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We have covered the complete Class 10 Civics Chapter 1 – Power Sharing Notes (English Medium) below.

POWER SHARING CHAPTER-1, CLASS-10(CIVICS)

BELGIUM

  • Belgium is a small country in Europe.
  • Has borders with France,  Netherlands, Germany and Luxembourg.
  • Has a population of over one crore.
  • Chosen headquarters of European Union

Ethnic Composition Of Belgium

Ethnic composition of this small country is very complex.

  • 59% lives in the Flemish region and speaks Dutch language.
  • Another 40 per cent people live in the Wallonia region and speak French.
  • Remaining one per cent of the Belgians speak German.

Capital City Brussels

  • 80% people speak French.
  • while 20% are Dutch-speaking.

Reason of  tensions between the Dutch Speaking and French-speaking communities(1950-60)

  • The minority French-speaking community was relatively rich and powerful.
  • Dutch-speaking community got the benefit of economic development and education much later.
  • This led to tensions between both.

➔ Tension between the two communities was more acute in Brussels Because-Dutch-speaking people constituted a majority in the country, but a minority in the capital.   

Accommodation in Belgium

  • Belgian leaders recognised the existence of regional differences and cultural diversities.
  • Between 1970 and 1993, they amended their constitution four times.

Elements of the Belgian model:

  • Constitution prescribes that the number of Dutch and French-speaking ministers shall be equal in the central government.
  • Many powers of the Central Government have been given to State Governments of the two regions of the country.
  • The State Governments are not subordinate to the Central Government.
  • Brussels has a separate government in which both the communities have equal representation.
  • There is a third kind of government. This ‘community government’ is elected by people belonging to one language community.

SRI LANKA

  • Sri Lanka is an island nation.
  • It has about two crore people.
  • Has a diverse population Like other nations in the South Asia region

 

Ethnic Composition Of Sri Lanka

  • 74% are Sinhala-speakers.
  • 18% are Tamil-speakers.
  • Among Tamils there are two sub-groups.
  1. Tamil natives called ‘Sri Lankan Tamils’(13%)
  2. ‘Indian Tamils’(5%)– whose forefathers came from India as plantation workers during colonial period.

Composition of Religion

  • Most of the Sinhala-speaking people are Buddhists.
  • While most of the Tamils are Hindus or Muslims.
  • There are about 7 per cent Christians, who are both Tamil and Sinhala.

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. 

 

Majoritarianism in Sri Lanka

  • Emerged as an independent country in 1948.
  • leaders of the Sinhala community secured dominance over government by virtue of their majority.

 

Series of Majoritarian measures 

Government adopted a series of majoritarian measures to establish Sinhala supremacy.

  1. In 1956, recognised Sinhala as the only official language, thus disregarding Tamil. 
  2. Sinhala applicants favoured for university positions and government jobs. 
  3. A new constitution provided that the state would protect and promote Buddhism.

Reaction of Sri Lankan Tamils and their steps

  • Felt that none of the major political parties was sensitive to their language and culture.
  • Felt that the constitution and government policies denied them equal political rights.
  • Discriminated against them in getting jobs and other opportunities.

Steps taken by Sri Lankan tamils

  • Launched parties and struggles
  1. For the recognition of Tamil as an official language.
  2. For regional autonomy and equality of opportunity in securing education and jobs.
  • By 1980s, several political organisations were formed demanding an independent Tamil State.

Civil War in Sri Lanka

  • Distrust between the two communities turned into widespread conflict.
  • It soon turned into a civil war.

Consequences of Civil War

  • Thousands of people have been killed.
  • Many families were forced to leave the country.
  • Civil war has caused a terrible setback to social, cultural and economic life.
  • It ended in 2009.

What did we learn from these two stories?

Both are democracies. Yet, they dealt with the question of power sharing differently.

Belgium

  • Unity of the country is possible only by respecting the feelings and interests.
  • Resulted in mutually acceptable arrangements for sharing power. 

Sri Lanka 

If a majority community wants to force its dominance over others, it can undermine the unity of the country. 

 

WHY POWER SHARING IS DESIRABLE?

Prudential Reason(Emphasise–Better outcomes)

  • Power sharing is good because it helps to reduce the possibility of conflict between social groups.
  • Social conflict often leads to violence and political instability, power sharing is a good way to ensure the stability of political order.
  • Imposing the will of 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. 

Moral Reason(Emphasise–Valuable)

  • Power sharing is the very spirit of democracy. 
  • 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. 

Forms of power-sharing

Power sharing among different organs of government

  • Power is shared between the legislature, the executive, and the judiciary.
  • Also known as horizontal distribution of power because it allows different organs of government placed at the same level to exercise different powers.
  • This arrangement is called a system of checks and balances.

Power sharing among governments at different levels

  • Power can be shared between Central or Union government, State government and Local government.
  • This is called Vertical and federal division of power. 

Power sharing among different social groups(Community government)

  • Power may also be shared with religious and linguistic groups.
  • This type of arrangement is meant to give space in the government and administration to diverse social groups.

Power sharing among Political parties, pressure groups and movements

  • They control or influence those in power.
  • Coalition government–when two or more parties form an alliance to contest elections. 
  • Interest groups–such as traders, businessmen, industrialists, farmers and industrial workers.
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