Horizontal (D) Vertical
in the colonial period
Q.20 Which of the following ethnic groups in
(D) Tamil Hindu
Belgium has the largest population ?
Q.17 How many times the constitution of Belgium (A) Walloon
was amended between 1970 and 1993? (B) Flemish
(A) Two times (B) Three times (C) German
(C) Four times (D) One time (D) None of the above

Q.18 Division of powers between higher and lower

ANSWERS