Class 10 Civics - Power Sharing Revision Notes

Vocabulary-style flashcards covering the ethnic composition, models of government in Belgium and Sri Lanka, the rationale for power sharing, and its various forms.

Flemish region

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

Walloon region

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

Ethnic composition of Brussels

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

Belgian Constitutional Amendments

Between 1970 and 1993, the Belgian constitution was amended 4 times to work out an arrangement that would enable everyone to live together.

Community government (Belgium)

A government elected by people belonging to one language community (Dutch, French, or German) which has the power regarding cultural, educational, and language-related issues.

Sinhala-speakers

The major social group in Sri Lanka comprising $74\%$ of the population, most of whom are Buddhists.

Tamil-speakers

A social group in Sri Lanka comprising $18\%$ of the population, divided into Sri Lankan Tamils ($13\%$) and Indian Tamils.

Indian Tamils

People in Sri Lanka whose ancestors came from India as plantation workers during the colonial period.

Majoritarianism

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.

1956 Act (Sri Lanka)

An act passed to recognise Sinhala as the only official language, thus disregarding Tamil.

Tamil Eelam

An independent state demanded by many Sri Lankan Tamil organisations by the 1980s in the north and east of the country.

Civil War

A widespread conflict between the Sinhala and Tamil communities in Sri Lanka that caused a terrible setback to the social, cultural, and economic life of the country.

Prudential Reasons (Power Sharing)

Reasons stressing that power sharing will bring out better outcomes by reducing the possibility of conflict between social groups and ensuring political stability.

Moral Reasons (Power Sharing)

Reasons emphasizing that power sharing is the very spirit of democracy and is valuable in itself because people have a right to be consulted.

Horizontal Division of Power

The division of power among different organs of government, such as the legislature, executive, and judiciary.

Checks and Balances

A system where each organ of government checks the others, ensuring that none of the organs can exercise unlimited power.

Vertical Division of Power

The sharing of power among governments at different levels, such as a general government for the entire country and governments at the provincial or regional level.

Federal Division of Power

Another term for the vertical division of power where authority is shared between central, state, and local governments.

Power Sharing Among Political Parties and Groups

Arrangements where power is shared through elections, coalition governments, and the influence of pressure groups like traders, farmers, and workers.