Power Sharing - Belgium and Sri Lanka

Vocabulary terms based on the lecture notes regarding power-sharing models in Belgium and Sri Lanka, including ethnic compositions and forms of governance.

Flemish region

The region in Belgium where $59\%$ of the population lives and speaks Dutch.

Wallonia region

The region in Belgium where $40\%$ of the population lives and speaks French.

Brussels

The capital city of Belgium where $80\%$ speak French and $20\%$ speak Dutch.

Sinhala

The majority language group in Sri Lanka making up $74\%$ of the population.

Sri Lankan Tamils

The native Tamil speakers of Sri Lanka who represent $13\%$ of the population.

Indian Tamils

The group of Tamils whose forefathers came from India as plantation workers during the colonial period, making up $5\%$ of the population.

Majoritarianism

A belief or set of measures adopted by a government to establish the supremacy of the majority community, as seen in Sri Lanka's 1956 Act.

Alienation

A feeling of being disconnected or isolated from the government or society.

Autonomy

The right or condition of self-rule or self-government.

Distrust

A lack of trust between different groups or communities.

Civil war

A violent conflict between two groups within a country.

Community government

A type of government in Belgium elected by people belonging to one language community, holding power over cultural, educational, and language-related issues.

Horizontal distribution of power

Power shared among different organs of government placed at the same level, such as the legislature, executive, and judiciary.

System of checks and balances

An arrangement where each organ of government checks the other, ensuring no organ can exercise unlimited power.

Federal government

A general government for the entire country that exists alongside governments at the provincial or regional level.

Vertical division of power

A division of powers involving different levels of government, specifically higher and lower levels.

Contemporary

Used to describe things belonging to the present day.