10THCIVICS

POWER SHARING
 POWER SHARING

• A policy agreed between political parties or within a

coalition to share responsibility for decision-making and
political action.

• Power sharing among the three organs of state viz, Legislature,

Executive and Judiciary is very important for proper
functioning of the democracy.
 Ethnic

A social division based on shared culture. People belonging to the

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 nation
5
• Belgium is a small federal state in
Western Europe, smaller in area than the
state of Haryana.
• Having complex ethnic composition

• Belgium shares borders with

Netherlands, France, Germany and
Luxembourg.
 Ethnic structure of Belgian society

• The minority French speaking community (40%)

was relatively rich and powerful while the
Dutch-speaking community (59%) got the
benefit of development and education much
later.

• The capital of Belgium is Brussels, where 80%

people speak French, while 20% speak Dutch
language.

• The minority French speaking community was

relatively rich and powerful.
 Minority French speaking community being relatively
prosperous and powerful

• In Brussels, the capital of Belgium, the French speaking people are in majority .

• The power has been into the hands of French people for a longer period and benefitted
them for economic development and education.

• The French speaking population was better read, more qualified and had access to
more resources than the native Dutch Population .

• The French were part of an aristocracy of trades man and thus were financially
strong.
 Tensions between the French and Dutch Communities

The social disparity led to tensions between Dutch and French

speaking communities during the 1950s and 1960s.
 Causes of conflict in Belgium

• The minority French speaking community was relatively rich and powerful.

• This was resented by the Dutch speaking community, who got the benefits of
economic development and education much later.

• This led to tension between the Dutch and French speaking communities.
• Equal number of Dutch and French- speaking ministers
in central government.

• Wide powers to state governments; State governments

are not subordinate to the central government.

• Separate government in Brussels in which both the

communities have equal representation.

• “Community government’ elected by the particular

language speaking community. This government has the
power regarding cultural, educational and language
related issues.
 Community Government

• A social group of any size whose member resides in a specific locality,

share government, and often have a common cultural and historical
heritage
• You might find the Belgian model very
complicated. It indeed is very complicated,
even for people living in Belgium. But these
arrangements have worked well so far. They
helped to avoid civic strife between the two
major communities and a possible division
of the country on linguistic lines. When
many countries of Europe came together to
form the European European Union
Parliament in Belgium Union, Brussels was
chosen as its headquarters.
Concept of ‘Community government’ of Belgium :-

• The ‘community government’ is elected by the 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.
15
• Sri Lanka is an island nation, just a few kilometers off
the southern coast of India.

• It has a diverse population of about 2 crore people with

74% Sinhala Speakers and 18% Tamil Speakers.

• Like other nations in the South Asia region, Sri Lanka

has a diverse population. Sri Lanka emerged as an
independent country in 1948.
 Sub-Groups of Tamils :-

• Tamils have two subgroups namely :-

Sri Lankan Tamils :-

• Tamil natives of Sri Lanka are called Sri

Lankan Tamils who constitute 13% of the
population and are concentrated in the North and
East of Sri Lanka.

• Most of Sinhala Speaking people are Buddhist,

while most of the Tamils are Hindus or Muslims.
Indian Tamils :-

The Tamilians whose

forefathers came from India
as plantation workers during They constitute 5% of the
colonial rule and settled in population.
Sri Lanka are called Indian
Tamils.
Majoritarianism in Sri Lanka :-

• The Sinhala community of Sri Lanka dominated the minority

Tamil people and practiced majoritarian policy. In 1956, an
Act was passed to recognise Sinhala as the only official
language.

• The government followed preferential policies that favoured

Sinhala applicants for university positions and government jobs.

• The state protect and promote Buddhism.

• All these measures increased gradually the feeling of

alienation among Sri Lankan Tamils.
The Struggles of Sri Lankan Tamils :-

• The Sri Lankan Tamils demanded regional autonomy and equality of opportunity in
securing education and jobs and also to recognise Tamil as an official language.

• But their demand was repeatedly denied. By the 1980s they organised many
political organisation like LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) and the
conflict turned into a Civil War.
 Factors led to a civil war in Sri Lanka :-

• Measures taken in majoritarianism gradually

increased the feeling of alienation among Sri
Lankan Tamils.

• 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.

• As a result, the relations between Sinhalas and

Tamil communities got strained over time.
• The Sri Lankan Tamils launched parties and struggles for the
recognition of Tamil as an official language, regional
autonomy and equality of opportunities in getting education
and jobs.

