Study Material

1. What are the different forms of power sharing in modern democracies ? Give an example of each of these.       

   A.   In modern democracies power sharing arrangements can take many forms :

          i)  Power sharing among different organs of government : In this form of power sharing, power is shared among different organs of government, such as the legislature, executive and judiciary. This type of distribution ensures separation of powers among the organs at the same level, so that none of the organ can exercise unlimited power. Each organ puts a check on the others in order to maintain balance of power under the system of checks and balances.

              Example : India.

         ii)  Power can be shared among governments at different levels : 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.

         iii)  Power may also be shared among different social groups : Power can 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.

        iv)  Power sharing among 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. 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, either through participation in governmental committees or by influencing the decision - making process.

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

   A.   Prudential Reason : 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.

         Moral Reason : 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 reasons for power sharing.

   3.   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 divisions.

          Ouseph-Every society needs some form of power sharing even if it is small or does not have social divisions.

   A.   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.

   4.   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.

   A.   No, 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.

   5.   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. Giving 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."

   A.   The prudential reason which is cited in the passage will lead to increase in administrative proficiency and will lead to lesser number of middleman and this will, in turn, led to increased participation of people at the grass root level and less corruption.

   6.   Different arguments are usually put forth in favour of and against power sharing. Identify those which are in favour of power sharing and select the answer using the codes given below ? Power sharing :

          A.   the possibility of arbitrariness

          C.   delays decision making process

          D.  accommodates diversities

          E.    increases instability and divisiveness

          F. promotes people’s participation in government

          G.  undermines the unity of a country

              a) A B D F                                               b) A C E F                  

              c) A B D G                                               d) B C D G

    A.  a) A B D F

   7.   Consider the following statements about power sharing arrangements in Belgium and Sri Lanka.

         A) In Belgium, the Dutch-speaking majority people tried to impose their domination on the minority French-speaking community.

         B) In Sri Lanka, the policies of the government sought to ensure the dominance of the Sinhala-speaking majority.

         C) The Tamils in Sri Lanka demanded a federal arrangement of power sharing to protect their culture, language and equality of opportunity in education and jobs.

         D) The transformation of Belgium from unitary government to a federal one prevented a possible division of the country on linguistic lines.

          Which of the statements given above are correct ?

          a) A, B, C and D    b) A, B and D              c) C and D                     d) B, C and D

   A.   (d) B, C and D.

    8. Match List I (forms of power sharing) with List II (forms of government) and select the correct answer using the codes given below in the lists :

                                List - I                                                           List - II

           1.   Power shared among different                A.  Community government.

                 organs of government.

           2.   Power shared among                                B. Separation of powers.

                 governments at different levels.

           3.   Power shared by different social             C.  Coalition government.

                 groups.

           4.   Power shared by two or more                 D.  Federal government.

                 political parties.

             

                

   A.   (c) B, D, A, C

    9. Consider the following two statements on power sharing and select the answer using the codes given below :

          A. Power sharing is good for democracy.

          B.  It helps to reduce the possibility of conflict between social groups.

              Which of these statements are true and false ?

              a) A is true but B is false                 

              b) Both A and B are true

              c) Both A and B are false                

              d) A is false but B is true

A.        b) Both A and B are true

 

Questions given in the Lesson

   1.   Why do we start by talking of this ?

   A.   Sharing of power does not always mean weakening the country. Sometimes, it may create the problem by delaying decisions which are for the welfare of the people but many times it creates the possibilities of better decision making.

         a)  It ensures that people coming from different spheres have 'say' in the government.

         b)  It also ensures that maximum people can participate in the government making decision more democratic.

         c)  It also helps in reducing conflict between different social groups hence, make country more powerful.

   2.   What's wrong if the majority community rules ? If Sinhalas don't rule in Srilanka, where else will they rule ?

   A.   If a majority community rules, then there will be conflicts in that society or country, and there will be a feeling of loneliness that will be developed among the minority community. There should be power sharing between Sinhalas and Tamils there should not be rule of anyone, there should be power sharing between the different communities.

   3.   What kind of a solution is this ? I am glad our Constitution does not say which minister will come from which community.          

   A.  Yes, because of secularism, the constitution does not specify which minister will come from which community. Secularism says that neither religion nor community will have any influence over how the government operates. The principles of equality, fraternity and brotherhood are enshrined in our constitution. In the distant past, communities would produce leaders. Our India has declared itself to be a secular nation and is a democratic nation. India as a nation does not wish to offend other religions. It is well known fact that in democracies the majority controls the government. Majority, however does not just refer to the majority of people in terms of their community or religion. True majority refers to the majority of opinions.

   4.   So you are saying that sharing of power makes us more powerful. Sounds odd ! Let me think.

   A.   Yes, sharing of power makes us more powerful. But infact it strengthens and creates a unity between the institutions involved. It may appear to be insensible as sharing means dividing and dividing means weakening. Power sharing is very effective in the long run as chances of disputes and conflicts among majority and minority is lowered. It maintains stability in political order by balancing power distribution. It ensures democracy in a country and it reduces conflicts between diverse social groups and communities. Power sharing helps in maintaining a balance of power between the different organs of the government and reduces concentration of power.

   5.   In my school, the class monitor changes every month. Is that what you call a power sharing arrangement ?

   A.   Changing of class monitor every month cannot be called a power sharing arrangement. Because, in power sharing arrangement, different institutions and different groups which exercise their power and check the actions of each other through their power. This power sharing arrangement is also called a system of checks and balances.

1.Look at the maps of Belgium and Srilanka on page no. 2 and page no. 3. and answer me in which region, do you find concentration of different communities ?

