Class X
Civics
Unit I – Power Sharing
Notes
The three organs
of the State:
Legislature
Executive
Judiciary
(Press, that is,
news media, is called the fourth estate of democracy.)
The case of
Belgium:
A small country in Europe, smaller
than Haryana
Area of Belgium: 30,000 km2
Area of Haryana: 44,000 km2
Population: One crore (Haryana’s
population: 2.5 crores)
Neighbours – Netherlands, France, Germany
Ethnic composition of the country:
59% in Dutch-speakers
(relatively poorer)
40% in French-speakers
(relatively richer)
1% German speakers
The word ethnic means ‘relating to a group of people sharing
a common and distinctive racial / national / religious / linguistic / cultural
heritage.
Capital city of Belgium: Brussels
Ethnic composition of Brussels:
80% French-speakers
20% Dutch-speakers
Constitutional policies:
Equal number of French and Dutch speaking ministers at the Center
State governments are not subordinate to the Center
A separate government for Brussels with equal representation
for both communities
Community government, apart from Center and state
government, with powers over issues related to culture, education and language
Brussels is the
headquarters of the European Union.
The case of
Sri Lanka:
An island nation in south Asia, off
the coast of Tamil Nadu
Population: 2 crores; area: 65,610 km2
Ethnic composition:
74% Sinhala-speakers (mostly Buddhist)
18%
Tamil-speakers (mostly Hindu or Muslim)
13% Sri Lankan
Tamils & 5% Indian Tamils
7% Christians
Year of independence: 1948
1956: Legislation making Sinhala the
only official language
Religious policy: in favour of
Buddhism
1980s: Demand for an independent Tamil Eelam (state)
resulting in a civil war, a serious setback to national development
The myth of the pre-democracy period: Less power means
weaker government.
Principle of
democracy: People are the source of all political power.
The Lebanon
model:
President from the Maronite sect of
Catholic Christians
Prime Minister: Sunni Muslim
Deputy Prime Minister: Orthodox
Christian
Speaker: Shia Muslim
Majoritarianism: Domination
by the majority community over the minority disregarding the feelings and
sentiments of the latter
The
advantages of sharing power:
Prudential:
Reduces
possibility of conflict between social groups
Offers
better scope for stability of political order
Moral:
Strengthens
the spirit of democracy
Ensures
citizens’ participation in governance
Prudential reasons are based on long-term profit and loss
calculations.
Moral reasons are based on what is right and what is wrong.
Forms of power sharing:
1
Power sharing among the organs of the government (the
legislature, the executive and the judiciary)
It’s a horizontal distribution.
It ensures separation of powers and a system of checks and
balances.
2
Power sharing among different levels of the government
(center, state and local)
It’s a federal / vertical division of power.
3
Power sharing among different social groups, for instance,
through reservation policy / community government
4
Power sharing among political parties / pressure groups /
unions as in the case of a coalition government
Nice notes
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