Civics - Power Sharing

CIVICS - POWER SHARING
BELGIUM—
● It is a federal state in western europe
● Capital - brussels
● Neighbours - franc, germany , netherland and luxembourg
● Ethnic composition:
● 59% dutch speakers who live in flemish region (north belgium)
● 40% french speakers who live in wallonia region (south belgium)
● 1% german speakers
● But in capital brussel this ethnic composition is different as there are
80% french speakers and 20% dutch speakers
TENSION BETWEEN THE FRENCH AND DUTCH
COMMUNITIES —
1. The minority french speaking community was relatively rich and
powerful , this made the dutch speaking community angry who got
the benefit of economic developmen and education much later .
2. Special problem in capital brussel was that the dutch community
was majority in the whole country but was minority in the capital
ACCOMODATION IN BELGIUM-
The leaders recongnised the regional differences and cultural diversity . the
conwstitution was amended four times between 1970 to 1993 to ensure that
different communities can live in same nation.
1. The constitution prescribes that the number of the dutch and french
speaking ministers shall be equal in numbers in the central government
2. Some special laws require the support of majority of members from each
linguistic group . no single community can take decisions unilaterally .
3. Many of the power of the central government was given to the state
government of thetwo regions of the country . the state government was
not the subordinate to the central government .
4. Brussel has a separate government which has an equal representation of
both the communities. The french community accepted the equal
representation in the brussel as the dutch community accepted the equal
representation in central government.
5. Apart from central and state government there is a third kind of
government . it is elected by the people belonging to one language french ,
dutch and germany , no matter where they live, this government haspower
based on cultural, educational and language related issues.
SRILANKA —
● Sri lanka is an island nation in the indian ocean , few kilometers away from
southern coast of tamil nadu.
Ethnic composition—
74% sinhala speakers, most of the sinhala speakers are buddhists.
18% tamil speakers . most of the sinhala speakers are hindu or muslim .
Tamil speakers have subgroups.one of the native tamils of the country .
Sri lankan tamils other whose forefathers came from india as plantation
workers during colonial period called indian tamils.
These are 7% christians who are both sinhala and tamil
MAJORITISM IN SRI lANKA :
A belief that the majority community should rule country in whichever
way it wants , disregarding the needs and wishes of the minority.
1. In 1956 , an act was passed to recognise sinhala as the only official
language of sri lanka \
2. The government followed preferential policies that favoured
sinhala applicants for the university positions and government jobs
3. A new constitution stipulated that the state government shall
protect and foster buddhism.
4. All these goverment measures increased the feeling of alienation
among tamils .
5. They felt that none of the major political party led by the buddhist
sinhla leaders was sensitive to their language and culture
6. They felt that constitution and government denied from equal
rights discrimination against them in getting jobs and opportunities
and ignored their interest .
STRUGGLES OF SRI LANKAN TAMILS AND ITS RESULT :
1. Tamils launched parties and struggles for recognition of tamil as an
official language , for regional autonomy and equality of opportunity in
securing jobs and education.
2. Their demands for more regional autonomy and equality ofopportunity in
securing jobs and education
3. Their demands for more regional autonomy to provinces populated by
tamils were repeatedly denied
4. By 1980’s several political organisations were formed demanding a
separate independent tamil state in the northern and eastern part of the
country
5. Thedistrust between both the communities turned into a civil war , as a
result thousands of people of both the communities were killed many
families were forced to leave the nation as refugees and many lost their
livelihood .
6. The civil war caused a terrible setback to the social, economic and
cultural life of the country.
REASON / NEED FOR POWER SHARING
PRUDENTIAL :
● Firstly , power sharing is good because it reduces the possibilities of
conflict between social groups. Social conflict often leads to violence and
political instability . power sharing is a good way to ensure stability of
political order
MORAL:
Secondly, power sharing is the very spirit of the democracy . a democratic rule
involves sharing power with citizens affected by its exercise or who will live
with its effects . a legitimate goverment is one where citizens through
participation acquires stake in the system
FORM OF POWER SHARING—

1. HORIZONTAL SHARING OF POWER:
It means sharing of power with different bodies of the goverment placed
at some level which are executive, legislature , judiciary. It ensure that
no organ exercises unlimited power and check the working of each
otherthis system is also called system of checeks and balances .

2. VERTICAL DIVISION OF POWER
It means division of power between different governments at different levels .

this is also called federal division of power. The same principle can be extended
to lower levels of government like municipality or panchayat
3. COMMUNITY GOVERNMENT
Power can be shared among different social groups like religious and
linguistic groups . this arrangements is meant to give space in
governments and administrative to diverse social groups and minorities
who otherwise would feel alternated from government.
4. COALITION GOVERNMENT
Power sharing arrangement can also be seen in a way , political parties
,pressure groups and movements control or influence these in powers. A
government formed by the coming together of at least two parties is
called coalition government.

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CIVICS - POWER SHARING

FORM OF POWER SHARING—

otherthis system is also called system of checeks and balances .

It means division of power between different governments at different levels .

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