Revision: Political Science (Democratic Politics-II) >> Power-sharing Social Science English Medium Class 10 CBSE

A federal government is a system in which power is divided between a central government and state or regional governments.

A belief that the majority community should be able to rule a country in whichever way it wants, by disregarding the wishes and needs of the minority.

Civil War is a violent conflict between opposing groups within a country that becomes so intense that it appears like a war.

• The idea of power sharing opposes the belief that all power should be with one person or group.
• Democracy is based on the principle that people are the source of all political power.
• Horizontal power sharing divides power among the legislature, executive, and judiciary through checks and balances.
• Vertical power sharing divides power between central, state, and local governments, also called the federal division of power.
• Power is also shared among social groups to give minorities and weaker sections fair representation.
• Political parties, pressure groups, and movements share power by influencing or forming governments.
• Power sharing ensures participation, balance, and respect for diversity in a democratic system.

• Power sharing is desirable because it reduces conflict between different social groups.
• It helps maintain political stability and prevents violence and instability.
• Majoritarianism may seem useful in the short term, but it harms national unity in the long run.
• The tyranny of the majority negatively affects both minorities and the majority itself.
• Power sharing is the core spirit of democracy, as people have the right to be consulted in governance.
• A legitimate democratic government is one where citizens participate and have a stake in the system.
• Prudential reasons support power sharing for better outcomes, while moral reasons value it as a democratic principle.

• Belgium amended its Constitution four times between 1970 and 1993 to manage diversity.
• The Constitution provides equal representation to Dutch- and French-speaking ministers.
• No single community can take decisions alone in the central government.
• State governments have strong powers and are not subordinate to the centre.
• Brussels has a separate government with equal representation of both communities.
• A community government handles cultural, educational, and language matters.
• Belgium shows that power sharing ensures unity, while Sri Lanka shows that majoritarianism weakens unity.

• Sri Lanka became independent in 1948, and the Sinhala majority tried to establish dominance in government.
• In 1956, Sinhala was declared the only official language, ignoring the Tamil language.
• Government policies favoured Sinhala people in education, jobs, and protected Buddhism by the constitution.
• These actions created alienation among Sri Lankan Tamils, who demanded equality, regional autonomy, and recognition of Tamil.
• By the 1980s, demands turned into a civil war, which caused heavy loss of life and ended in 2009.