Power-Sharing: Belgium, Sri Lanka & Democratic Concepts

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms, regions, concepts and institutions related to power-sharing debates in Belgium, Sri Lanka and modern democracies.

Power-sharing

The distribution of governing authority among different organs, levels or social groups to avoid concentration of power and uphold democracy.

Legislature

The branch of government that makes laws; in a democracy it shares power with the executive and judiciary.

Executive

The branch of government that implements laws and runs administration; accountable to the legislature in democracies.

Judiciary

The system of courts that interprets laws and can check actions of the legislature and executive.

Ethnic group

A social division whose members share a perceived common descent, culture or physical traits and may differ in religion or nationality.

Majoritarianism

The belief that the numerical majority should rule in any way it wishes, disregarding minority interests.

Civil war

An intense, violent conflict between groups within the same country, as occurred in Sri Lanka until 2009.

Prudential reason

A calculated, practical argument for power-sharing—e.g., reducing conflict and ensuring political stability.

Moral reason

The democratic principle that people affected by decisions must share in power and have a voice in governance.

Horizontal distribution of power

Sharing authority among organs at the same level (legislature, executive, judiciary) to create checks and balances.

Vertical division of power

Sharing authority among different levels of government—central, state, local—also called federal division of power.

Federal government

The general government for an entire country that shares powers constitutionally with regional governments.

Community government

In Belgium, an elected body for each language community (Dutch, French, German) that controls culture, education and language matters.

Checks and balances

A system in which each branch of government can limit the powers of the others, preventing unchecked authority.

Coalition government

A cabinet formed by two or more political parties sharing executive power when no single party has a majority.

Reserved constituencies

Electoral districts set aside for socially weaker sections or women to secure their representation in legislatures.

Tyranny of the majority

Oppression that occurs when a dominant group uses its power to ignore or harm minority interests.

Flemish region

Northern part of Belgium where 59 % of citizens speak Dutch (Flemish).

Wallonia region

Southern part of Belgium where about 40 % of citizens speak French.

Brussels-Capital Region

Belgium’s bilingual capital where 80 % speak French and 20 % Dutch, governed by equal representation of both groups.

Sri Lankan Tamils

Tamil-speaking natives of Sri Lanka (about 13 % of the population) concentrated in the north and east.

Indian Tamils

Descendants of plantation workers brought from India to Sri Lanka during colonial rule.

Sinhala community

The majority group (74 %) in Sri Lanka, mostly Buddhist and Sinhala-speaking.

Tamil Eelam

Proposed independent state demanded by several Sri Lankan Tamil organisations in the 1980s.

Belgian model of power-sharing

Constitutional arrangement ensuring equal Dutch-French representation, regional autonomy and community governments to maintain unity.

Unitary government

A system where all governmental power rests with the central authority; contrasted with Belgium’s federal shift.

Separation of powers

The constitutional division of authority among legislative, executive and judicial organs to prevent concentration of power.

Interest group

An organised body (e.g., farmers, traders) that influences government decisions without seeking formal political office.

European Union headquarters

Located in Brussels, signifying Belgium’s stability and successful accommodation of linguistic communities.

Panchayati Raj

India’s local self-government system intended to devolve power to the grassroots and strengthen democracy.

Grand coalition (Germany)

A national government formed by historically rival parties (e.g., CDU and SPD) when no single party secures a majority.

Alliance

An agreement between political parties to contest elections together or share power when elected.

Cultural diversity

Variety of cultural expressions within a society, often necessitating inclusive power-sharing mechanisms.

Linguistic diversity

Presence of multiple language groups in a country, as in Belgium and Sri Lanka, influencing governance structures.

Aboriginal community (Canada)

Indigenous peoples with whom governments may negotiate land settlements, illustrating power sharing with social groups.

Plantation workers

Labourers brought to Sri Lanka from India during colonial times; their descendants form the Indian Tamil group.

Separation of Church and State (Secularism)

Principle that government should remain neutral toward all religions; contrasted by Sri Lanka’s special protection of Buddhism.

Parliament

Elected legislative body at the national level that holds the executive accountable.

State Government

Provincial authority sharing powers with the central government in a federal system.

Central Government

The national authority in a federal structure, sharing specific powers with lower-level governments.