NOTES PREPARED BY
KHURSHEED AHMAD
TEACHER SCHOOL
EDUCATION DEPARTMENT
JAMMU AND KASHMIR
Power Sharing
Power sharing is a strategy for resolving dispute over who should have the most powerful position in the social hierarchy, instead of fighting over who should have power over whom
- Power sharing relies upon the joint exercise of power
- It is Accommodation in Belgium and Majoritarianism in Sri Lanka
Power sharing is Desirable
- To reduce conflict.
- Stability
- Unity of the nation
- For success of democracy
- Prudential and Moral reasons
Forms of Power sharing-
- Sharing of power between different organs of govt.
- Sharing of power among govt. at different levels.
- Sharing of power among different social groups.
- Sharing of power by political parties and pressure groups.
Ethnic: A social division based on shared culture. People belonging to the same ethnic group believe in their common descent because of similarities of physical type or of culture or both. They need not always have the same religion or nationality.
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.
Civil war: A violent conflict between opposing groups within a country that becomes so intense that it appears like a war.
Prudential: Based on prudence, or on careful calculation of gains and losses. Prudential decisions are usually contrasted with those decisions based purely on moral considerations.
What is power sharing? How is power shared in India?
Ans: Power sharing is a technique to share the power at different levels. It is an idea inculcated in democracy so that the power is not concentrated at one hand only and that different forms can keep a check on each other,
Power Sharing in India: India is a democratic country. People of India elect their representative through direct franchise. After that, people's representatives elect the government to make or amend rules and regulations and to carry out day to day functioning of governance One basic principle of democracy is that people are the source of all political power. In a democracy, people rule themselves through institutions of self governance. In a good democratic government, due respect is given to diverse groups and views that exist in a society. Everyone has a voice in the shaping of public policies. Therefore, it follows that in a democracy political forms of power sharing should be distributed among as many citizens as possible.
What were the Causes of ethnic struggles in Belgium? OR
What were the major causes of tension among the ethnic communitiesof Belgium? OR What were the methods adopted by the Belgium leaders to resolve the ethnic conflict in Belgium?
The Belgium leaders recognized the existence of regional difference and cultural diversities. Between 1970-1993, their constitution was amended four times to work out an arrangement that would enable everyone to live together in harmony. Following steps were taken:
1. Equal number of ministers from both the groups: It helped in way that no single community can take decisions unilaterally.
2. More powers to state government: Under the new power sharing arrangement, many powers of central govt. were given to state governments of the two regions of the country.
3. Equal representation at state and central level: A separate government was set up at Brussels giving equal representation to both communities.
4. Community Government Setup: Apart from the Central and the State Government, there is a third kind of government. This community government is elected by people belonging to one language community - Dutch, French and German- speaking no matter where they live. This government has the power regarding cultural, educational and language-related issues. It helped in mitigating the tension between the two major communities and averted a possible division of the country on linguistic lines.
The Mayor of Merchtem, a town near Brussels in Belgium, has defended a ban on speaking French in the town's schools. He said that the ban would help all non-Dutch speakers integrate in this Flemish town.
Do you think that this measure is in keeping with the spirit of Belgium's power sharing arrangements?
Give your reasons in about 50 words.
This measure is not in keeping with Belgium's power sharing arrangements. The arrangements seek to maintain peace between the French and Dutch-speaking communities. By banning French, the mayor will cause civil unrest. Both the languages should be made acceptable in the town's schools. This bilingual education system will be a better way to integrate the people of the town.
Explain the ethnic problem of Srilanka.
(1) In Sri Lanka there are two main communities Sinhala (74%) and Tamil (18%).
(2) Among Tamils the Tamil natives who are called, Srilankan Tamils and the Indian Tamils whose forefathers came from India as plantation workers during the colonial period.
(3) Most of the Sinhalas are Buddhist and Tamils are Hindus or Muslims. So in Sri Lanka the problem was who is going to hold power and enjoy the economic benefits.
What was the Act of 1956 in Sri Lanka?
In 1956, an Act was passed to recognize Sinhala as the only official language, thus disregarding Tamil
What is majoritarianism? How it has led to alienation of majority community in
Sri Lanka?
The dominance of majority community to rule the country in whichever way it wants totally disregarding the wishes and needs of minority community is known as majoritarianism
(1) In Sri Lanka mainly there are two communities- Sinhala and Tamils. The leaders of the Sinhala community sought to secure dominance over the government by virtue of their majority. Sinhala has been recognized as the official language of the country by disregarding Tamils.
(2) Government followed a preferential policy favouring Sinhalas in university portions and government jobs.
(3) The government encouraged and protected Buddhism. The distrust has turned into a civil war that has caused a setback to social, cultural
and economic life of Sri Lanka.
