Ch power sharing
Notes
Overview
With this chapter, we resume the tour of democracy that we started last year. An intelligent sharing of power among a legislature, executive and judiciary is very important to the design of a democracy.
We start with two stories from Belgium and Sri Lanka. Both these stories are about how democracies handle demands for power sharing.
Belgium
Geographical Position: Small country in Europe, bordered by the Netherlands, France and Germany.
Area and Population: Smaller in area than the Indian state of Haryana. Population little over one crore, half of the state of Haryana.
Ethnic Composition: 59% live in Flemish region and speak Dutch, 40% live in Wallonia region and speak French, 1% speak German. Brussels-80% speak French, 20% Speak Dutch
Important Point: In Brussels, the Dutch-speaking people are in a minority which is the opposite of the rest of the country, where they are in a majority>The minority population of French-speaking people was richer than the Dutch-speaking people. The majority community were given benefits much later. This led to tension between the two communities in the 1950s and 1960s. Tension was more acute in the capital city of Brussels.
Sri Lanka
Geographical Position: A small island in Asia, off the southern coast of Tamil Nadu.
Population: Same as Haryana’s. About two crore people.
Ethnic Composition: 74% Sinhalese-speaking people 18% Tamil-speaking people, 13% are natives of Sri Lanka, known as Sri Lankan Tamils.The rest are called Indian Tamils who are descendants of plantation workers, who came from India during the colonial period
Religion: Most of the Sinhala-speaking people are Buddhists. Most of the Tamils are Hindus or Muslims. Christians constitute 7% of the population and they belong to both Sinhala and Tamil communities.
Majoritarianism in Sri Lanka
Meaning of Majoritarianism: A belief that only the majority community should rule a country, make laws for everyone and with total disregard to the wishes and needs of the minority.
Sri Lanka became independent in 1948. The leaders of the Sinhala community sought to secure dominance over the government by virtue of their majority. It immediately adopted measures to impose Sinhala supremacy.
It made Sinhalese the official language of the country (by an Act in 1956) and ignored Tamil completely.
Made a preferential policy to favour Sinhala-speaking people in all government jobs and educational institutions.
It promoted and protected Buddhism( A new constitution was made)
The Tamils felt alienated. No respect or recognition was given to their language, culture and religion. the relations between the Sinhala and Tamil communities strained over time.
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. But 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 the country. The distrust between the two communities turned into widespread conflict.
It soon turned into CIVIL WAR which killed thousands on both sides. The flourishing economy of Sri Lanka has disappeared, and the conflict has given a blow to social, cultural and economic life of Sri Lanka.
Accommodation in Belgium
For accommodating the interests of the minority and the majority, Belgium adopted a unique system of power sharing. They recognized the existence of regional differences and cultural diversities. Between 1970 and 1993, they amended their constitution 4 times. The arrangement is very unique and innovative.
The Belgian Model of Governance Ø
The French and Dutch-speaking ministers are in the central government. Some special laws require the support of majority of members from each linguistic group.Thus, no single community canmake decisions unilaterally.
Many powers of the central government have been given to state governments of the two regions of the country. They are not subordinate to the centre.
Why is Power Sharing Desirable?
Prudential Reason: -
Moral Reason: -
Forms of Power Sharing
The idea of power sharing has emerged in opposition to the notions of undivided political power. For a long time, it was believed that all power of a government must reside in one person or group of a person located at one place.
One basic principle of power sharing is that people are the source of all political power. 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 politics. Therefore, it follows that in a democracy political power should be distributed among as many citizens as possible.
Power is shared among different organs of the government:
such as the legislature, executive, and judiciary. Let us call this horizontal distribution of power because it allows different organs of the government placed at the same level to exercise different powers. ln this kind of government each organ checks the others. This results in a balance of power among various institutions.
This arrangement is called’ a system of checks and balances. e.g. India. Ministers and government officials exercise power but at the same time they are responsible to the Parliament or State; and although the Judges are appointed by the executive, they can check the functioning of executive or laws made by the legislature.
Power may also be shared among different social groups –
1. What is power sharing? |
2. Why is power sharing important in a democracy? |
3. What are the different forms of power sharing? |
4. How does power sharing promote unity and integrity in a country? |
5. Are there any disadvantages of power sharing? |
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