Social Science

POWER SHARING
CONCEPT
Belgium

Geographical Position : Small country in Europe, bordered by the Netherlands, France and Germany.
Area and Population : Smaller in area than the Indian state of Haryana.
Population- a little over one crore, half of the state of Haryana.
Ethnic Composition : 59% live in Flemish region - speak Dutch, 40% live in Wallonia region - speak
French, 1% speak German
Capital : Brussels-80% speak French, 20% Speak Dutch.
Important Point : In Brussels, the Dutch-speaking people are in a minority which is the opposite of the rest
of the country, where they are in a majority.
The minority population of French-speaking people was richer than the Dutch-speaking people.
The majority community were given benefits much later. This led to tension between the two communities in the
1950s and 1960s. Tension was more acute in the capital city of Brussels.
Sri Lanka

Geographical Position : A small island in Asia, off the southern coast of Tamil Nadu.

Population : Same as Haryana's. (about two crore people.)

Ethnic Composition : 74% Sinhalese-speaking people 18% Tamil-speaking people, 13% are natives of
Sri Lanka, known as Sri Lankan Tamils. The rest are called Tamil Lankans who are descendants of plantation
workers, who came from India during the colonial period.
Religion : Most of the Sinhala-speaking people are Buddhists. Most of the Tamils are Hindus or Muslims.
Christians constitute 7% of the population and they belong to both Sinhala and Tamil communities.
Majoritarianism in Sri Lanka

Meaning of Majoritarianism : A belief that only the majority community should rule a country, make laws for
everyone and with total disregard to the wishes and needs of the minority.
Sri Lanka became independent in 1948. It immediately adopted measures to impose Sinhala supremacy.
Examples :
It made Sinhalese the official language of the country (by an Act in 1956), and ignored Tamil completely.
Made a preferential policy to favour Sinhala-speaking people in all government jobs and educational institutions.
It promoted and protected Buddhism.
Result.The Tamils felt alienated. No respect or recognition was given to their language, culture and religion.
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They began a struggle for equality in jobs, entry to the university, recognition of their language and culture.
Slowly the conflict changed into a demand for regional autonomy. The Tamilians were grouped together in
the North and East of Sri Lanka. Their demands were ignored, the conflict became more severe and by the
1980s, the Tamilian demand had changed. They wanted TAMIL EELAM in the North-East. A civil war
ensued, which killed thousands on both sides. The flourishing economy of Sri Lanka has disappeared and the
conflict has given a blow to social, cultural and economic life of Sri lanka.
Accommodation in Belgium : Belgium, unlike Sri Lanka, has taken a totally different stand. It amended the
Constitution to accommodate every ethnic community, with the result that it did not suffer from a civil war,
demands for autonomy or partition of the country.
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The Belgian Method
Equal Number of Dutch and French-speaking Ministers in the Central Government.
Special laws to become Acts need majority from each language group.
State Governments are not made subordinate to central government.
A separate Government for Brussels, equal representation for both the linguistic groups.
A third government called the Community Government elected by the Dutch, French and German speaking
people, in charge of language, cultural and educational issues.
Need of Power Sharing
Power sharing helps in reducing the conflict between various social groups. Hence, power sharing is necessary
for maintaining social harmony and peace.
Power sharing helps in avoiding the tyranny of majority. The tyranny of majority not only destroys the minority
social groups but also the majority social group.
People’s voice forms the basis of a democratic government. Hence, power sharing is essential to respect the
spirit of democracy.
The avoiding conflict in society and preventing majority tyranny are considered as prudential reasons for power
sharing. Maintaining the spirit of democracy is considered as the moral reason for power sharing.
Forms of Power Sharing
Power Sharing in Different Organs of Government : Power is shared among different organs of government,
such as the legislature, executive and judiciary. This type of distribution can be called the horizontal distribution
of power. This type of power sharing allows different organs of government placed at the same level to exercise
different powers.
Such a separation ensures that unlimited power is not vested in any organ of the government. This ensures a
balance of power among various institutions. The executive enjoys official power but is answerable to the
legislature. The legislature has the right to make or amend laws but it is answerable to the people. The judiciary
is independent and ensures that the law of the land is obeyed by legislature and executive.
Power sharing at different levels : Power can be shared among governments at different levels. Usually a
central government is responsible for the entire nation and state governments are responsible for different units
of the federation. There is clear cut demarcation on subjects which come under the union government and those
which come under the state government. However, there are some subjects which come under the concurrent
list, i.e. both state and central governments exercise power on such subjects.
Power sharing among social groups : Power may also be shared among different social groups. In a diverse
country; like India; there are various social, linguistic and caste groups and power is shared among each group.
For example; people from the minority communities, OBCs, and SC & ST are given reservation so that there
could be adequate representation for them in the government machinery.
Power sharing among various pressure groups
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Power sharing among various political parties is more apparent for most of the people. Usually the largest
political party or the largest political coalition becomes the ruling party. The other parties form the opposition.
While opposition is not in power, it is responsible for seeing to it that the ruling party functions as per the
wishes of the people. Heads of various committees comes from various political parties; which is another way
of sharing power among different political parties.
Pressure groups also get their share in power. For example; the trade unions, ASSOCHAM, students’ union,
etc. get some power by certain mechanisms. Representatives of these associations become part of many
decision making bodies and thus enjoy their share of power.

