CBSE Class 10 Social Science Power Sharing Belgium, Sri Lanka and Forms of Power Sharing Notes Set 02

Why power sharing?

Power sharing means that political power is divided among different groups and levels of government rather than held by one. Two main arguments support it. The prudential reason says that sharing reduces the chance of conflict between social groups and so keeps the country stable. The moral reason says that sharing power is the very spirit of democracy, because people have a right to be consulted on how they are governed.

Case study: Belgium

Belgium is a small European country with a population divided by language: about 59 per cent live in the Flemish region and speak Dutch, about 40 per cent live in the Wallonia region and speak French, and the rest speak German. In the capital Brussels, 80 per cent speak French and 20 per cent Dutch. The French-speaking minority was richer and more powerful, which caused tension, especially in Brussels. Belgian leaders chose to accommodate each other's demands, and this is called the Belgian model of accommodation. Its main elements are as follows.

1. The Constitution requires equal numbers of Dutch-speaking and French-speaking ministers in the central government, and many laws need a majority from each language group, so no single community can decide alone.

2. Many powers of the central government were given to state governments of the two regions. State governments are not subordinate to the central government.

3. Brussels has a separate government in which both communities have equal representation.

4. A third kind of government, the community government, is elected by people of one language community wherever they live. It looks after cultural, educational and language-related matters.

Case study: Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka became independent in 1948. About 74 per cent of its people speak Sinhala, and about 18 per cent speak Tamil: 13 per cent Sri Lankan Tamils and 5 per cent Indian Tamils. About 7 per cent are Christians, who are both Tamil and Sinhala, and about 1 per cent are Muslims. Most Sinhala speakers are Buddhist, while most Tamils are Hindus or Muslims.

Leaders of the Sinhala community wanted to dominate the government on the strength of numbers. In 1956 an Act made Sinhala the only official language, disregarding Tamil. Governments also followed preferential policies for Sinhala applicants for university positions and government jobs, and the new Constitution said the State should protect and foster Buddhism. Sri Lankan Tamils felt that these steps denied them equal political rights, discriminated against them in jobs and neglected their language and culture.

The Tamils then demanded recognition of Tamil as an official language, regional autonomy and equality of opportunity in jobs and education. They began with peaceful campaigns, but as demands were ignored they turned to armed struggle, and a civil war that lasted many years ended in 2009 and left huge damage to lives and the economy. The lesson is that the majority community's attempt to impose its will on others can break the unity of a country.

Forms of power sharing

1. Horizontal distribution: power is shared among the legislature, executive and judiciary, which check each other. This is also called a system of checks and balances.

2. Vertical distribution: power is shared among governments at different levels, such as the central, state and local governments.

3. Among social groups: for example, community government in Belgium or reserved constituencies in India.

4. Among political parties, pressure groups and movements, through competition and coalitions, so that no single group controls power forever.

Model answer: Is power sharing desirable?

Yes. It lowers tension between communities, because every group gets a role and feels respected. It prevents the tyranny of the majority, which, as in Sri Lanka, can damage unity. It also respects the democratic idea that power belongs to the people and should be shared with them.

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