NCERT Summary: Power Sharing
Case study: Story of Belgium
Belgium is a small European country with a population described in the input as a little over one crore. The country's ethnic and linguistic composition is complex and has shaped its political arrangements.
- About 59 percent of the population live in the Flemish region and speak Dutch.
- About 40 percent live in the Wallonia region and speak French.
- About 1 percent speak German.
- In the capital, Brussels, roughly 80 percent of people speak French and 20 percent speak Dutch.
- The French-speaking community was relatively more prosperous and powerful earlier, while the Dutch-speaking community benefited from economic development and education later; this created tensions in the 1950s and 1960s.
Accommodation in Belgium
Belgium solved its communal tensions through constitutional and institutional reforms. The Belgian constitution was amended four times between 1970 and 1993 to accommodate communities. The key elements of the Belgian model include:
- The constitution requires that the number of Dutch-speaking and French-speaking ministers be equal in the central government.
- Many powers of the central government were devolved to the governments of the two main regions, giving regions control over a range of matters.
- Brussels was given a separate government in which both language communities have equal representation.
- There is provision for community governments elected by people belonging to a language community; these governments have powers over cultural, educational and language-related issues.
These arrangements helped reduce conflict by ensuring that each community had formal representation and control over issues that concerned them directly.
Case study: Story of Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka is an island nation south of India. The input describes its population as about two crore people and highlights the main social groups and their distribution:
- Sinhalese (about 74 percent) are the majority and are mostly Buddhists.
- Tamils (about 18 percent) are the principal minority and most of the Tamils are Hindus, but there are also some Muslims and Christians
- Tamils are further categorised into two groups:
Sri Lankan Tamils (about 13 percent), who are native to the island
Indian Tamils (about 5 percent), who came from India during the colonial period as plantation workers. - About 7 percent of the population are Christians, including both Tamils and Sinhalese.
Majoritarianism and its consequences in Sri Lanka
The democratically elected government in Sri Lanka adopted a series of measures that established the dominance of the Sinhalese majority. The input lists some of these decisions and their outcomes:
- The government made Sinhala the only official language.
- Preferential policies were followed that favoured Sinhala applicants for university places and government jobs.
- These measures created a strong feeling of alienation among the Tamil population.
- Tamils formed political parties and movements demanding recognition for Tamil as an official language, regional autonomy, and equal opportunities in education and employment.
- By the 1980s several political organisations began demanding an independent Tamil Eelam (a separate state) in the northern and eastern parts of Sri Lanka.
- The conflict escalated into a prolonged Civil War.
Comparing the two cases
- Belgium addressed linguistic division through institutional accommodation, constitutional amendments and power devolution so that different language communities gained representation and control over cultural and educational matters.
- Sri Lanka followed majoritarian policies that gave the majority community exclusive privileges; this created alienation, demands for autonomy and eventually violent conflict.
- Belgium's approach emphasised inclusion and shared institutions; Sri Lanka's approach emphasised majority preferences and reduced minority protections.
The chapter explains power sharing - the practice of distributing political power among different institutions, social groups and levels of government so that no single group can monopolise decision making. Power sharing reduces conflict, strengthens democracy and helps diverse societies live together peacefully. The following sections present clear definitions, the principal forms of power sharing, two case studies (Belgium and Sri Lanka), reasons for power sharing, its advantages and problems, and a brief concluding summary.
What is power sharing?
Power sharing is the distribution of power among different organs of government, different levels of government and different social groups. It is both a political arrangement and a democratic principle: those affected by public decisions should share in making them. Power sharing is not merely about creating institutions; it is also about recognising and protecting different identities and interests within a polity.
Why is power sharing desirable?
- Power sharing reduces the possibility of conflict between social groups by giving them a stake in governance.
- It protects the rights and interests of minorities and prevents domination by a single majority group.
- Power sharing is a core democratic value: democracy involves sharing power with those affected by its exercise and who have to live with its outcomes.
- It promotes stability and political accommodation in diverse societies, making governance more acceptable and legitimate.
Forms of power sharing
Modern democracies share power in multiple ways. The principal forms are described below with simple explanations and examples.
Horizontal distribution of power
This is the division of power among different organs of government - the legislature, the executive and the judiciary. Each organ has distinct functions and checks the others to prevent concentration of power.
Example: India's separation and mutual checking of powers among the legislature, executive and judiciary.
Vertical distribution of power (Federalism)
Power is divided between the central (national) government and governments at provincial, state or regional levels. Each level has specified powers and functions so that local diversity can be respected while maintaining national unity.
Example: The United States of America (USA) is a federal country where powers are divided between the federal government and state governments.
Power sharing among social groups
Power can be shared by creating institutions that give representation to different religious, linguistic or ethnic communities. These arrangements recognise group identities and allocate authority or representation so that members of different communities can protect their cultural, educational and language interests.
Example: The community governments in Belgium that deal with cultural, educational and language-related matters.
Power sharing among political actors
Power is also shared through political parties, coalitions, and by allowing pressure groups and social movements to influence policy. This includes electoral competition, coalition governments and mechanisms that ensure diverse voices are included in decision making.
Advantages of power sharing
- Reduces the possibility of conflict among social groups.
- Makes democracy more inclusive by involving affected groups in decision making.
- Protects minority rights and cultural identities.
- Enhances political stability and legitimacy.
FAQs on NCERT Summary: Power Sharing
| 1. What is power sharing and why does it matter in a democracy? |  |
| 2. How does horizontal power sharing work differently from vertical power sharing? | |
| 3. What are the main examples of power sharing arrangements in Belgium and Sri Lanka? | |
| 4. Why did Sri Lanka's approach to minorities fail compared to Belgium's power sharing model? | |
| 5. What role do federalism and coalition governments play in power sharing for CBSE Class 10 students? | |
