Power Sharing Class 10 Civics Notes Chapter 1

Power Sharing Class 10 Civics Notes Chapter 1 is about the journey of democracy that we began last year. In a democracy, no single instrument of government has absolute authority. Thoughtful distribution of authority among the legislative, administration, and judiciary is critical to the formation of democracy. This part kicks off with two narratives from Sri Lanka and Belgium. Both of these narratives focus on how democracies manage power-sharing requests. The tales lead to some broad inferences about the importance of power-sharing in democratic societies. In this chapter, we’ll also learn about the various types of power sharing.

To access all the chapters of Social Science, visit CBSE Class 10 Social Science Notes which include notes on all four subjects- Geography, History, Civics, and Economics.

Board	CBSE
Textbook	NCERT, Democratic Politics
Class	10
Subject	Civics, Social Science
Chapter	1
Chapter Name	Political Parties
Category	Notes

Power Sharing Class 10 Civics Notes Chapter 1

Important Topics Covered in Civics Class 10 Chapter 1 Notes

Class 10 Civics Chapter 1 Notes cover the following topics:

• Story of Belgium
• Story of Sri Lanka
• Majoritarianism in Sri Lanka
• Accommodation in Belgium
• Why is Power Sharing Important?
• Forms of Power Sharing

1. Story of Belgium

Belgium is a very small European nation. It has a populace of about ten million people.  About 59% of the country’s overall population resides in the Flemish area and speaks Dutch. Another 40% of the population lives in Wallonia and speaks French. The remaining 1% of Belgians speak German. The small French-speaking population was wealthy and influential. This was opposed by the Dutch-speaking population, which benefited subsequently from economic growth and education. During the 1950s and 1960s, this created conflicts between the French-speaking and Dutch-speaking populations. In Brussels, tensions between the two groups were especially high.

Communities of Belgium

2. Story of Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is located to the south of the Indian Subcontinent. It has a population of about twenty million individuals. Like other countries in South Asia, Sri Lanka has a varied population. The majority of the population speaks Sinhala (74%), and Tamil (18%). The Sri Lankan Tamils comprise approximately 13% of the country’s population. The remainder is known as Indian Tamils. The majority of Sinhala-speaking individuals are Buddhists, whereas the majority of Tamils are Hindus or Muslims. 

There are approximately 7% of Christians are both Tamil and Sinhala. Assume what could happen in this scenario. In Belgium, the Dutch group could use its numerical dominance to impose its principles on the French and German-speaking populations. In Sri Lanka, the Sinhala community had a larger majority and could force its principles on the entire nation. Let us now examine what has occurred in both of these nations. 

Communities of Sri Lanka

Read More: Belgium and Sri Lanka

3. Majoritarianism in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka gained its independence in 1948. To create Sinhala dominance, the freely elected government enacted several majoritarian (the view that the majority group ought to be capable to rule the nation) measures. An act was enacted in 1956 to recognize Sinhala as the sole legal language, ignoring Tamil. 

The Sri Lankan Tamils believed that the constitution and government policies refused them equitable democratic rights, prejudiced against them in employment prospects, and disregarded their concerns. As a consequence, tensions between the Sinhala and Tamil populations have grown over time. By the 1980s, several political organizations had emerged in support of a separate Tamil Eelam (state). The dispute between the two groups quickly escalated into a Civil War. Thousands of people from both communities died in this war. The civil conflict has had a devastating impact on the country’s social, cultural, and economic existence. It came to an end in 2009. 

4. Accommodation in Belgium

Belgian officials chose a different approach. They modified their constitution four times between 1970 and 1993 to allow everyone to reside together in the same nation. Here are some aspects of the Belgian approach: 

1. The constitution requires that the number of Dutch and French-speaking officials in the central administration be equal. As a result, no single group can make choices on its own. 
2. Many central government responsibilities have been delegated to state administrations in the country’s two regions.
3. Brussels has an administration, with equal representatives for both populations.
4. A third type of government is the ‘Community Government,’ which is elected by individuals who speak the same tongue. This administration has authority over cultural, educational, and linguistic problems.

