Chapter 1

POWER SHARING

1. Describe the ethnic composition of the people in Belgium.

i. The ethnic composition of Belgium is very complex. Of the country’s total
population, 59 per cent lives in the Flemish region and speaks Dutch language.
ii. Another 40 per cent people live in the Wallonia region and speak French.
iii. Remaining 1 per cent of the Belgians speak German.
iv. In the capital city Brussels, 80 per cent people speak French while 20 per cent are
Dutch-speaking.
v. The minority French-speaking community was relatively rich and powerful. This
was resented by the Dutch-speaking community who got the benefit of economic
development and education much later. This led to tension between the Dutch-
speaking and French-speaking communities during the 1950s and 1960s
State the basic reason for the tension between the French speaking and
Dutch speaking communities in Belgium. ( Answer point v above)

2. Describe the ethnic diversity of the people in Sri Lanka.

i. The major social groups in Sri Lanka are the Sinhala-speakers (74 per cent) and
the Tamil-speakers (18 per cent). Among Tamils, there are two subgroups. Tamil
natives of the country are called ‘Sri Lankan Tamils’ (13 per cent). The rest, whose
forefathers came from India as plantation workers during colonial period, are called
‘Indian Tamils’.
ii. Most of the Sinhala-speaking people are Buddhist, while most of the Tamils are Hindus
or Muslims. There are about 7 per cent Christians, who are both Tamil and Sinhala.
(Name the conflicting group of people in Srilanka: Sinhala-speakers and the
Tamil-speakers )
3. State the basic reasons for the tension ( Civil War ) between Sinhala and Tamil speaking
people in Sri Lanka. Or Why do the Sri Lankan Tamils feel alienated in their
country?
i. In Sri Lanka, the Sinhala community enjoyed a bigger majority and could impose its
will on the entire country. As a result, the democratically elected government adopted a
series of majoritarian measures to establish Sinhala supremacy.
ii. In 1956, an Act was passed to recognize Sinhala as the only official language,
disregarding Tamil.
iii. The governments followed preferential policies that favoured Sinhala applicants for
university positions and government jobs.
iv. A new constitution stipulated that the state should protect and foster Buddhism. All
these government measures, coming one after the other, gradually increased the feeling
of alienation among the Sri Lankan Tamils.
v. They felt that none of the major political parties led by the Buddhist Sinhala leaders was
sensitive to their language and culture. They felt that the Constitution and government
policies denied them equal political rights, discriminated against them in getting jobs
and other opportunities and ignored their interests.
vi. The Sri Lankan Tamils launched parties and struggles for- the recognition of Tamil as
an official language,- for regional autonomy and- equality of opportunity in securing
education and jobs. But their demand for more autonomy to provinces populated by the
Tamils was repeatedly denied.
 vii. By 1980s, several political organizations were formed demanding an independent Tamil
Eelam (state) in northern and eastern parts of Sri Lanka. The distrust between the two
communities turned into widespread conflict. It soon turned into a civil war. (any four)

4. Define the term ‘majoritarianism’.

A belief that the majority community should be able to rule the country in whichever
ways it want, by disregarding the wishes and needs of the minority is majoritarianism’.
5. How did the Belgian Government resolve the ethnic diversities and tension
between them? Or How was power shared between the people in Belgium?
i. The Belgian Government recognized the existence of regional differences and cultural
diversities.
ii. Between 1970 and 1993 they amended their constitution four times to work out an
arrangement that would enable everyone to live together within the same country. The
arrangement they worked out is different from any other country and is very innovative.
iii. Constitution prescribes that the number of Dutch and French-speaking ministers shall
be equal in the central government. Some special laws require the support of majority of
members from each linguistic group. Thus, no single community can make decisions
unilaterally.
iv. 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.
v. 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.
vi. Apart from the Central and the State Government, there is a third kind of government.
This ‘community government’ is elected by people belonging to one language community –
Dutch, French and German-speaking – no matter where they live. This government has the
power regarding cultural, educational and language-related issues.
vii. They helped to avoid- civic strife between the two major communities and- a possible
division of the country on linguistic lines.
6. State the two sets of reasons in favour of power sharing. Or What are the
prudential and moral reasons for power sharing?
i. Prudential Reasons: Power sharing is good because it helps to reduce the possibility of
conflict between social groups. Since social conflict often leads to violence and political
instability, power sharing is a good way to ensure the stability of political order.
Moral Reasons: Power sharing is the very spirit of democracy. A democratic rule involves
sharing power with those affected by its exercise, and who have to live with its effects. People
have a right to be consulted on how they are to be governed. A legitimate government is one
where citizens, through participation, acquire a chance in the system.
7. Describe the horizontal distribution of power. What are its advantages?
i. Power is shared among different organs of government, such as the legislature, executive
and judiciary. We call this horizontal distribution of power because it allows different
organs of government placed at the same level to exercise different powers.
ii. Such a separation ensures that none of the organs can exercise unlimited power. Each
organ checks the others. This results in a balance of power among various institutions.
iii. Similarly, although judges are appointed by the executive, judges can check the
functioning of executive or laws made by the legislatures. This arrangement is
called a system of checks and balances.

8. Describe the vertical division of power. Or What is meant by federal division of power?
 i. Power can be shared among governments at different levels – a general government for
the entire country and governments at the provincial or regional level. Such a general
government for the entire country is usually called federal government. In India, we
refer to it as the Central or Union Government.
ii. The governments at the provincial or regional level are called by different names in
different countries. In India, we call them State Governments. This is called federal
division of power.
iii. The same principle can be extended to levels of government lower than the State
government, such as the municipality and panchayat. Division of powers involving
higher and lower levels of government is called vertical division of power.
9. Describe the power sharing among different social groups.
i. Power may be shared among different social groups, such as the religious and linguistic
groups. ‘Community government’ in Belgium is a good example of this arrangement.
ii. In some countries, there are constitutional and legal arrangements whereby socially
weaker sections and women are represented in the legislatures and administration.

10. Describe the power sharing among political parties, pressure groups and movements.
i. Power sharing arrangements can also be seen in the way political parties, pressure
groups and movements control or influence those in power. In contemporary
democracies, political competition ensures that power does not remain in one hand.
ii. In the long run, power is shared among different political parties that represent different
ideologies and social groups. Sometimes this kind of sharing can be direct, when two or
more parties form an alliance to contest elections. In an another situation, after the
election if no one gets clear majority to rule, they form a coalition government and thus
share power.
iii. In a democracy, we find interest groups such as those of traders, businessmen,
industrialists, farmers and industrial workers. They also will have a share in
governmental power, either through participation in governmental committees or
bringing influence on the decision making process
11. Describe the different forms of power sharing in democracies. Give examples.
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(Write 1 point of answers 7, 8, 9 and 10)
12. Attempts at forced integration often sow the seeds of disintegration. Explain.