Power Sharing

Belgium
1.​ Belgium is a small country in Europe smaller than the size of
Haryana.
2.​ Shares borders with France, Germany, Netherlands and
Luxembourg.
3.​ Population is a little over one crore, half the peopulation of
Haryana.
4.​ Ethnic composition is complex over here -
a.​ 59% Flemish - Dutch Speaking
b.​40% Wallonia - French Speaking
c.​ Rest 1% - German speaking
d.​In Brussels
i.​ 80% French Speaking
ii.​ 20% Dutch Speaking
5.​ Minority French speaking community was relatively rich and
powerful.
6.​ This was resented by the Dutch speaking community who got the
advantage of economic development and education much
later.
7.​ Tensions between French and Dutch speaking communities
between 1950s and 1960s was common.
8.​ Tension was acute in Brussels.
9.​ Brussels had Dutch speaking community in minority, however the
Dutch speaking community was the majority in the country.

Sri Lanka
1.​ Island nation few kilometers off the southern coast of Tamil
Nadu.
2.​ Population of 2cr, same as Haryana.
3.​ Like all South Asian countries, it has a diverse population.
 4.​ 2 Major social groups -
a.​ Sinhala Speakers - 74% (Buddhists)
b.​ Tamil Speakers - 18% (Hindus and Muslims)
i.​ Sri Lankan Tamils (Tamil natives of the country) -
13%
●​ Concentrated in north and east of Sri Lanka
ii.​ Indian Tamils (Forefathers came from India as
plantation workers during colonial period)- 5%

7% Christians - both Tamil and Sinhala.

Majoritarianism in Sri Lanka

1.​ Sri Lanka became an independent./ country in 1948.
2.​ Sinhala leaders sought the secure dominance over the
government by the virtue of their majority.
3.​ Democratically elected government adopted a series of
majoritarian measures to establish Sinhala supremacy.
a.​ In 1956 an Act of passed to recognise Sinhala as the only
official language, thus disregarding Tamil
b.​ The government followed preferrential policies that
favoured Sinhala applicants for university positions
and government jobs.
c.​ A new constitution stipulated that the state shall protect and
foster Buddhism.
4.​ These measures increased the feeling of alienation among Sri
Lankan Tamils.
5.​ They felt none of the major political parties led by Buddhist
Sinahala leaders was sensitive to their language and culture.
6.​ 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.

Consequences of Majoritarian measures in Sri Lanka

 1.​ Relations between Sinhala and Tamil communities strained over
time.
2.​ Sri Lankan Tamils launched parties and struggles for
a.​ the recognition of Tamil as an official language.
b.​For regional autonomy.
c.​ Equality of opportunity in securing education and jobs.
3.​ Demand for autonomy to provinces that were populated by
Tamils was repeatedly denied.
4.​ By 1980s several political organisations were formed
demanding an independent Tamil Eelam (state) in northern
and eastern parts of Sri Lanka.
5.​ Distrust between communities led to widespread conflict, turned
in a civil war.
6.​ Thousands of people of both communities were killed and many
forced to leave the country as refugees and many lost their
livelihoods.
7.​ Civil war caused a terrible setback to social, cultural and
economic life of the country.
8.​ War ended in 2009.

Accommodation in Belgium
1.​ Belgian leaders recognised the existence of regional differences
and cultural diversities.
2.​Between 1970 and 1993, they amended the constitution 4 times
so as to work out an arrangement that would enable everyone to live
together within the same country.
a.​ Constitution prescribes that the number of French Speaking
and Dutch speaking ministers shall be equal in the
central government. Some special laws require the support
of the majority of members from each linguistic group.
No single community can take a decision unilaterally.
b.​ Powers of the central government have been given to the state
governments of the 2 regions. State government is not
subordinate to central government.
 c.​ Brussels has a separate government in which both communities
have equal representation. The FSC has accepted equal
representation in Brussels because the DSC has accepted
equal representation in the Central government.
d.​ Apart from State and Central government, third type of
government - Community Government. It is elected by the
people belonging to one language community - Dutch, French,
Germans irrespective of where they live. This government has
power regarding cultural, educational and language
related issues.

