Power sharing DAV CLASS TEN
- 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.