Politics ch1 Power sharing notes

Ch-1 Politics Power sharing

Notes

 power sharing - When the power does not rest with any one organ of the state rather it is shared amont legislature , executive and judiciary.

Ethnic composition in Belgium

Ø  Belgium is a small country in Europe .

Ø  Smaller in area than state of Haryana –population just over one crore

Ø  It has border joining France , Netherland, Germany and luxemberg

Ø  59% livesin Flemish region and speaks Dutch

Ø  40 % live in Walonia and speaks French

Ø  1% German

Ø  French speaking minority and Dutch speaking majority

Ø  In capital city Brussel

Ø  80 % French speaking and

Ø  20% Dutch speaking

Ø  Minority French speaking community was very rich & powerful and dominated Dutch speaking community.

Ø  This was resented by Dutch speaking community who got aeudcation and economic development much later.

Ø  This created tension betn both the communities.

Ø  In capital city problem was more intense as French speaking community constituted majority.

Belgium accommodation

Ø  Number of Dutch and French speaking ministers shall

Ø  be equal in the Central Government

Ø  Some special laws require the support of majority of

Ø  members from each linguistic group.

Ø  No single community can make decisions unilaterally

Ø  Many powers of the central government have been given to

Ø  state governments of the two regions of the country.

Ø  The state governments are not subordinate to the Central

Ø  Government.

Ø  Brussels has a separate government in which both the

Ø  communities have equal representation.

Ø  There is a third kind of government called 'community

Ø  government' which is elected by people belonging to one

Ø  language community -Dutch, French and German-speaking-no

Ø  matter where they live.

Ø  The community government has the power regarding cultural,

Effect

Ø  It brought peac and stability in politics in entire country.

Ethnic composition in SriLanka

Ø  Srilanka on the southern coast of Tamil Nadu .Population just over 2 crores about same as in Haryana

Ø  Major social groups

Ø  Sinhala speakers 74 % -people were mostly buddhist

Ø  Tamil speakers 18 % -Hindus or Muslims

Ø  Tamils 2 groups

Ø  North and east of the country Tamil natives (srilankan Tamils(13%)

Ø  Tamil Indians whose forefathers were from India worked as planation workers  Indian Tamils

Ø  7% Chiristians who were both Tamil and Sinhala.

Ø  Sinhala community tried to dget dominance over govt. by virtue of their authority.could have imposed their view on entire community.

Srilanka accomodation

Ø  In 1956 Act passed to recognize Sinhala as official language,

Ø  Govt. followed preferential policy that favoured Sinhala applicants for university positionand govt. jobs.

Ø  Buddhism as state religion was recognized

Effect

Ø  Tamils feeling alienated and sensitive to their language and culture.

Ø  They felt discriminated because of govt. policies and ignored their interest

Ø  Tamils lauched parties and struggle for recognition

Ø  Effect in Srilanka

Ø  Widespread conflict

Ø  Thousands fof people of both communities kkilled .

Ø  Many families were forced to leave the country and become refugees

Ø  It caused  a terrible setback to the social,cultural and economic life of the country

Why power sharing is necessary

1.    Reduces possibility of conflict between social groups

2.    It ensures stability of political order and strengthens unity of the nation

3.    It is more beneficial and practical

4.    Power sharing is the essence of ddemocracy

5.    A democratic rule involves sharing power with those affected by the exercise and who have to live with its effects. People have a right to be consulted on how they are to be governed.

Different forms of power sharing

Horizontal division of power sharing-power is shared among different organs of the govt. legislature , executive and judiciary.This ensures that none of the organ can exercise unlimited power.

Vertical division of power.Power can be shared among govt. at diff levels govt general for the entire country. Govt. at the regional and provincial level.such as municipal and panchayat level

Divison of power among social groups-The countries having community govt. share the power among diff social groups, such as the religious and linguistic groups. Ex Belgium

Division of power among political parties , pressure groups and movements.

political parties , pressure groups and movements. Help in controlling or influencing those who are in power.