What You’ll Find In This Post –
- Belgium
- Sri Lanka
- Majoritarianism in Sri Lanka
- Animated Video
- Accommodation in Belgium
- Why is power sharing desirable?
- Forms of power-sharing
- Examples of power sharing
- NCERT Solutions
- Mind Map
Welcome to etutorguru.in. With this chapter, we continue the democratic tour that we began last year. In a democracy, no single instrument of government wields absolute power. The wise distribution of power among the legislative, executive, and judiciary is critical to the construction of a democracy.
Belgium
- Belgium is a small European country with an area less than the state of Haryana
- Its neighbours include France, the Netherlands, Germany, and Luxembourg.
- 59 percent of the entire population lives in the Flemish region and speaks Dutch.
- The Dutch-speaking population was a majority throughout the country but a minority in the capital, Brussels.
- The minority French-speaking group was relatively wealthy and powerful, but the Dutch-speaking community benefited much later from economic development and education.
Sri Lanka
- Sri Lanka is a small island nation off the southern coast of Tamil Nadu.
- It has nearly two crore people, which is roughly the same as Haryana.
- The primary social groupings are Sinhala speakers (74%), followed by Tamil speakers (18%).
- The majority of Sinhala speakers are Buddhists, while the majority of Tamils are Hindus or Muslims. There are approximately 7% Christians who are both Tamil and Sinhala and live in the country’s north and east.
- The Dutch community in Belgium might use its numerical dominance to force its will on the French and German-speaking populations. The Sinhala community in Sri Lanka has the ability to impose its will on the entire country. This might result in a very messy divide of the country.
Majoritarianism in Sri Lanka
- The Sinhala leaders tried to acquire dominance over government through their majority, and a series of MAJORITARIAN measures were put in place to accomplish this.
- A new constitution mandated that the state safeguard and promote Buddhism. An Act was passed in 1956 to recognise Sinhalese as the sole official language, ignoring Tamil.
- None of the major political parties run by Buddhist Sinhala politicians, according to Sri Lankan Tamils, were sympathetic to their language and culture.
- They believed that the constitution and government practices denied them equal political rights, discriminated against them in employment applications, and ignored their concerns.
- By the 1980s, various political organisations had emerged calling for an independent Tamil Eelam (state) in northern and eastern Sri Lanka.
You may have read about Sri Lanka’s good record in economic development, education, and health, but the civil conflict has dealt a devastating blow to the country’s social, cultural, and economic life.
Animated Video
Accommodation in Belgium
- They altered their constitution four times between 1970 and 1993 to allow all of its residents to live under the same roof.
- The number of Dutch and French-speaking ministers in the central government must be equal, according to the Constitution.
- Some special legislation necessitates the majority endorsement of members of each language community. As a result, no single community has the ability to make decisions on its own.
- Many federal government powers have been assigned to state governments in each of the country’s two regions. State governments are not required to report to the Central Government.
- Brussels has its own government, with both groups having equal representation. Because the Dutch-speaking community agreed to participate equally in the Central Government,
- In addition to the Central and State governments, there is a third type of government. People who speak a single language – Dutch, French, or German – regardless of where they live, elect this ‘community government.’ This government is in charge of cultural, educational, and linguistic issues.
- Many other European countries decided to build the European Union. Its headquarters were chosen in Brussels.
- The leaders of Belgium have realised that the unity of the country is possible only by respecting the feelings and interests of different communities and peoples.
- The history of Sri Lanka indicates that if a majority community seeks to impose its domination over others and refuses to share authority, it can damage the country’s unity. This realisation led to acceptable mechanisms for power sharing..
Why is Power Sharing Desirable?
- Power sharing is beneficial because it reduces the likelihood of conflict between social groupings and helps to ensure the stability of political order.
- Imposing the will of a majority community on others may appear to be an appealing option in the short run, but it can de-unite a nation in the long run.
- A democratic rule involves sharing power with those who must live with its consequences and have the right to be consulted on how they will be governed.
