CBSE Class 10 Social Science Power Sharing Notes Set 01

Two contrasting stories

Belgium is a small European country with a population of which about 59 per cent live in the Flemish region and speak Dutch, 40 per cent live in the Wallonia region and speak French, and 1 per cent speak German. In the capital Brussels, 80 per cent speak French and 20 per cent Dutch. The French-speaking minority was rich and powerful, which caused tension, especially in Brussels.

Sri Lanka became independent in 1948. About 74 per cent of its people are Sinhala speakers and about 18 per cent are Tamil speakers, with Sri Lankan Tamils and Indian Tamils among them.

Belgium: accommodation

Belgian leaders recognised regional differences and cultural diversity. Their arrangement includes: the Constitution requires equal numbers of Dutch- and French-speaking ministers in the central government; many powers of the central government have been given to state governments, which are not subordinate to it; Brussels has a separate government where both communities are equally represented; and a community government, elected by people of one language community wherever they live, controls cultural, educational and language matters. The arrangement kept the country united, and Brussels became the headquarters of the European Union.

Sri Lanka: majoritarianism

The Sinhala community used its majority to dominate. The 1956 Act made Sinhala the only official language, ignoring Tamil. Governments favoured Sinhala applicants for university places and jobs, and the Constitution protected and fostered Buddhism. Sri Lankan Tamils felt discriminated against, lost trust, demanded recognition of Tamil, regional autonomy and equal opportunity, and later some groups demanded an independent Tamil Eelam. This turned into a civil war that damaged the country's social, cultural and economic life.

Why power sharing is desirable

1. Prudential reasons: it reduces the chance of conflict between social groups and ensures the stability of political order, since forcing the will of the majority leads to tyranny.

2. Moral reasons: it is the very spirit of democracy. People have the right to be consulted on how they are governed.

Forms of power sharing

1. Among organs of government (horizontal): legislature, executive and judiciary share power, and each checks the others. This is the system of checks and balances.

2. Among governments at different levels (vertical): union, state and local governments, as in a federal system.

3. Among social groups: community government in Belgium and reserved constituencies for SCs and STs in assemblies and Parliament.

4. Among political parties, pressure groups and movements: through competition and coalitions, for example coalition governments, and by pressure groups influencing decisions.

Majoritarianism and its lessons

1. Majoritarianism means the belief that the majority community can rule as it wishes by ignoring the wishes of the minority.

2. Imposing the will of the majority may look attractive in the short run but weakens national unity in the long run.

3. Belgian and Sri Lankan leaders both started from a plural society, but the leaders' choices led to opposite outcomes: peace in one and civil war in the other.

Worked examples

Example 1. What is a community government? It is a government elected by people of one language group (Dutch, French or German) irrespective of where they live. It handles cultural, educational and language issues.

Example 2. How do checks and balances work? Power is divided among legislature, executive and judiciary placed at the same level. No organ can exercise unlimited power since each checks the others.

Example 3. Why are reserved constituencies provided? They give minorities and weaker sections a fair voice in law-making so they are not left out.

Quick Check Questions