1. Power sharing in simple words is sharing of responsibility & powers among defend organ of government. 2. Power sharing is a strategy for resolving disputes over who should have the powerful position in the social hierarchy.

2. 1. Power sharing in
simple words is
sharing of responsibility
& powers among defend
organ of government.
2. Power sharing is a
strategy for resolving
disputes over who
should have the
powerful position in the
social hierarchy.

3. We need power sharing because of the
following reasons-
1- It reduces social tension.
2- It reduces violence.
3- It reduces backwardness.
4- It keeps our freedom safe.
5- It creates our confidence in the mind of the
citizen that all are equal in particular country.
6-It is the very spirit of democracy.

4. Belgium - A View
Belgium
Belgium in Europe, is
bordered with
Netherlands, France
and Germany . The
population of Belgium
is a little over one
crore. This country
has a very complex
ethnic Composition.

5. Ethnic composition of Belgium
Population lives
in the Flemish
region and
speaks Dutch
language.
People live in the
Wallonia region
and speak
French.

6. Composition of Brussels
(Capital City of Belgium)
People speak
French.
people speak
Dutch.

8. The French-speaking community which has
the minority was relatively rich and powerful.
The Dutch-speaking community, who got the
benefit of economic development and education
much later, resented it. Due to this, a number
tensions arose between the Dutch-speaking and
French-speaking communities during the 1950s
and 1960s. Brussels being the capital, faced the
tensions more. There was a special problem
there. The Dutch-speaking people constituted a
majority in the country, but a minority in the
capital.

9. is an island, in the Indian ocean near the southern
tip of India.

10. Ethnic composition of Belgium
sinhala-speakers
tamil-speakers
Its population is about 2 crore. The population of Sri Lanka is
diverse.

11. Major Social
Groups Of Sri
Lanka
Tamil
Speakers
(74%)
Sri Lankan
Tamil (13%)
Indian Tamil
(5%)
Sinhala
Speakers
(18%)
While most of the
Tamils are Hindus
of Muslims, most
of the Sinhala-
speaking people
follow Buddhism.
There are both
Tamil and Sinhala
who make up about
7 percent, and they
follow Christianity.

12. Sri Lanka – Cultural Diversity
oThe Dutch community
in Belgium, could take
advantage of its
numeric majority and
force its will on the
French and German-
speaking population.
This would aggravate
the conflict among the
communities further
and may lead to a
partition of the country
with both the sides
claiming control over
Brussels.

13. o In Sri Lanka, the Sinhala community could impose its
well on the entire country since it enjoyed an even bigger
majority.

14. Sri Lanka became an
Independent country in
1948. Because of their
majority, the leaders of the
Sinhala community
sought to secure
dominance over the
government. As a result,
Sinhala supremacy was
established by
the democratically elected
government by adopting a
series of Majoritarian
measures.

15.  Disregarding Tamil, an act was passed in 1956, to
recognizes Sinhala as the only official language.
 University positions and government jobs, favored
Sinhala applicants..
 A new constitution was stipulated to protect and spread
Buddhism.
 An increase in the feeling of alienation among the Sri
Lankan Tamils developed as these government measures
came gradually..
 The Tamils felt that they were discriminated and were
denied equal opportunities.
 As a result, the relations between
the Sinhala and Tamil communities
strained over time.

16. Many parties and struggles were launched by the Sri Lankan Tamils for
the recognition of Tamil as An official language and for regional
autonomy and equality of opportunity in securing education and jobs.
But their demand was denied repeatedly.
 By 1980s many political organizations were formed demanding an independent
Tamil Elam (state) in northern and eastern parts of Sri Lanka.
 The distrust between the two communities turned into widespread conflict
and soon turned into a civil war.
 As a result thousands of people of both the communities were killed. Many
families were forced to leave the country as refugees and many more lost
their livelihoods.
This civil war has caused a Terrible setback to the social, cultural and economic
life of their livelihoods. This civil war has caused a terrible setback to the
social,
Cultural and economic life of the country.

