Power-Sharing in Democracy Class 10

Podcast

Play an AI-generated podcast conversation about this lesson

Questions and Answers

What's wrong if the majority community rules?

Majoritarianism leads to the disregard of the wishes and needs of the minority community.

What kind of conflict is described as so intense that it appears like a war?

Civil war

Sri Lanka shows us an example of a country where the majority community willingly shared power with others.

False

What did Belgian leaders do differently in terms of recognising diversities?

Amended the constitution four times Signup and view all the answers

What is the system called when judges can check the functioning of the executive or laws made by the legislatures?

System of checks and balances Signup and view all the answers

What do we call the method used to give minority communities a fair share in power?

Community government Signup and view all the answers

In India, the general government for the entire country is usually called ______ or Union Government.

Central Signup and view all the answers

Why is power sharing desirable in democracies?

Power sharing is desirable in democracies because it helps reduce the possibility of conflict between social groups, ensures stability of political order, and involves sharing power with those affected by its exercise. Signup and view all the answers

Coalition government is formed when a single party wins all the political power.

False Signup and view all the answers

In the story of Khalil in Beirut, what were the basic rules agreed upon for power sharing?

The basic rules agreed upon for power sharing in Beirut were that the country's President must belong to the Maronite sect of Catholic Christians, the Prime Minister must be from the Sunni Muslim community, the Deputy Prime Minister must be from the Orthodox Christian sect, and the Speaker must be from Shi’a Muslims. Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of Khalil's perspective on Lebanon's political system?

Khalil believes Lebanon should adopt a more democratic system where individuals from any community can contest elections for top positions based on popular votes, rather than being restricted by religious communities. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary reason for the emergence of power sharing as an opposition to undivided political power?

The primary reason for the emergence of power sharing was the belief that distributing power among different organs of government, such as the legislature, executive, and judiciary, is essential for better decision-making and enforcement. Signup and view all the answers

What are the different forms of power sharing in modern democracies?

Different forms of power sharing in modern democracies include power shared among different organs of government, power shared among governments at different levels, power shared by different social groups, and power shared by two or more political parties. Signup and view all the answers

State one prudential reason and one moral reason for power sharing with an example from the Indian context.

One prudential reason for power sharing is to reduce conflict and increase stability. One moral reason is to promote justice and equality. For example, India practices power sharing through federalism to accommodate diversity. Signup and view all the answers

What are different arguments in favor of and against power sharing?

Arguments in favor of power sharing include reducing conflict among different communities, decreasing arbitrariness, accommodating diversities, and promoting people's participation in government. Arguments against power sharing include delaying decision-making process and increasing instability. Signup and view all the answers

Identify one prudential reason for power sharing from the passage.

Empowering local bodies like Panchayats reduces corruption and increases administrative efficiency. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements are correct regarding power sharing arrangements in Belgium and Sri Lanka?

In Belgium, the Dutch-speaking majority people imposed their domination on the French-speaking community. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Overview

Power-sharing is essential in a democracy to prevent concentration of power in one organ of government.
The chapter explores the concept of power-sharing through two stories from Belgium and Sri Lanka.

Belgium: A Country with Complex Ethnic Composition

Belgium is a small country in Europe with a population of around one crore, comparable to Haryana.
The country has a complex ethnic composition: 59% Flemish region (Dutch-speaking), 40% Wallonia region (French-speaking), and 1% German-speaking.
In the capital city Brussels, 80% people speak French, and 20% speak Dutch.

In Sri Lanka, the Sinhala community sought dominance over government, leading to majoritarian measures that disregarded Tamil language and culture.
This resulted in feelings of alienation among Sri Lankan Tamils, who felt none of the major political parties were sensitive to their needs.
The relations between Sinhala and Tamil communities strained over time, leading to a civil war that caused immense loss of life and livelihood.