      

   A.   Belgium : Incase of Belgium, there are two major linguistic groups.

         1)  French Speaking people and

         2)  Dutch speaking people.

          Most of the French speaking people live in the wallonia (Northern region) while Dutch speaking people live in the Flemish (Southern region). The capital city has a ratio 4 : 1 of the French and Dutch speaking people. The German speaking people live in the eastern Belgium.

         Sri Lanka : In Sri Lanka, Sinhalese cover a wider region. Except or the northern and eastern central region and a small region in the Southern Sri Lanka, Sinhalese live throughout the country. Sri Lankan Tamils are concentrated in the northern and eastern coastal region. Indian Tamils are concentrated in the northern, central and southern regions. Muslims have sporadic distribution throughout the country.

1.    What does the image represent ?

 

   A.   The cartoon refers to the problems of running a coalition government. If any one party fails to get a majority, a coalition government is formed consisting of different parties. Coalition governments are rife with conflicts among coalition partners, decision making becomes slow and that generally results in the fall of the government as the partners in the coalition fight to be incharge of the government. Just as having two steering wheels in a car can make it directionless as the two drivers steer it in different directions, similarly coalition governments can become directionless as coalition partners jostle for power.

   2.   What according to this cartoon, is the relationship between democracy and concentration of power ? Can you think of some other examples to illustrate the point being made here ?

       

   A.   The two main leaders shown here in this cartoon are George W. Bush of USA and Vladimir Putin of Russia. According to this cartoon, the very idea of democracy is against the concept of concentration of power. The cartoon explains how the US and the Russian President have given them more powers in having a final say with regard to any policy decision and are controlling the democratic regimes of their respective country.

          Any other country where power distribution is not fair and is uneven can be cited as an example here. For example – when Sheikh Mujib Ur Rahman did the samething by declaring Bangladesh as a one party democracy and making his own party (Awami League) more dominant and powerful.

    1.  Read any newspaper for one week and make clippings of news related to on going conflicts or wars. A group of five students could pool their clippings together and do the following:

           i)  Classify these conflicts by their location (your state, India, outside India).

          ii)  Find out the cause of each of these conflicts. How many of these are related to power - sharing disputes?

        iii)  Which of these conflicts could be resolved by working out power - sharing arrangements?

    A. i)  Classify Conflicts by Location :

              1) Examine the news clippings and categorize conflicts based on their geographical location.

              2) Distinguish between conflicts within your state, those within India and those occurring outside India.

         ii)  Determine Causes of Conflicts :

              1) Analyze each conflict to understand its underlying causes and triggers.

              2) Identify whether any of the conflicts are related to disputes over power - sharing, where different groups or communities are vying for control or influence.

        iii)  Assess Feasibility of Power-Sharing :

              1) Evaluate whether power-sharing arrangements could potentially resolve any of the conflicts.

              2) Consider factors such as historical context, the willingness of involved parties to engage in power - sharing and the nature of the conflict.

              3) Note conflicts where power-sharing arrangements could be a viable solution.

              4) By following these steps, you can gain insights into the geographic distribution of conflicts, their root causes and the potential for resolving some of them through power-sharing mechanisms. This exercise will help you better understand the role of power - sharing in conflict resolution and its applicability in various scenarios.

 

   1.   Annette studies in a Dutch medium school in the northern region of Belgium. Many French-speaking students in her school want the medium of instruction to be French. Selvi studies in a school in the northern region of Sri Lanka. All the students in her school are Tamil-speaking and they want the medium of instruction to be Tamil.

          l   If  the parents of Annette and Selvi were to approach respective governments to realise the desire of the child, who is more likely to succeed? And why?

   A.   Annette's parents have a higher chance of success. Because in Belgium, the community government is elected by people who speak a single language, either Dutch, French, or German. This government has authority over cultural, educational and linguistic matters. The central government, on the other hand, is incharge of education in Srilanka. It is nearly impossible for ordinary citizens to consult the central government and force it to fix such an issue.

   2.   Here are some examples of power sharing. Which of the four types of power sharing do these represent ? Who is sharing power with whom ?

          i)  The Bombay High Court ordered the Maharashtra State Government to immediately take action and improve living conditions for the 2,000-odd children at seven children's homes in Mumbai.

         A.  This is an example of power sharing among different organs of the government. Here the power is shared between the judiciary and the executive.

          ii)  The government of Ontario state in Canada has agreed to a land claim settlement with the aboriginal community. The Minister responsible for Native Affairs announced that the government will work with aboriginal people in a spirit of mutual respect and cooperation.

         A.  This is an example of sharing of power among different social groups. Here, the power is shared between the aboriginals and other social groups.

        iii)  Russia's two influential political parties, the Union of Right Forces and the Liberal Yabloko movement, agreed to unite their organisations into a strong right - wing coalition. They propose to have a common list of candidates in the next parliamentary elections.

         A.  Political parties, pressure groups and movements control or influence power. Here, the power is being shared between SPS and the Liberal Yabloko movement. This is an example of power sharing arrangements in the way.

       iv)  The finance ministers of various states in Nigeria got together and demanded that the federal government declare its sources of income. They also wanted to know the formula by which the revenue is distributed to various State Governments.

         A.  This is an example of power sharing among governments at different levels. Here, the power is being shared between federal and state governments and also among the state governments.

   1.   Would you adopt the 'regular' rules followed everywhere, as Khalil suggests ? Or stick to the old rules ? Or do something else ?

            A.        In Lebanon, sticking to the agreement is giving universal franchise. If the rules of the Lebanon is providing all the people to cast vote and contest elections as per agreement of power sharing among different communities, I would not adopt the 'regular' rules followed everywhere, as Khalil suggests. I would stick to the rules made after agreement among different communities. I don't need to do something else.