Class 10 NCERT Civics: Power Sharing Notes

Overview

Power sharing is a fundamental aspect of democracy, ensuring that power is not concentrated in one organ of the government. It involves distributing power among the legislature, executive, and judiciary to maintain a balanced democratic system.

Belgium and Sri Lanka: A Comparison

Topic 1 - Belgium

Demographics: Population of over 1 crore, with 59% Dutch-speaking (Flemish region), 40% French-speaking (Wallonia region), and 1% German-speaking. In Brussels, 80% speak French, 20% Dutch.
Ethnic Complexity: The minority French-speaking community was wealthier, causing resentment among the Dutch-speaking majority, leading to tensions in the 1950s and 1960s, especially in Brussels.
Power Sharing Model: Belgium adopted an accommodative approach to manage ethnic diversity.

1.1 Accommodation in Belgium

Belgium adopted a power-sharing model to accommodate regional and cultural diversity, preventing conflict and maintaining unity.

Constitutional Amendments (1970–1993): Four amendments created an innovative power-sharing arrangement.
Elements of the Belgian Model:
- Equal representation of Dutch and French-speaking ministers in the central government.Special laws require the consent of both linguistic communities, ensuring no unilateral decisions.
- Brussels has a separate government in which both the communities have equal representation
- State governments in Flemish and Wallonia regions are not subordinate to the central government.
- A community government, elected by Dutch, French, or German-speaking people, handles cultural, educational, and language issues.
Outcomes: Avoided civic strife, prevented linguistic division, and established Brussels as the EU headquarters.

Topic 2 -Sri Lanka

Demographics: Population of about 2 crore, with 74% Sinhala-speakers (Buddhists) and 18% Tamil-speakers (Hindus/Muslims), including 13% Sri Lankan Tamils and 5% Indian Tamils. Christians (7%) include both groups.
Ethnic Distribution: Tamils are concentrated in the north and east.
Power Sharing Issue: Majoritarian policies favored Sinhala dominance, leading to conflict.

2.1 Majoritarianism in Sri Lanka

After independence in 1948, Sri Lanka’s Sinhala majority pursued majoritarian policies to establish dominance, leading to alienation of the Tamil minority. (Majoritarianism: A belief that the majority community should be able to rule a country in whichever way it wants, by disregarding the wishes and needs of the minority.)

Key Measures:
- 1956 Act recognized Sinhala as the only official language, ignoring Tamil.
- Preferential policies favored Sinhala applicants for jobs and university admissions.
- The constitution prioritized Buddhism, marginalizing Tamil culture.
Consequences:
- Tamils felt discriminated against in political rights, education, and jobs.
- Formation of Tamil political organizations demanding recognition of Tamil language, regional autonomy, and equality.
- By the 1980s, demands escalated to an independent Tamil Eelam, leading to a civil war.
Civil War (until 2009): Resulted in thousands of deaths, displacement of families, and severe socio-economic setbacks.

Topic 3 Lessons from Belgium and Sri Lanka

Belgium: Recognized diversity and implemented power sharing, ensuring unity by respecting community interests.
Sri Lanka: Majoritarian dominance without power sharing led to conflict and undermined national unity.
Conclusion: Power sharing is essential for democratic stability and unity in diverse societies.

Topic 4 -Why Power Sharing?

Prudential Reasons: Power sharing reduces conflict, promotes stability, and ensures better governance outcomes (e.g., India’s reserved constituencies for marginalized groups).
Moral Reasons: It embodies the spirit of democracy, giving citizens a stake in governance through participation (e.g., India’s Panchayati Raj system).
Tyranny of the Majority: Majoritarian rule can oppress minorities and harm the majority by fostering instability.

Topic 5 -Forms of Power Sharing

Power sharing in modern democracies takes various forms to ensure inclusivity and balance.

Horizontal Distribution: Power shared among different organs (legislature, executive, judiciary) at the same level, ensuring checks and balances (e.g., India’s judiciary checking executive actions).
Vertical Distribution: Power shared among governments at different levels (federal, state, local), as in India’s Union and State Governments or Belgium’s federal system.
Social Groups: Power shared among religious/linguistic groups, like Belgium’s community government or India’s reserved constituencies for weaker sections.
Political Parties and Groups: Power shared through coalition governments, political competition, or influence by pressure groups (e.g., India’s coalition governments).

A pressure group people who try to convince the government to make decisions in their favor. They don’t want to become the government — they just want to influence it.

Key Learnings

Power sharing is vital for democratic stability, preventing conflict in diverse societies.
Belgium’s accommodative model contrasts with Sri Lanka’s majoritarian failure.
Forms of power sharing include horizontal, vertical, social group, and political party arrangements.
Prudential and moral reasons justify power sharing, ensuring better governance and democratic participation.

Exercises

What are the different forms of power sharing in modern democracies? Give an example of each.
State one prudential reason and one moral reason for power sharing with an example from the Indian context.
Which of Thomman, Mathayi, or Ouseph’s conclusions about power sharing do you agree with, and why? (50 words)
Is the Merchtem Mayor’s ban on French in schools consistent with Belgium’s power-sharing spirit? (50 words)
Identify a prudential reason for power sharing in the passage about Panchayati Raj.
Which arguments favor power sharing? (A: reduces conflict, B: decreases arbitrariness, D: accommodates diversities, F: promotes participation)
Which statements about Belgium and Sri Lanka are correct? (A: Dutch domination, B: Sinhala dominance, C: Tamil federal demands, D: Belgium’s federal transformation)

Match forms of power sharing with government types:

List I	List II
1. Power shared among organs	A. Community government
2. Power shared among levels	B. Separation of powers
3. Power shared by social groups	C. Coalition government
4. Power shared by parties	D. Federal government

Are the statements “Power sharing is good for democracy” and “It reduces conflict” true or false?