• By the 1980s, several political organisations were formed

demanding an independent Tamil Elam (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. As a
result, thousands of people of both the communities were killed
Civil War :- Arre Yaar Yeh wali Nahi
 What kind of power sharing problems were faced by Belgians and Sri
Lankans :-
• In Belgium, the Dutch community could have taken advantage of
its numeric majority and force its will on the Flemists and
German-speaking population. This would have pushed the
conflict among all these communities further.

• This could lead to a very messy partition of the country; both

the sides would claim control over Brussels. In Sri Lanka, the
Sinhala community enjoyed an even bigger majority and could
impose its will on the entire country.
● In Belgium, the leaders have realised that the unity of the
country is possible only by respecting the feelings and
interests of different communities and regions.
mutually
Such a realisation resulted in acceptable arrangements for sharing
power.

● Sri Lanka shows us a contrasting

example. It shows us that if a majority community wants to
force its dominance over others and refuses to share power, it
can undermine the unity of the country.
 Reasons for the emergence of the idea of power sharing :-
• The idea of power sharing has emerged in
opposition to the notions of undivided political
power.

• For a long time, it was believed that all

powers of a government must reside in one of
persons located at one place.

• It was felt that if the power to decide is

person or group dispersed, it would not be
possible to take quick decisions and to enforce
them. But these notions have changed with the
emergence of democracy
Main principles of democracy :-

• One basic principle of democracy is that people are the source of

all political power.

• In a democracy, people rule themselves through institutions of

self-governance.

• In a democracy, due respect is given to diverse groups and views

that exist in a society.

• Everyone has a voice in the shaping up of public policies.

Why power sharing is desirable

Two reasons which make power sharing desirable :-

Prudential Reason :-

• Reduces the possibility of conflicts between different social groups.

Social conflicts led to violence, political instability.

• Prevents groups from overstepping their rights to enhance their own power.

• No single group can subvert the constitution power sharing writes the nation.

• When power is not shared, it oppressed the minority and even the majority
Moral Reason :-

• It is the very spirit of democracy.

• A democratic rule involves it with those affected by its exercise and

who have to live with its effects.

• A legitimate government is the one where citizens acquire a role in

the system through participation.
 1. Horizontal
(between
organs)

4. Among
different 2. Verticalor
social FORMS Federal
groups

3. Pressure
groups &
movement
Power shared among different organs of the government :-

• In it power is shared among legislature, executive and Judiciary.

• It is also called horizantal distribution of power because all these organs

are placed at the same level.

• Such a separation ensures that none of the organs can exercise unlimited
powers.

• Each organs checks the offers, which results in the balance of various
institution
Power shared among different social groups :-

• This type of arrangement is made to give space in the

Government and administration to diverse social groups who
otherwise feel alienated from the Government.

• This method is used to give minority communities a fair share

in power.

• In India, we have the system of reserved constituencies in the

assemblies and the Parliament of one country.

• Community Government in Belgium is a good example.

Power shared among political parties, pressure groups and
moments :-
• In a democracy, the citizen must have freedom to choose among various contenders
for power.

• When there is competition, it ensures that power does not remain in one hand.

• In the long run, power is shared among different political parties that represent
different ideologies and social groups. This type of Government is called
‘Coalition Government’.

