Chapter Notes: Power-sharing

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Introduction
Power sharing is a fundamental principle of democratic governance that

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ensures the distribution of power among various organs of government,
social groups, and political entities to prevent the concentration of power
in a single authority.
This approach is crucial for maintaining stability, fostering inclusiveness,

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and promoting fairness in diverse societies.

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In a democracy all power does not rest with any one organ of the
government. An intelligent sharing of power among the legislature,
executive and judiciary is very important for the design of democracy.
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Belgium and Sri Lanka

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Belgium
Belgium is a small European country, smaller in area than Haryana
state.
Borders: France, the Netherlands, Germany, and Luxembourg.
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Population: Just over one crore, with a complex ethnic composition.

Language breakdown: 59% Dutch speakers in Flemish region, 40%
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French speakers in Wallonia, and 1% German speakers.

In Brussels, 80% speak French and 20% speak Dutch.
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Tensions: Dutch-speaking community felt disadvantaged compared to

the French-speaking minority, leading to conflicts in the 1950s and
 1960s.

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Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka is an island nation close to Tamil Nadu with a population
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similar to Haryana.
Population: Around two crore with significant diversity.
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Social groups: 74% Sinhala speakers, 18% Tamil speakers, including Sri
Lankan Tamils and Indian Tamils.
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Religion: Majority of Sinhala speakers are Buddhists, while Tamils are

mostly Hindus or Muslims.
Concentration: Sri Lankan Tamils are mainly in the north and east of
the country.
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Possibilities: Potential conflicts due to demographic majorities could

lead to partition and power struggles.
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Try yourself: What is the significance of power sharing in a

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democracy?

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a. It ensures that one organ of the government has complete control.

b. It prevents concentration of power in a single authority

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c. It allows the executive branch to make all the important decisions.
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d. It increases the efficiency and effectiveness of the judiciary.
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View Solution
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Majoritarianism in Sri Lanka
Post-Independence Era (1948 Onwards): Following independence in
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1948, Sri Lanka witnessed the rise of majoritarianism, where leaders of the
Sinhala community sought to secure political dominance by leveraging
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their majority status.

Majoritarian Measures: A series of measures were adopted to establish
Sinhala supremacy:
Official Language Act (1956): Sinhala was recognized as the sole
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official language, disregarding Tamil.

Preferential Policies: Government policies favored Sinhala applicants
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for university admissions and government jobs.

Religious Favoritism: The constitution mandated state protection and
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promotion of Buddhism, further alienating the Tamil community.

Impact on Sri Lankan Tamils:

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Growing Alienation: Sri Lankan Tamils increasingly felt marginalized,

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perceiving that government policies denied them equal political rights,
discriminated against them in employment opportunities, and ignored

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their cultural and linguistic needs.
Political Discontent: Tamil leaders and parties sought recognition of
Tamil as an official language, regional autonomy, and equality in
education and job opportunities, but these demands were persistently

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denied.

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Escalation and Civil War (1980s-2009):
Rise of Separatist Movements: By the 1980s, political organizations
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advocating for an independent Tamil state, Tamil Eelam, emerged in the
northern and eastern parts of Sri Lanka.
Civil Conflict: Distrust between the Sinhala and Tamil communities
escalated into widespread conflict, culminating in a civil war that
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lasted until 2009.
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Consequences of the Civil War:

Human and Social Impact: The war resulted in the loss of thousands of
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lives, the displacement of families, and widespread economic and social

disruption.
Cultural and Economic Setbacks: The conflict severely affected Sri
Lanka's social fabric and economic development, undermining previous
achievements in education, health, and overall well-being.
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End of the Civil War (2009): The war concluded in 2009, leaving
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lasting scars on the nation's societal and economic landscape

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Try yourself: Which country witnessed the rise of majoritarianism

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post-independence, leading to conflicts between different ethnic
groups?

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a. Belgium

b. Sri Lanka

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c. Netherlands
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d. Germany
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View Solution
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Accommodation in Belgium
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Recognition of Diversity: Belgian leaders took a proactive approach by

acknowledging the existence of regional differences and cultural
diversities. To facilitate peaceful coexistence, they amended the
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constitution four times between 1970 and 1993, resulting in a unique and
innovative arrangement.
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Key Elements of the Belgian Model:
1. Equal Representation in Central Government:
The constitution prescribes that the number of Dutch and French-
speaking ministers in the central government shall be equal. This
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prevents any single community from making unilateral decisions.
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Some special laws require the support of a majority from each linguistic
group, ensuring balanced decision-making and preventing domination
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by one community.

2. Decentralization and Autonomy of State Governments:

Many powers of the Central Government were devolved to the State
Governments of the two main regions (Flanders and Wallonia), which
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are not subordinate to the Central Government.

This decentralization underscores the autonomy of the regions.
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3. Equal Representation in Brussels:

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 Brussels, the capital city, has a separate government where both Dutch

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and French-speaking communities have equal representation.

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This balance was accepted by the French-speaking population as the
Dutch-speaking community agreed to equal representation in the

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Central Government.

4. Community Government:
In addition to the Central and State Governments, a ‘community

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government’ exists. It is elected by people belonging to one of the
three language communities—Dutch, French, and German—regardless
of their residence. uR
This government has authority over cultural, educational, and
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language-related issues, allowing each community to preserve its
identity.

5. Complexity and Effectiveness:

The Belgian model is indeed complex, even for the people living in
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Belgium.
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However, it has effectively avoided civic strife between the two major
communities and prevented a potential division of the country on
linguistic lines.
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The success of this model is further demonstrated by Brussels being

chosen as the headquarters of the European Union.

Comparative Insights:
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Belgium’s Power-Sharing Success:

Belgium illustrates how respecting the interests and feelings of
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different communities through power-sharing arrangements can

preserve the unity of a diverse country.
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The model promotes mutual acceptance and cohesion.