- A legitimate government is one in which citizens have a stake in the system through participation
- Span majority is not only painful to the minority; it frequently leads to the majority’s demise.
Forms of Power-Sharing
- For a long time, it was assumed that all authority in a government must exist in one person or group of people in one location. However, these countries have transformed with the advent of democracy. A democracy respects the various groups and points of view that exist in society. Everyone has a say in how public policies are developed.
- Power-sharing arrangements in modern democracies can take many different forms. Let’s take a look at some of the most common combos we’ve encountered or will experience.
- Power is distributed among various government agencies in a democracy. This is referred to as horizontal power distribution because it permits different organs of government located at the same level to exercise distinct powers. This is known as a system of checks and balances.
- We learned last year that in a democracy, even though ministers and government employees have power, they are accountable to Parliament or State Assemblies.
- In India, the general government is known as the Central or Union Government. State governments are administrations at the provincial or regional level that rule the entire country. The same idea applies to tiers of government lower than the State government, such as municipalities and panchayats.
- In several nations, constitutional and legal provisions ensure that socially disadvantaged groups and women are represented in legislatures and administration. Power can also be shared by social groups such as religious and linguistic communities. This type of structure is intended to provide room in government and administration for various social groups that would otherwise feel alienated from the government.
- Citizens must be free to pick among numerous candidates for power in a democracy. This rivalry ensures that power does not remain in the hands of a single person. The way political parties, pressure organisations, and movements control or influence those in power demonstrates power sharing agreements. In Unit III, we will look at how political parties operate. Social movements and pressure groups When two or more parties join an alliance to contest elections, this type of sharing might be direct.
Some Examples of Power Sharing
- The Bombay High Court directed the Maharashtra state government to take immediate action to improve living conditions for the 2,000-plus children kept in seven Mumbai children’s homes.
- The government of Ontario, Canada, has reached an agreement with the aboriginal community on a land claim settlement. According to the Minister of Native Affairs, the administration will collaborate with indigenous peoples in an atmosphere of mutual respect and cooperation.
- The Union of Right Forces and the Liberal Yabloko Movement, Russia’s two most powerful political parties, agreed to merge their organisations into a formidable right-wing coalition. They propose a unified list of candidates for the forthcoming legislative elections.
- The finance ministers of Nigeria’s several states met and asked that the federal government declare its sources of money. They also sought to know the mechanism used to disperse revenue to other state governments.
NCERT Solutions
Page No. 10
1. What are the different forms of power-sharing in modern democracies? Give an example of each of these.
Power-sharing takes various forms in modern democracies. These are as follows:
- Power is distributed horizontally among several government organisations such as the legislative, executive, and judiciary. India is an example.
- The federal division of power – Power can be shared among governments at many levels, including a national government and provincial or regional administrations. India is an example (Union Government & State Government)
- Power may also be shared among diverse social groupings, such as religious and linguistic groups, in community administration. Belgium is an example.
- Power distribution among political parties, pressure organisations, and movements – Such competition ensures that power does not remain in the hands of a single person. In the long run, power is distributed among several political parties representing various ideologies and social groups.
2. State one prudential reason and one moral reason for power-sharing with an example from the Indian context.
While prudential considerations emphasise that power sharing will result in better outcomes. Power in India is distributed horizontally among numerous government entities. The legislature, executive, and judiciary are in charge of running India. In India, different sections are given preferential treatment over others in order to minimise confrontations.
Moral considerations value the act of power-sharing itself. Citizens in India are granted fundamental rights, and the government is bound by the principles of state policy.
3. After reading this chapter, three students drew different conclusions. Which of these do you agree with and why? Give your reasons in about 50 words. Thomman – Power sharing is necessary only in societies which have religious, linguistic or ethnic divisions. Mathayi – Power sharing is suitable only for big countries that have regional divisions. Ouseph – Every society needs some form of power sharing even if it is small or does not have social divisions.
