Chapter 1 - Power Sharing - Political science (Civics) - Notes

Introduction:

• Power sharing is a crucial aspect of any democratic government.
• It ensures that power is distributed among different groups and institutions to prevent the concentration of power in one hand.

Forms of Power Sharing:

Horizontal Division of Power:

• Power is divided among different organs of government (executive, legislature and judiciary) to prevent one from becoming too powerful.
• It's also known as the 'separation of powers.'

Vertical Division of Power:

• Power is shared between different levels of government – national, state, and local.
• It's also known as 'federalism' and helps in accommodating regional diversity.

Community-based Power Sharing:

• Power is shared among different communities, ethnic groups, or linguistic groups.
• It is essential in diverse societies to prevent conflicts and ensure the representation of all.

Political Parties:

• Political parties play a significant role in power sharing by participating in elections and forming governments.
• They represent various interests and ideologies.

Power Sharing in Belgium:

• Belgium is a classic example of community-based power sharing.
• Power sharing in Belgium is a unique and complex system designed to accommodate the linguistic and cultural diversity within the country.
• Belgium is divided into two major linguistic communities: the Dutch-speaking Flemish community (Flanders) which is 59% and the French-speaking Walloon community (Wallonia) which is 40%. There is also a small German-speaking community.
• The capital, Brussels, is officially bilingual where 80% people speak French and 20% Dutch language.
• The French-speaking minority was quite wealthy and strong. This made the Dutch-speaking people upset because they got the advantages of economic growth and education much later.
• Each community has its own government, and power is divided along linguistic lines.
• In the 1950s and 1960s, problems arose between the Dutch-speaking and French-speaking groups because of these differences.

Power sharing in Belgium is a way to handle the country's different languages and cultures. It works as fallowing way:

• Different Parts: Belgium is divided into regions, like Flanders and Wallonia, and each has its own government. They manage things like education and roads.
• Different Communities: There are also language communities, like the Flemish and French communities. They look after culture and education for their own language group.
• Brussels: Brussels is the capital, and it's bilingual, which means people can use both Dutch and French there. Both language communities have a say in Brussels.
• Sharing Power: The government is made up of parties from different communities. This way, no single group can have all the power. They have to work together.
• Protecting Minorities: People have the right to use their own language in schools, government, and media. This helps protect the rights of both Dutch and French speakers.
• Challenges: Sometimes, there are disagreements between the Dutch-speaking and French-speaking communities. This can make it hard to form a government.

Accommodation in Belgium

From 1970 to 1993, Belgium's constitution was amended four times to find a solution that would allow everyone to live together harmoniously. The main elements for accommodation are following:

• Federalism: Belgium is structured as a federal state, which means power is divided between the central government and regional governments. This division allows regions like Flanders and Wallonia to have autonomy in various policy areas.
• Community-based Governance: Belgium recognizes linguistic communities (Flemish, French, and German-speaking) and has separate community governments responsible for cultural and educational affairs within their respective linguistic groups.
• Proportional Representation: Belgium's electoral system is designed to ensure that political parties from different linguistic communities are proportionally represented in government. This promotes cooperation among communities.
• Regional Autonomy: Regions have significant autonomy, particularly in areas like education, culture, and transportation. They can make laws and policies tailored to their specific needs.
• Bilingual Brussels: Brussels-Capital Region is officially bilingual, allowing residents to access public services in Dutch or French.

These modalities help Belgium manage its linguistic and cultural diversity while maintaining a unified and democratic system of governance.

Power Sharing in Sri Lanka:

Power sharing in Sri Lanka has been a complex and contentious issue due to the country's ethnic diversity, primarily between the Sinhala majority and the Tamil minority. Following are the power-sharing dynamics in Sri Lanka:

• Sri Lanka, formerly known as Ceylon, gained independence from British colonial rule in 1948. The island nation has a diverse population about 2 crore with different ethnicities, including Sinhalese, Tamils (both Sri Lankan Tamils and Indian Tamils), and Muslims.
• Ethnic tensions between the Sinhala (74%) and Tamil communities (18%) escalated over issues such as language policies, discrimination, and political representation.
• The Tamil communities are divided in two group – Sri Lankan Tamils (13%) and Indian Tamils (5%) who was came from India during colonial period.
• The demand for a separate Tamil state, known as Tamil Eelam, led to a prolonged civil conflict, with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) fighting for Tamil rights and independence.
• Sinhala People follow Buddhism and Tamils are fallow Hinduism. About 7% people are Christians in both communities.

Majoritarianism in Sri Lanka

Majoritarianism in Sri Lanka refers to a political ideology and practice where decisions and policies are driven by the majority community's interests, often at the expense of minority communities. In the Sri Lankan context, this predominantly involves the Sinhala majority community exerting political and cultural dominance over the Tamil and other minority communities.