• Many interest groups like traders, businessmen, farmers, industrial workers, also
have a share in governmental power either way, through participation and
influencing decision making process.
NCERT DISCUSSION
 Let's Do
Some
Questions
Previous
Year’s
Questions
Previous
Year’s
Questions
Q1. What is the proportion of Tamil in Srilanka’s total population.
Ans: 18 %
Q2. Who elects the community Government in Belgium?
Ans: People belonging to 1 language community only.
Q3. The word “Ethnic” Signifies.
Ans: Social Division on shared culture
Q4. How many people speak French and Dutch in the capital city of Brussels?
Ans: 80 % French 20 % Dutch
Q5. How many times leaders of Belgium amended their constitution?
Ans: Four times.
Q6. Which is correct regarding power sharing?
Ans: It helps to reduce the conflict between different groups.
Q7. Which was the only official language of Sri Lanka?
Ans: Sinhala (Shinghali).
Q8. Which community was rich and powerful in Belgium?
Ans: French
 Short Answer
Type Questions
Q.1 What was a community government?
Ans- It was elected by the people belonging to language community
– Dutch French and German speaking
no matter where they live. It deals with cultural, educational and
language related issues.
Q.2 What was the political problems faced by Belgium?
Ans- Problems of ethnic composition
1. 59% Dutch speaking in flemish region, 40% French speaking in
Wallonia region, 1% German speaking
2. But in its capital- 80% French speaking, 20% Dutch speaking
3. French community was rich and powerful
 Long Answer
Type Questions
Que1 :- Describe the ethnic composition of the people in Belgium.
Ans :- Ethnic composition of Belgium
■ The ethnic composition of Belgium is very complex.
■ 59% of the total population, lives in the Flemish region and
speaks Dutch language.
■ Another 40% people live in the Wallonia region and speak
French.
■ Remaining 1% of the Belgians speak German.
■ In the capital city Brussels, 80% people speak French while 20%
are Dutch-speaking.
■ The minority French-speaking community was relatively rich and
powerful.
Que2 :- State the basic reason for the tension between the French
speaking and Dutch speaking communities in Belgium.
Ans :-
■ 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.
■ In the capital city Brussels, Dutch-speaking people are in a
minority as they are a majority in the country
Que3 :- Describe the ethnic diversity of the people in Sri Lanka.
Ans:- Ethnic variations in Sri Lanka
■ The major social groups in Sri Lanka are:
● The Sinhala-speakers (74%)
● The Tamil-speakers (18%)
■ Among Tamils, there are two subgroups.
■ Tamil natives of the country are called ‘Sri Lankan Tamils’ (13%).
■ The rest(5%), whose forefathers came from India as plantation workers
are called ‘Indian Tamils’.
■ Most of the Sinhala-speaking people are Buddhist, whereas the Tamils
are Hindus or Muslims.
■ There are about 7% Christians, who are both Tamil and Sinhala
Que4 :- Define the term ‘majoritarianism’.
Ans :- Majoritarianism: A belief that the majority community
should be able to rule the country in
whichever ways it wants, by disregarding the wishes and needs of
the minority.
Que5 :- What steps/measures were adopted to establish Sinhala supremacy?
OR/ What were the majoritarian measures adopted by the Sri Lankan
Government? OR/ Mention three steps taken by the Srilankan government to
achieve majoritarianism. OR/ What is the principle that is being
followed by the government in Sri Lanka ? Describe.
Ans :- 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.
■ In 1956, an Act was passed to recognize Sinhala as the only official
language, disregarding Tamil
Que6 :- 'The relations between Sinhala and Tamil communities strained
over time.' Explain.
OR/ 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?
OR/ What factors led to a civil war in Sri Lanka?
Ans :-
■ The measures taken by Sri Lankan govt increased the feeling of
alienation among the Sri Lankan Tamils.
■ The felt that none of the major political parties were sensitive to
their language and culture.
■ They felt that the constitution and the govt policies denied their equal
political rights.
■ They felt that govt are against them in getting jobs and other
opportunities.
Que7 :- What do you understand by 'A CIVIL WAR'? What were the results
of civil war in Sri Lanka between the two communities?
Ans :- The distrust between the two communities over the majoritarianism
issue turned into widespread
conflict which resulted a civil war.
■ The results were as follows:
● Thousands of people of both the communities were killed.
● Many families were forced to leave the country and many more lost their
livelihood.
● Sri Lanka suffered from an economic crisis caused by the civil war.
Que8 :- Why power sharing is desirable?
OR/ "Power sharing is the very spirit of democracy." Justify the statement with
four suitable points.
OR/ State one Prudential reason and one moral reason for power sharing with an
example for Indian context?
Ans :-

● The Prudential reason for power sharing is a precautionary measure.

● Power sharing is good because it helps to reduce the possibility of conflict
between social groups.
● Power sharing is a good way to ensure the stability of political order. Reserved
seats for minorities and women in assemblies is the best example of Prudential
reason of power
sharing in India
● Moral reason of power sharing is the very spirit of democracy.
● A democratic rule involves sharing power with those affected by its
exercise.
● People have a right to be consulted on how they are to be governed.
● A legitimate government is one where citizens participate in the system.
Que9 :- Differentiate Horizontal and Vertical power sharing in modern
democracies.
OR/ Explain the horizontal power sharing of government.
OR/ Explain the vertical power sharing of government.
Ans :-

■ 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.
■ The powers are equally distributed in all the organs.
■ 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.
■ This arrangement is called a system of checks and balances.
■ Horizontal power sharing ensures the concept of the expansion of democracy.

■ Power is shared among the different levels of the government, such as the central
or union govt, the state govt and the local government.
■ The powers are distributed higher to lower levels of government vertically.
■ In a vertical division of powers constitution clearly lays down the powers of
different levels of government.
■ This arrangement is called federal division of power.
■ Vertical power sharing promotes the concept of deepening of democracy