CBSE Class 10 Civics - 1 || Power Sharing || Full Chapter || By Shiksha House

Summary

The video script compares Sri Lanka's majoritarian approach to cultural diversity with Belgium's policy of accommodation. Sri Lanka's post-independence policies led to a civil war, while Belgium's balanced governance and recognition of linguistic communities fostered stability. The script highlights the importance of power-sharing in democracy, illustrating it through horizontal and vertical distribution, reservations for marginalized groups, and coalition governments, emphasizing its role in reducing conflicts and enhancing citizen participation.

Takeaways

• 🌍 Sri Lanka, with a population of two crores, is an island nation with a diverse cultural and linguistic landscape.
• 🗣️ The majority of Sri Lanka's population, 74%, are Sinhala-speaking Buddhists, while 18% are Tamil speakers, divided into Indian Tamils and Sri Lankan Tamils.
• 🏛️ Sri Lanka's post-independence policy of majoritarianism led to the Sinhala Only Act and the establishment of Buddhism as the national religion, marginalizing the Tamil community.
• 🔥 The marginalization resulted in an upheaval and the demand for a separate Tamil Eelam, leading to a prolonged civil war and hindering Sri Lanka's development.
• 🇧🇪 Belgium, with a population of around one crore, has a linguistically divided society with Dutch, French, and German speakers, each concentrated in different regions.
• 🤝 Belgium's approach to diversity was one of accommodation, ensuring equal representation in government and addressing cultural and linguistic concerns through a community government.
• 🏙️ Brussels, the capital of Belgium, has a unique bilingual governance structure with equal representation of French and Dutch speakers.
• 🌐 Brussels' successful accommodation of diverse communities led to it being chosen as the headquarters of the European Union, symbolizing unity in diversity.
• 🔄 The contrasting approaches of Sri Lanka and Belgium highlight the importance of power-sharing to ensure stability and unity in a diverse society.
• 🏛️ Power-sharing can take various forms, including horizontal distribution among different government organs and vertical division among different levels of government.
• 👥 In India, power-sharing extends beyond government to include social groups, with reservations for minority and weaker sections, and representation for women.
• 🤝 Power-sharing among political parties, pressure groups, and movements is common, influencing policy-making and ensuring diverse interests are represented.

Q & A

What is the population of Sri Lanka and what are the main language groups?

Sri Lanka has a population of two crores, with 74% Sinhala speakers, 18% Tamil speakers (which includes 5% Indian Tamils and 13% Sri Lankan Tamils), and 7% Christians.

What was the outcome of Sri Lanka's majoritarian approach to cultural diversity after independence?

The majoritarian approach led to the enactment of the Sinhala Only Act, special policies favoring Sinhala speakers in education and government, and the declaration of Buddhism as the national religion, which resulted in a sense of alienation among Sri Lankan Tamils.

What were the objectives of the Tamil upheaval in Sri Lanka?

The objectives were to recognize Tamil as an official language, achieve social and political equality, and establish regional sovereignty, eventually leading to demands for a separate Tamil Eelam.

How did the Tamil upheaval in Sri Lanka evolve and what were its consequences?

The upheaval grew into a demand for a separate Tamil Eelam in the 1980s, leading to a prolonged civil war that caused widespread disorder and hindered Sri Lanka's development.

What is the demographic composition of Belgium in terms of language?

Belgium has a population of around 11 million, with 59% speaking Dutch in the Flemish region, 40% speaking French in the Wallonia region, and 1% speaking German.

How did Belgium address the tensions between the Dutch and French-speaking communities?

Belgium adopted an accommodation approach, ensuring equal representation of Dutch and French-speaking ministers in the central government, and establishing separate governments in Brussels with equal representation.

What is the significance of the community government in Belgium?

The community government, elected by community members, deals with cultural, educational, and language-associated concerns, ensuring that neither French nor Dutch speakers can make unilateral decisions.

Why did the European Union choose Brussels as its headquarters?

Brussels was chosen to highlight the importance of accommodating many communities with various cultures and languages under one body, reflecting Belgium's successful policy of accommodation.

What are the two major reasons that make power sharing in a democracy desirable?

The two major reasons are Prudential, which increases the constancy of political order by reducing clashes between social groups, and Maru, which makes the government legitimate, responsible, and responsive to the people.

What are the different forms of power sharing mentioned in the script?

The forms include horizontal distribution of power among different organs of government, vertical division of power at different levels of government, reservations for alienated groups in government, and power sharing among political parties, pressure groups, and movements.

How does power sharing among different organs of government work?

It involves a horizontal distribution of power, where each organ (legislature, executive, judiciary) holds parallel positions and checks the others, resulting in a balance of power and a system of checks and balances.