Ouseph came to the correct conclusion. Every state should have some form of power-sharing agreement in place. Power-sharing keeps society’s diverse groups in an optimal state of equilibrium. The likelihood of conflict, as well as the possibility of injustice, diminishes. As a result, sharing power becomes a democratic value. Furthermore, power-sharing is a great technique for maintaining political stability.
4. The Mayor of Merchtem, a town near Brussels in Belgium, has defended a ban on speaking French in the town’s schools. He said that the ban would help all non-Dutch speakers integrate into this Flemish town. Do you think that this measure is in keeping with the spirit of Belgium’s power-sharing arrangements? Give your reasons in about 50 words.
The mayor of Merchtem’s decision to prohibit French language instruction in the town’s schools near Brussels is unjust. It violates Belgium’s power-sharing framework. Power-sharing serves to preserve a balance between different portions of society, and in Belgium, power-sharing between Dutch and French is necessary to avert civil strife. The prohibition of French will increase the likelihood of civil upheaval. The Mayor should support multilingual education in the town’s schools to promote peace among different communities.
5. Read the following passage and pick out any one of the prudential reasons for power sharing offered in this. “We need to give more power to the panchayats to realise the dream of Mahatma Gandhi and the hopes of the makers of our Constitution. Panchayati Raj establishes true democracy. It restores power to the only place where power belongs in a democracy – in the hands of the people. Giving power to Panchayats is also a way to reduce corruption and increase administrative efficiency. When people participate in the planning and implementation of developmental schemes, they would naturally exercise greater control over these schemes. This would eliminate the corrupt middlemen. Thus, Panchayati Raj will strengthen the foundations of our democracy.”
In the above sentence, the prudential rationale is “Giving authority to Panchayats is also a means to prevent corruption and promote administrative efficiency.”
6. Different arguments are usually put forth in favour of and against power-sharing. Identify those which are in favour of power-sharing and select the answer using the codes given below? Power-sharing:
A. reduces conflict among different communities
B. decreases the possibility of arbitrariness
C. delays the decision-making process
D. accommodates diversities
E. increases instability and divisiveness
F. promotes people’s participation in government
G. undermines the unity of a country
| (a) | A | B | D | F |
| (b) | A | C | E | F |
| (c) | A | B | D | G |
| (d) | B | C | D | G |
Answer: (a) A B D F
7. Consider the following statements about power-sharing arrangements in Belgium and Sri Lanka.
- A – In Belgium, the Dutch-speaking majority people tried to impose their domination on the minority French-speaking community.
- B – In Sri Lanka, the policies of the government sought to ensure the dominance of the Sinhala-speaking majority.
- C – The Tamils in Sri Lanka demanded a federal arrangement of power-sharing to protect their culture, language and equality of opportunity in education and jobs.
- D – The transformation of Belgium from unitary government to a federal one prevented a possible division of the country on linguistic lines.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
(a) A, B, C and D
(b) A, B and D
(c) C and D
(d) B, C and D
Answer (d) B, C and D
8. Match List I (forms of power-sharing) with List-II (forms of government) and select the correct answer using the codes given below in the lists:
| List I | List II | |
| 1. | Power shared among different organs of government | A. Community government |
| 2. | Power shared among governments at different levels | B. Separation of powers |
| 3. | Power shared by different social groups | C. Coalition government |
| 4. | Power shared by two or more political parties | D. Federal government |
Answer
| List I | List II | |
| 1. | Power shared among different organs of government | Separation of powers |
| 2. | Power shared among governments at different levels | Federal government |
| 3. | Power shared by different social groups | Community government |
| 4. | Power shared by two or more political parties | Coalition government |
9. Consider the following two statements on power-sharing and select the answer using the codes given below:
A). Power-sharing is good for democracy.
B). It helps to reduce the possibility of conflict between social groups.
Which of these statements are true and false?
| (a) A is true but B is false |
| (b) Both A and B are true |
| (c) Both A and B are false |
| (d) A is false but B is true |
Answer. (b) Both A and B are true