Sri Lanka’s Cautionary Tale:

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In contrast, Sri Lanka’s experience shows that when a majority

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community attempts to enforce its dominance and refuses to share
power, it can undermine national unity and lead to conflict.

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Why Power Sharing is Desirable?
Social Stability: Power sharing reduces the likelihood of conflicts
between social groups, which in turn minimizes violence and political

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instability. Imposing the majority's will may seem appealing initially, but
it can harm national unity in the long term.
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Democracy's Essence: Power sharing embodies the essence of
democracy. Democratic governance involves sharing power with those
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impacted by decisions, allowing them a say in governance and a stake in
the system.

Two Sets of Reasons:

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Prudential Reasons: Focus on the positive outcomes that power
sharing can bring, emphasizing its practical benefits.
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Moral Reasons: Highlight the intrinsic value of power sharing itself,

beyond its outcomes, by stressing the importance of citizen
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participation and stakeholder involvement in governance.

Forms of Power-Sharing
Power-sharing can be considered as the spirit of democracy as power
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is not concentrated in the hands of few people.

Moreover, the people in power are not only responsible for their
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decisions but are also held accountable for them.

Power-sharing also gives respect to each and every social group which
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is rarely seen in any other type of government except democracy.

There are different ways in which power-sharing takes place in various

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democracies:

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Try yourself: What is one of the key reasons why power sharing is

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desirable in a democracy?

a. It reduces conflicts between social groups

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b. It concentrates power in the hands of few people

c. It promotes majority dominance

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d. It undermines national unity

View Solution
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1. Power-Sharing between Different Organs of the

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Government
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The power division is horizontal where different organs of the

government at the same level exercise different powers in their
jurisdiction.
This is easily seen in Indian democracy the legislature, judiciary and
executive function on the same level and yet have different
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jurisdictions.
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2. Power-Sharing between Different Levels of Government
This refers to the system where the power is distributed among various
levels of government such as the central and provincial governments.

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This system is also known as federalism. India is a prime example of the
federal system of government. uR
In certain matters, the power-sharing is so exclusive that certain
subjects are only exclusive to the union government or the state
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government.
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3. Power-Sharing between Different Social Groups

Representation of Social Groups: Power may also be shared among
different social groups, such as religious and linguistic communities.
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The 'community government' in Belgium is an example of this type of

arrangement, where various groups have a voice in governance.
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Constitutional and Legal Arrangements: In many countries, there are

constitutional and legal mechanisms to ensure that socially weaker
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sections and women are represented in legislatures and

administration. For example, India uses a system of 'reserved
 constituencies' to ensure representation for marginalized

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communities.

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Purpose of Social Power-Sharing: These arrangements are designed
to give minority communities and socially weaker groups a fair share of

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power, preventing them from feeling alienated from the government.
This approach helps in accommodating social diversities within the
governance framework.

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4. Power-Sharing between Different Political Groups
Role of Political Parties and Groups: Power-sharing in democracies
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often involves various political groups, including political parties,
pressure groups, and other public interest groups. These groups
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influence decision-making and ensure that power is not concentrated
in one hand.
Competition and Coalition: In a democratic system, competition
among political parties allows citizens to choose their leaders. This
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competition can lead to power-sharing when two or more parties form
an alliance to contest elections. If their alliance wins, they form a
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coalition government, sharing power directly.

Influence of Interest Groups: In addition to political parties, interest
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groups such as traders, businessmen, industrialists, farmers, and

workers also play a role in power-sharing. They may participate in
governmental committees or exert influence on the decision-making
process, ensuring that various societal interests are represented in
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governance.
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Try yourself: Which of the following is an example of horizontal

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sharing of power?

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a. Power-Sharing between different states.

b. Power-Sharing between different organs of the government.

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c. Power-Sharing between different levels of the government.
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d. Power-Sharing between different political parties.
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View Solution
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Important Terms to Remember
1. Power-sharing: Power-sharing is the distribution of power among the
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organs of the government like–legislature, executive, and judiciary. It is

an intelligent step to ensure the stability of political order. Besides,
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power-sharing also includes sharing at the different levels like union,

state, and local.
2. Majoritarian: A concept which signifies a belief that the majority
community should be able to rule a country in whatever way it wants is
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known as Majoritarian. In this type of rule, they disregard the wishes

and needs of the minority.
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3. Ethnicity: A social division based on shared culture. Most people

belonging to the same ethnic group believe in their common descent
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because they have similarities of physical type or culture or both. They

 may not have the same religion or nationality, e.g, French-speaking,

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Dutch-speaking, Sinhala speaking, etc.

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4. Community Government: A type of Government that is elected by
people belonging to one language community is called community

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government. For example, Dutch, French, and German-speaking people
form their respective community governments, no matter where they
live. This is a very specific type of government in Belgium.
5. Civil War: A violent conflict between opposing groups within a

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country is known as a civil war. Sometimes it becomes so intense that it
appears like a war.
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6. Prudential: It is a set of reasons which favours power-sharing. It is
based on prudence, or on careful calculation of gains and losses.
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Prudential reasons stress beneficial consequences.
7. Checks and Balances: A system in which each organ of the government
checks the others which results in a balance of power among various
institutions. It ensures that none of the organs can exercise unlimited
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power.
8. Vertical Division of Power: It is a type of distribution of power that
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involves the higher and lower levels of government such as central,

provincial, and regional levels.
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9. Reserved Constituencies: It is a system in which constituencies are

reserved in the Assemblies and the Parliament for minorities in order to
give them a fair share in power.
10. Coalition Government: When the alliance of two or more parties gets
elected and forms a government it is known as the Coalition
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Government. This is another form of power-sharing.

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