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POWER SHARING EXERCISE

1. Belgian leaders amended their constitution four 9. Sri Lanka’s name before 1972 was
times between (1) Ceylon

(1) 1950 and 1983 (2) 1970 and 1993 (2) South India Island
(3) East Holland Colony
(3) 1975 and 1995 (4) 1980 and 1999
(4) Oceanina
2. The power sharing arrangement among different 10. The group, which is fighting with arms for the
organs of the goverment is demands of Sri Lankan Tamils is
(1) horizontal (2) vertical (1) Dravida Munnettra Kazhagam
(2) All-Ceylon Tamil Congress
(3) multiple (4) indirect
(3) Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
3. In Belgium the federal executive power, as
(4) Pattali Makkal Katchi
regulated by the Constitution, belongs to the
11. The main objective of the federal system is to
(1) Prime Minister (1) promote diversity
(2) House of Representatives (2) make centre more powerful

(3) Senate (3) accomodate regional diversity

(4) distribute finances to different organs
(4) King
12. The major cause of the civil war in Sri Lanka was
4. In Sri Lanka, the two sub groups of Tamils are the distrust between the two communities namely
(1) Sinhala Tamils and Sri Lankan Tamils (1) Sri Lankan Tamils and the Indian Tamils
(2) Hindus and Muslims
(2) Sri Lankan Tamils and Indian Tamils
(3) Sinhalas and Moors
(3) Colombo Tamils and Indian Tamils
(4) Sinhalas and the Tamils
(4) Sinhala Tamils and Colombo Tamils 13. Apart from the Central and the State government
5. Sri Lanka emerged as an independent country in there is the third type of goverment in Belgium
called the
the year
(1) Regional government
(1) 1942 (2) 1944 (3) 1947 (4) 1948
(2) Ethnic government
6. Kandy, Colombo is a Ethnic communities of (3) Community government
(1) Sri Lanka (2) Tamil Nadu (4) Federal government
14. In Belgium, 40 % people living in the Wallonia re-
(3) Belgium (4) None of these
gion speak
7. The horizontal distribution of power sharing takes (1) English language (2) German language
place between the (3) French language (4) Dutch language
(1) legislature and executive 15. In Belgium, 59 % people living in the Flemish re-
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gion speaks
(2) executive and judiciary
(1) Spanish language (2) English language
(3) legislature, exective and Judiciary
(3) Dutch language (4) Sinhala language
(4) legislature, executive, Judiciary and press 16. Power sharing is good because:
8. The Dutch and French speaking ministers were (1) It increases the conflict between social groups
equal in the central government of (2) It ensures the instability of political order
(3) It reduces the possibility of conflict between
(1) Bangladesh (2) Belgium
social groups
(3) Sri Lanka (4) Russia (4) It leads to violence

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17. An important principle under which the three or- 19. Power can be shared in modern democracies in
gans of the goverment work is the following ways :
(1) each organ can work freely. (1) Among different organs of the government
(2) balance of power (2) Among various levels
(3) power-management (3) Among different social groups
(4) easy administration
(4) All the above
18. Which of the following was not a provision of the
20. Which one of the following communities constituted
Act of 1956 passed in Sri Lanka?
majority in Brussels?
(1) Sinhala was recognised as the only official lan-
(1) French Speaking
guage
(2) Buddhism was to be protected by the state (2) Dutch Spekaing

(3) Provinces were given autonomy (3) German Speaking

(4) Sinhalas were favoured in government jobs (4) None of them

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ANSWER KEY
Que. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
Ans. 2 1 4 2 4 1 3 2 1 3 3 4 3 3 3 3 2 3 4 1