17th July, 2025 Chapter 1: Power Sharing

(Civics)
Q1. What was the ethnic composition of Belgium, and how did it lead to tensions?
Ans: Belgium is a small country in Europe and has a population of a little over one crore with a complex
ethnic composition.
1. 59% of the population lives in the Flemish region and speaks Dutch.
2. 40% of the population lives in the Wallonia region and speaks French.
3. Remaining 1% of the population speaks German.
4. In the capital city Brussels, 80% of people speak French, and 20% speak Dutch.
5. The French-speaking community, while being the minority, was economically and politically more
powerful, which caused resentment among the Dutch-speaking majority.
This economic and political imbalance led to tensions between the two communities, especially during
the 1950s and 1960s.
Q2. What were the consequences of majoritarianism in Sri Lanka?
Ans: In Sri Lanka, the major social groups are Sinhala speakers (74%) and the Tamil speakers (18%).
1. After independence in 1948, the Sinhala majority aimed to establish dominance over the
government.
2. In 1956, Sinhala was declared as the only official language, ignoring the Tamil language.
3. The government followed preferential policies to favour Sinhala applicants in government jobs and
university positions.
4. The Constitution gave special protection to Buddhism, further alienating Tamil minorities who were
mainly Hindus and Muslims.
5. Sri Lankan Tamils felt discriminated against and demanded equal rights and regional autonomy.
6. Their demands were denied, leading to the formation of Tamil political organisations seeking a
separate state called Tamil Eelam.
These events resulted in a civil war, causing thousands of deaths, mass displacement, and economic
damage to the country.

Q3. Describe the innovative power-sharing arrangement adopted by Belgium.

Answer: Between 1970 and 1993, Belgium amended their Constitution four times so as to work out an
arrangement that would enable everyone to live together within the same country.

1. The Constitution prescribed that the number of Dutch and French-speaking ministers shall be equal in
the central government.
2. Some special laws require the support of a majority of members from each linguistic group, meaning
no single community can make decisions unilaterally.
3. Many powers of the Central Government are given to State Governments of the two regions of the
country, and these State Governments are not subordinate to the Central Government.
4. Brussels has a separate government in which both the communities have equal representation.
5. Apart from the Central and State Governments, there is a third kind of government called the
community government, which is elected by people of each language group—Dutch, French, and
German-speaking—no matter where they live in the country. This community government has the
power regarding cultural, educational, and language-related issues.
Although this arrangement is very complicated, it has helped to avoid conflict between the two major
communities and a possible division of the country on linguistic lines.

Q4. Why is power-sharing considered desirable in a democracy?

Ans: Power sharing is desirable due to the following reasons:
 Prudential Reasons:
1. Power-sharing reduces the chances of conflict between diverse social groups.
2. Social conflicts can often lead to violence and instability. Power sharing ensures political stability
and prevents violence and instability.
3. It helps to avoid the tyranny of the majority, which can be harmful even for the majority itself.

 Moral Reasons:
1. There is also a deeper reason why power sharing is desirable: power-sharing is the true spirit of
democracy.
2. People have a right to be consulted in decisions that affect them
3. A legitimate democratic government is the one where citizens participate in the decision making,
giving them a stake in governance.

Q5. What are the different forms of power-sharing in modern democracies? Give
examples.
Ans:
1. Power is shared among different organs of government:
 Power is shared among the legislature, executive, and judiciary.
 This is called horizontal distribution of power, because it allows different organs placed at the
same level to exercise different powers.
 Example: In India, ministers and government officials are responsible to the Parliament, and the
judiciary can check the executive and legislature.
2. Power is shared among governments at different levels:
 There is a general government for the entire country and governments at the provincial or
regional level.
 The general government is usually called the federal government; in India, it is referred to as the
Central or Union Government.
 This is called the federal division of power and is an example of vertical division of power
 Example: India has Central, State, and local (Panchayat and Municipal) governments.
3. Power may be shared among different social groups:
 Power can be shared among religious and linguistic groups.
 Example: The community government in Belgium is an example of this form, where power is
given to Dutch, French, and German-speaking people for cultural, educational, and language-
related issues.
 In India, this happens through reserved constituencies for socially weaker sections and women.
4. Power sharing among political parties, pressure groups, and movements:
 In a democracy, citizens must have freedom to choose among various contenders for power.
 This takes the form of competition among different parties, which ensures that power does not
remain in one hand.
 Sometimes two or more parties form an alliance to contest elections and form a coalition
government.
 Interest groups, like those of traders, farmers, and industrial workers, also share power by influencing
decision-making.

Q6. How does the Belgium model of power-sharing contrast with the Sri Lankan
approach?
Ans: Belgium and Sri Lanka are both democratic countries, but they dealt with the issue of power-
sharing in very different ways. While Belgium adopted a cooperative approach, Sri Lanka followed a
majoritarian path.
1. Belgium adopted a power-sharing model that recognised regional and linguistic diversity, while Sri
Lanka followed a majoritarian approach that promoted the interests of the Sinhala-speaking
majority.
2. In Belgium, the leaders recognised the existence of regional differences and cultural diversities,
whereas in Sri Lanka, the government ignored the Tamil community’s language, culture, and
identity.
3. Belgium ensured equal representation of Dutch and French-speaking communities in the central
government and provided for a community government, whereas Sri Lanka passed an Act in 1956
making Sinhala the only official language, excluding Tamils.
4. Belgium created a federal structure, where state governments had real powers and were not
subordinate to the central government. In contrast, Sri Lanka centralised power and denied the
Tamil demands for regional autonomy.
5. As a result of Belgium’s inclusive policies, the country avoided civil strife and maintained unity, while
Sri Lanka’s majoritarianism led to civil war, loss of lives, displacement of people, and long-lasting
ethnic conflict.

SHORT QUESTIONS
What is Majoritarianism?
Ans: The belief that the majority community should rule a country in any way it wants, disregarding
minority needs.
What is a Civil War?
Ans: A violent conflict within a country that becomes so intense it appears like war.
Name the two major communities in Belgium.
Ans: Dutch-speaking (Flemish) and French-speaking (Wallonia).
Which language was made official in Sri Lanka in 1956?
Ans: Sinhala language was made official in Sri Lanka in 1956.
What does prudential reason mean in the context of power sharing?
Ans: Based on prudence, or on careful calculation of gains and losses to ensure better outcomes.
What is the ‘spirit of democracy’ according to the chapter?
Ans: Sharing of power with people affected by its exercise and giving them a stake in the system.
What are the four forms of power sharing?
Ans: Among organs of government, levels of government, social groups, and political parties/pressure
groups.
What does checks and balances mean?

Ans: A system in which each organ of government can check the others, preventing misuse of power
(give example of India here)

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