Accommodation in Belgium

Belgian leaders recognized the existence of regional differences and cultural diversities.
The constitution was amended four times between 1970 and 1993 to work out an arrangement for power-sharing.
Key elements of the Belgian model include:
- Constitutional prescription of equal number of Dutch and French-speaking ministers in the central government.
- Special laws requiring support from a majority of members from each linguistic group.
- Community government elected by people belonging to one language community, with powers related to cultural, educational, and language-related issues.

Lessons from Belgium and Sri Lanka

Power-sharing arrangements can help avoid civic strife between communities and possible division of the country.
Recognition of regional differences and cultural diversities is essential for working out mutually acceptable arrangements for sharing power.
Power-sharing makes a country stronger, rather than weaker.### Power Sharing
Power sharing deals with the question of sharing power among different communities and protecting the interests of all groups.
In Belgium, leaders have realized that unity is possible only by respecting the feelings and interests of different communities.
In Sri Lanka, if the majority community wants to force its dominance over others, it can undermine the unity of the country.

Power sharing is good because it helps reduce the possibility of conflict between social groups, leading to violence and political instability.
Imposing the will of the majority can look attractive in the short run, but it undermines the unity of the nation in the long run.
Power sharing is desirable because it brings out better outcomes and is valuable in itself.
There are two sets of reasons in favor of power sharing: prudential (good for outcomes) and moral (it's valuable in itself).

In Germany, the two major parties, the Christian Democratic Union and the Social Democratic Party, form a coalition government because neither got a clear majority of seats in the 2005 elections.
In Lebanon, the President must belong to the Maronite sect of Catholic Christians, the Prime Minister must be from the Sunni Muslim community, the Deputy Prime Minister from the Orthodox Christian sect, and the Speaker from the Shi'a Muslims.

Power sharing arrangements can take many forms, including horizontal distribution of power among different organs of government, such as the legislature, executive, and judiciary.
Separation of powers ensures that none of the organs can exercise unlimited power, resulting in a balance of power among institutions.
In a democracy, people rule themselves through institutions of self-government, giving due respect to diverse groups and views in society.
Everyone has a voice in shaping public policies, and those in power are responsible to the Parliament or State Assemblies.### Power Sharing in Democracies
Power sharing is an essential element of democratic governments.
It can be done in various ways, such as:
Horizontal power sharing: Power is shared among different organs of government, like the legislature, executive, and judiciary.
Vertical power sharing: Power is shared among different levels of government, like the central government and state or provincial governments.
Power sharing among different social groups: Power is shared among different social groups, like religious and linguistic minorities.

Checks and Balances

In a system of checks and balances, one organ of government cannot dominate the others.
Judges can check the functioning of the executive and laws made by the legislature.
This arrangement helps to prevent the concentration of power in one branch of government.

Federal Government

A federal government is a general government for the entire country.
In India, it is referred to as the Central or Union Government.
Power is shared between the federal government and governments at the provincial or regional level.

In India, the constitution lays down the powers of different levels of government.
The same principle of power sharing can be extended to lower levels of government, like municipalities and panchayats.

Community Government

Community government is a form of power sharing among different social groups.
In Belgium, community government is a good example of this arrangement.
It helps to give space in the government and administration to diverse social groups.

Power sharing can be seen in the way political parties, pressure groups, and movements control or influence those in power.
In a democracy, citizens must have the freedom to choose among various contenders for power.
Competition among different parties ensures that power does not remain in one hand.

The Bombay High Court ordered the Maharashtra State Government to improve living conditions for children in Mumbai.
The government of Ontario state in Canada agreed to a land claim settlement with the aboriginal community.
Russia's two influential political parties agreed to unite their organizations into a strong right-wing coalition.
The finance ministers of various states in Nigeria demanded that the federal government declare its sources of income.

Power sharing is necessary in societies with religious, linguistic, or ethnic divisions.
It is suitable for big countries with regional divisions.
Every society needs some form of power sharing, even if it is small or does not have social divisions.
Power sharing helps to reduce corruption and increase administrative efficiency.
It promotes people's participation in government and accommodates diversities.

Studying That Suits You

Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.

Description

Understand the concept of power-sharing in a democracy through examples from Belgium and Sri Lanka, highlighting its importance in preventing concentration of power.