17. A different path was taken by the Belgian leaders. Between 1970 and 1993, they amended
their constitution four times so as to workout an arrangement that would enable
everyone to live together within the same country, since they recognized the existence of
regional differences and cultural diversities. They had an innovative arrangement.
Here are some of the elements of the Belgian model.
1 . According to the constitution, the number of Dutch and French-speaking ministers
shall be equal in the central government.
2. Since both linguistic communities will have their own problems, no single
community can make decisions.
3. The state governments have been given many powers of the central government of the
two regions of the country.
The state governments are not subordinate to the Central Government. Equal
representation of both the communities, has made the Brussels government a unique
one. Because the Dutch-speaking community has accepted equal representation in the
Central Government, the French speaking people accepted equal representation in
Brussels.

18. There is a third kind of government called the
‘community government’ apart from the
Central and the State Government.
•The ‘community government’ is
elected by people belonging to one language
community — Dutch, French and German-
speaking — no matter where they live.
•The power regarding cultural,
educational and language-related issues, is
given to this government.
Though these arrangements are very
complicated, even for people living in
Belgium, they have worked well so far. They
helped to avoid major problems between the
two major communities and a possible
division of the country on linguistic lines.

19. Though both are democracies, the question of power sharing
was dealt with differently.
The leaders in Belgium had realized that the unity of the
country is possible only by respecting the feelings and
interests of different communities and regions Such are a
legation resulted in mutually acceptable arrangements for
sharing power.
•The example of Sri Lanka in contrast shows us that if a
majority community wants to force its dominance over others
and refuses to share power, it can undermine the unity of the
country.

20.  The first reason is Power sharing helps
to reduce the possibility of conflict
between social groups. Power sharing is
a good way to ensure the stability of
political order as social conflict often
leads to violence and political
instability. Imposing the will of the
majority community over others may
look like an attractive option in the
short run, but in the long run It
undermines the unity of the nation.
Tyranny of the majority is not only
oppressive for the minority but it also
brings ruin to the majority.
Power Sharing

21.  The second reason is the very spirit of democracy is power
sharing.
A democratic rule involves sharing power with those affected
by its exercise, and 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.

22. 1. Horizontal distribution of
power :-
Legislature, executive and
judiciary, the different organs
of the government, share
power. This can be called
horizontal distribution of
power because it allows
different organs of government
placed at the same level to
exercise different powers. This
ensures that no organ exercises
unlimited powers. Each organ
is checked by the other, which
results in a balance of power
among various institutions.
This arrangement is also called
a system of checks and
balances.

23. 2. Federal government :-
Governments at different levels can share the power among
them. A general government like this is usually called federal
government. In India, it is referred to as the Central or Union
Government. The governments at the provincial or regional level
are called by different names in different countries. In India, we
call them State Governments. Not all countries follow this.
There are many countries where they have no provincial or state
governments. But the constitution clearly lays down the powers
of different levels of government, in countries like ours, where
there are different levels of governments,. This is what they did
in Belgium, but was refused in Sri Lanka. This is called federal
division of power. The same principle can be extended to levels
of government lower than the State government, such as the
municipality and Panchayat. We can call division of powers
involving higher and lower levels of government, vertical
division of power.

24. 3. Community government:-
 Different social groups, such as the religious and
linguistic groups may also share power. A good
example of this arrangement is the 'Community
government' in Belgium. In some countries there are
constitutional and legal are constitutional and legal
arrangements whereby socially weaker sections and
women are represented in the legislatures and
administration. This type of arrangement is meant to
give space in the government and administration to
diverse social groups who otherwise would feel
alienated from the government. Minority communities
are given affair share in power, in this method.

25.  4. Coalition Government:-
 Power sharing arrangements can also be seen in the
way political parties, pressure groups and movements
control or influence those in power. The citizens must
have freedom to choose among various contenders for
power, in a democracy. In contemporary 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. Sometimes
when two or more parties form an alliance to contest
elections, this kind of sharing can be direct. They
form a coalition government and share and share

26. power if their alliance is elected. We find interest groups
such as those of traders, businessmen, industrialists
farmers and industrial workers, in a democracy. Either
through participation in governmental committees or by
bringing influence on the decision making process, they
also will have a share in governmental power.