• In 1948, Sri Lanka became an independent country. The majority of people there were from the Sinhala community, so they formed the government.
• The "Sinhala Only" policy in 1956 made Sinhala the sole official language, which marginalized Tamil-speaking minorities, particularly Sri Lankan Tamils.
• The government started to favor Sinhala people when it came to university positions and government jobs. These made the Sri Lankan Tamils feel left out and like they didn't have the same rights.
• In Sri Lanka, this has manifested in policies that promote Sinhala language, culture, and Buddhism, while marginalizing Tamil and Muslim communities.
• Sri Lankan Tamils believed that the Constitution and government policies were unfair. They felt they were treated badly when it came to jobs and education, and their interests were ignored.
• Because of this, the relationship between the Sinhala and Tamil communities got worse. Sri Lankan Tamils started forming parties and fighting for Tamil to be an official language, more self-governance in their regions, and equal chances for education and jobs.
• However, the government repeatedly said no to these requests, which made the distrust between the two communities even worse.
• This distrust turned into a big conflict, and it became a civil war. This war caused a lot of harm, with thousands of people from both communities losing their lives. 
• The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), a militant group, emerged in response to perceived discrimination and violence against Tamils, and it sought an independent Tamil state.
• Majoritarianism has been associated with violence and human rights abuses in Sri Lanka. The civil war, which lasted nearly three decades, resulted in significant loss of life and suffering on all sides.
• Many families had to leave the country as refugees, and even more lost their jobs and homes.
• Finally, in 2009, the civil war ended. But it had caused a lot of damage to the social, cultural, and economic life of the country.

What lessons do the stories of Belgium and Sri Lanka teach us?

• From the stories of Belgium and Sri Lanka, we see that they are both democracies, but they handle power-sharing in different ways.
• In Belgium, leaders have understood that keeping the country together means listening to the different communities and regions. This has led to agreements that everyone can agree on for sharing power.
• In Sri Lanka, it's a different story. When the majority group tries to control everything and doesn't want to share power, it can harm the unity of the country.

Why is Power Sharing Important?

• It promotes inclusiveness and prevents the domination of one group.
• It fosters the spirit of cooperation and reduces conflicts.
• In diverse societies, power sharing helps maintain unity and stability.
• It ensures that decisions are taken with the consent of all, making governance more democratic.

Some Common Forms of Power Sharing

Power sharing can take several forms in a democratic society, and these forms can vary depending on the country's specific context and needs. Some common forms of power sharing are:

• Horizontal Division of Power:
• In this form, power is divided among different branches or organs of the government. Typically, this includes the executive (responsible for implementing laws), the legislature (responsible for making laws), and the judiciary (responsible for interpreting and upholding the laws). The separation of powers prevents any single branch from becoming too powerful and potentially abusing its authority.  Example - India
• Vertical Division of Power (Federalism):
• Power is shared between different levels of government, such as a central government and state or provincial governments. Each level of government has its own set of responsibilities and areas of jurisdiction. Federal systems help accommodate regional diversity and provide local autonomy. Example – USA (United State of America)
• Community-based Power Sharing:
• In societies with diverse ethnic, linguistic, or religious communities, power is shared among these different groups. This ensures that various communities have a say in governance and prevents the domination of one community over others. Community-based power sharing often involves special provisions or protections for minority communities. Example- Belgium
• Political Parties:
• Political parties play a significant role in power sharing by participating in elections and forming governments. Different parties represent various interests, ideologies, and constituencies. The party or coalition that wins an election forms the government and exercises power on behalf of the people. Example- United Kingdom
• Consociationalism:
• Consociational democracies are characterized by power sharing arrangements that aim to accommodate multiple ethnic, religious, or linguistic groups. In such systems, different communities have a guaranteed share of power and positions in government, often through quotas or proportionality. Example- Switzerland
• Devolution of Power:
• In devolved systems, power is transferred from a central government to lower levels, such as regions or local governments. These lower levels of government have significant decision-making authority in specific policy areas. Devolution helps address regional disparities and promotes local governance. Scotland
• Electoral Systems:
• Electoral systems, such as proportional representation, can influence power sharing. These systems ensure that political parties gain representation in proportion to their share of the vote, which can help include a broader range of voices in government. Example- Germany
• Minority Rights and Protections:
• Ensuring the protection of minority rights is a form of power sharing. This includes legal safeguards and measures to protect the rights, culture, and identity of minority groups within a society. Example- Canada
• Referendums and Direct Democracy:
• Some power-sharing mechanisms involve direct participation of citizens in decision-making processes through referendums and initiatives. This allows people to have a direct say in specific policy decisions. Example- Switzerland

These are some of the common forms of power sharing in democratic societies. The specific combination and implementation of these forms can vary widely from one country to another, depending on the country's history, constitution, and social dynamics.