Power Sharing Lecture Notes

These flashcards cover the ethnic compositions of Belgium and Sri Lanka, the concepts of majoritarianism and accommodation, and the various forms and reasons for power sharing.

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 (Ethnic Composition)

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

Sinhala Speakers

The majority ethnic community in Sri Lanka comprising $74\%$ of the population, most of whom are Buddhists.

Tamil Speakers

A community in Sri Lanka making up $18\%$ of the population, subdivided into Sri Lankan Tamils ($13\%$) and Indian Tamils ($5\%$).

Majoritarianism

The idea that the numerical majority of a population should have the final say in determining the outcome of a decision.

1956 Act (Sri Lanka)

An act passed to recognize Sinhala as the only official language of Sri Lanka, thus disregarding the Tamil language.

Eelam

The name of the separate state demanded by the Tamil community in Sri Lanka during their struggle against the majority.

Civil War

The conflict in Sri Lanka resulting from communal tensions that led to the death of thousands of people.

Belgian Model of Accommodation

The constitutional process where leaders amended the constitution four times between $1970$ and $1993$ to preserve diversity.

Community government

A third level of government in Belgium with special powers regarding cultural, educational, and language-related issues.

Prudential Reasons for Power Sharing

A set of reasons emphasizing that power sharing reduces social conflict, ensures political stability, and leads to better outcomes.

Moral Reasons for Power Sharing

Reasons stating that power sharing is the spirit of democracy and that citizens have a right to be consulted on how they are governed.

Horizontal distribution of power

Power sharing among different organs of government, namely the Legislature, Executive, and Judiciary, including a system of check and balances.

Vertical distribution of power

The federal division of power shared among different levels of government: Central, State, and Local.