This religious paradigm has contributed to the avoidance of civil strife between the two main groups and the potential division of the nation along linguistic lines. When many European nations joined to create the European Union, Brussels was picked as its headquarters.

What do we learn from these two stories of Belgium and Sri Lanka?

Both countries are democracies. However, they approached the issue of power-sharing differently. Belgium’s leaders have realized that national unity can only be achieved by respecting the sentiments and interests of various communities and regions. This realization resulted in harmonious power-sharing agreements. Sri Lanka serves as a counterexample. It demonstrates how a majority society can erode national unity if it seeks to impose its domination over others and rejects to share authority.

5. Why is Power Sharing Desirable?

There are two kinds of justifications in favor of power sharing. Firstly, power sharing is beneficial since it reduces the likelihood of conflict between social groupings. A monarchy of the majority is not only burdensome to the minority; it frequently destroys the majority as well. There is a second, more profound reason why power sharing is beneficial to democracies. The principle of democracy is one of power sharing. A legitimate government is one in which citizens get a stake in the system via participation. We’ll call the first set of grounds Prudential, and the second is moral. The prudential grounds focus that power-sharing will provide better results, but the moral reasons highlight the action of power-sharing as important.

Read More: Why Power Sharing is desirable?

6. Forms of Power Sharing

In opposition to the conceptions of undivided political authority, the concept of power-sharing has evolved. One fundamental concept of democracy is that all political power comes from the people. Everyone has a say in how public policies are developed. Power-sharing mechanisms in modern democracies can take numerous kinds. Consider some of the most typical arrangements:

1. Power is distributed among many government organs. This is known as horizontal power distribution because it allows various organs of government located at the same level to exercise distinct powers. Each organ verifies the other. This arrangement is known as the check and balance system.
2. At several levels of government, power can be shared. Federal government refers to a broad government that governs the entire country. In different nations, the provincial or regional government is referred to by different names. In nations with several levels of government, the constitution precisely defines the powers of each level of government. This is known as the federal division of power. This arrangement is referred to as the vertical division of power.
3. Power can also be distributed across various social groupings. In several nations, constitutional and legal frameworks exist to ensure that socially disadvantaged groups and women get representation in governments and administration. This strategy is designed to ensure that minority populations have a fair amount of power.
4. Power-sharing relationships may also be evident in how political parties, pressure organizations, and movements control or influence persons in positions of authority. This takes the shape of rivalry among different parties in modern democracies. When two or more parties create an alliance to run for office, and if elected, they form a coalition government and so share power.

Read Further

1. Power Sharing
2. Why is Power Sharing Desirable?
3. Case Studies of Belgium and Sri Lanka

FAQs on Power Sharing Class 10 Civics Notes Chapter 1

What do you mean by the term ‘Power-sharing’?

Power sharing is the process of distributing a country’s or region’s authority among the various elements or organs of any given government. Several nations have reached the highest level of political stability with the assistance of this approach. Aside from it, power sharing entails sharing power among the various district levels.

What is Majoritarianism?

A view that the dominant community should be entitled to control a country in any way it sees fit, regardless of the preferences and requirements of the disadvantaged communities.

Name the different communities in Belgian.

About 59% of the country’s overall population resides in the Flemish area and speaks Dutch. Another 40% of the population lives in Wallonia and speaks French. The remaining 1% of Belgians speak German.

Name the different communities in Sri Lanka.

The majority of the population speaks Sinhala (74%), and Tamil (18%). The Sri Lankan Tamils comprise approximately 13% of the country’s population. The remainder is known as Indian Tamils. The majority of Sinhala-speaking individuals are Buddhists, whereas the majority of Tamils are Hindus or Muslims. There are approximately 7% of Christians are both Tamil and Sinhala.

What are the Forms of Power Sharing?

Power-sharing mechanisms in modern democracies can take numerous kinds. Consider some of the most typical arrangements:

1. Power is distributed among many government organs.
2. At several levels of government, power can be shared.
3. Power can also be distributed across various social groupings.
4. Power-sharing relationships may also be evident in how political parties, pressure organizations, and movements control or influence persons in positions of authority.