3.​ These arrangements have helped avoid civic strife between 2

communities and a possible division of the country on linguistic
lines.
4.​ Brussels is the headquarter of the European Union.

Why is power sharing desirable?

1.​ There are 2 different sets of reasons that can be given in favour of
power sharing -
●​ Prudential reasons - stresses that power sharing will bring out
better outcomes.
○​ Power sharing helps reduce the possibility of conflict
between social groups.
○​ Social conflict leads to violence and political
instability, power sharing ensures stability of political
order.
○​ Imposing the will of majority community over others may
look like an attractive option, but it undermines the
unity of the nation in the long run.
○​ Tyranny of majority is not just oppressive for the
minority but also brings ruins to the majority.
●​ Moral Reasons - emphasizes the very act of power sharing as
valuable.
○​ Power sharing is the spirit of democracy.
 ○​ A democratic rule involves power sharing with those
affected by its exercise and those who have to live
with its effects.
○​ People have a right to be consulted on how they are to
be governed.
○​ A legitimate government is one where citizens through
participation acquire a stake in the system.

‘The idea of power sharing has emerged in opposition to the

notions of undivided political power’. Explain.
●​ 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 power of the
government must reside with one person or a group of
persons located at one place. It was felt that if power to
decide was dispersed, it would be impossible to take quick
decisions and to enforce them.
●​ These notions have changed with the emergence 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 government.
●​ In a good democratic government due respect is given to
diverse groups and views that exist in a society. Everyone
has a voice in shaping public policies.
●​ Therefore in a democracy political power should be
distributed among as many citizens as possible.
Power sharing arrangements in modern democracies

1.​ Horizonatal distribution of power.

●​ Power is shared among different organs of the government,
such as legislature, executive, judiciary.
●​ This is known as horizontal distribution of power as it allows
different organs of the government at the same level to
exercise different powers.
●​ Such a separation ensures that none of the organs can exercise
unlimited power. Each organ checks each other. Results in
balance of power among various institutions.
●​ Judges are appointed by the executive, they can check the
functioning of the executive or laws made by the
legislature.
●​ This arrangement is called a system of checks and
balances.

2.​Vertical distribution of power.

○​ Power can be shared among governments at different
levels - the central government and governments at
provincial levels.
○​ Government for entire country - federal government. In India -
Union/Central government. In India governments at provincial
level called state governments.
○​ System is not followed in all countries, not all countries have
state governments.
○​ In countries with different levels of government, the
constitution clearly lays down powers of different
levels of government. This is called federal division of
power.
○​ Same principle extends to levels of govt lower than
state govt - municipality and panchayat.

3. Power shared among different social groups.

 ●​ Power can be shared among different social groups such as
religious and linguistic groups.
●​ In some countries there are constitutional and legal
arrangements whereby socially weaker sections of
society and women are represented in the legislatures
and administration.
●​ Reserved constituencies in assemblies and parliament of
country is another example.
●​ This arrangement is meant to give space in the government
and administration to diverse social groups who
otherwise would feel alienated.
●​ Through this method minority communities receive a
fair share of power.

4. Power sharing by political parties, pressure groups and

movement.
●​ Power sharing arrangements can also be seen in the way
political parties, pressure groups and movements
control or influence those in power.
●​ In a democracy, citizens must have freedom to choose
among various contenders for power.
●​ In democracies, this takes the form of competition among
different parties.
●​ Such competition 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.
●​ When 2 or more parties form an alliance to contest
elections and if they get elected they form a coalition
government and share power.
●​ In a democracy we find interest of traders, businessmen.. They
also share governmental power either through participation in
government committee or bringing influence on decision
making process.