What is the cause of Civil War in Sri Lanka?
The Sri Lankan Tamils launched parties and struggles for the recognition of Tamil as an official language, for regional autonomy and equality of opportunity in securing education and jobs. Their demand for more autonomy to provinces populated by the Tamils was repeatedly denied. By 1980s several political organisations were formed demanding an independent Tamil Eelam (state) in northern and eastern parts of Sri Lanka. The distrust between the two communities turned into wide spread conflict which turned into a CIVIL WAR. As a result thousands of people of both the communities have been killed. Many families were forced to leave the country as refugees and many more lost their livelihoods.
Why power sharing is important?
To Avoids Conflicts: Power sharing is important because it avoids or minimizes the conflict between different social groups.
Based on Democratic Principles: Since social conflict often leads to violence and political instability, power sharing is a good way to ensure the stability of political order. It is one of the founding principles of democracy. People have to be consulted on how they should be governed.
Prudential reason: It emphasizes that power sharing brings better results.
Value Based: Morally, the very act of power sharing is valuable.
State one prudential reason and one moral reason for power sharing with an example from the Indian context.
A prudential reason for power sharing is that it leads to an avoidance of conflict between social groups. Since social conflict often leads to violence and political instability, power sharing is a good way to ensure the stability of political order. In India, seats have been reserved in legislatures for the socially weaker sections keeping in mind this prudential reason for power sharing. A moral reason for power sharing is that it upholds the spirit of democracy. In a truly democratic setup. the citizens too have a stake in governance. In India, the citizens can come together to debate and criticise the policies and decisions of the government. This in turn puts pressure on the government to rethink its policies and reconsider its decisions. This active political participation is in keeping with the moral reason for power sharing.
After reading this chapter, three students drew different conclusions. Which of these do you agree with and why? Give your reasons in about 50 words.
Thomman - Power sharing is necessary only in societies which have religious, linguistic or ethnic divisions.
Mathayi - Power sharing is suitable only for big countries that have regional divisons.
Ouseph - Every society needs some form of power sharing even if it is small or does not have social divisions.
Ouseph's statement is the most logical, and thus, should be agreed on. Power sharing not only prevents conflict between various groups in the society but it also inculcates a sense of worth in the citizens. The people will be more satisfied with the government if they have a say in the decision-making process.
Read the following passage and pick out any one of the prudential reasons for
power sharing offered in this. "We need to give more power to the panchayats to realise the dream of Mahatma Gandhi and the hopes of the makers of our Constitution. Panchayati Raj establishes true democracy. It restores power to the only place where power belongs in a democracy – in the hands of the people. Given power to panchayats is also a way to reduce corruption and increase administrative efficiency. When people participate in the planning and implementation of developmental schemes, they would naturally exercise greater control over these schemes. This would eliminate the corrupt middlemen. Thus, Panchayati Raj will strengthen the foundations of
our democracy.
"When people participate in the planning and implementation of developmental schemes, they would naturally exercise greater control over these schemes. This would eliminate the corrupt middlemen.
Forms of Power Sharing
What are the different forms of power sharing in modern democracies? Give an
example of each of these.
Different forms of power sharing in modern democracies:
1. Horizontal division of power: It is the sharing of power among the different organs of government. The division of government into the executive, the legislature and the judiciary is an example of horizontal division of power. In such a power sharing arrangement, different organs of government, placed at the same level, exercise different powers. This separation of powers ensures that no organ exercises unlimited power. Each organ checks the others, thereby putting in place a system of checks and balances. The division of power between the Council of Ministers headed by the Indian Prime Minister, the Parliament of India and the Indian Supreme Court is an example of this kind of power sharing.
2. Vertical division of power: It is the sharing of power among governments at different levels - a general government for the entire country and governments at the provincial or regional level. For example, in India, the Constitution defines the way power is to be shared between the Central or Union government and the various State governments. There are certain matters on which only the Central government can take decisions, while there are others on which only an individual state government has an exclusive right for decision making,
3. Division of power among social groups: Power can also be shared among different groups which differ socially. The system of community government' in Belgium is an example of this type of power division. This government is elected by people belonging to one language community (Dutch, French and German- speaking), and has the power to take decisions regarding cultural, educational and
language-related issues. The system of reserved constituencies in India is another example.
4. Division of power between political parties, pressure groups and movements: Political parties are the organisations which aim to control power by contesting elections. In a democracy, citizens have the freedom to choose among the various contenders for power (the different political parties or the different lances comprising political parties). Such a freedom of choice entails competition among
the different parties, which in turn ensures that power does not remain in one hand, and is shared among different political parties representing different ideologies and social groups, Pressure groups and movements also share governmental power, cither through participation in governmental committees or by influencing the decision-making process.
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