This MCQ module is based on: Belgium & Sri Lanka — Power Sharing
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Belgium & Sri Lanka — Power Sharing
🎓 Class 10
Social Science
CBSE
Theory
Ch 1 — Power Sharing
⏱ ~15 min
🌐 Language: [gtranslate]
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[myaischool_lt_sst_assessment grade_level="class_10" subject="civics" difficulty="intermediate"]
Belgium & Sri Lanka — Two Stories of Power Sharing
NCERT Democratic Politics-II | Chapter 1: Power-sharing
Why Power Sharing Matters in Modern Democracies
In a democratic system, all governmental authority does not rest with a single institution. An intelligent distribution of power among the legislature, executive, and judiciary is essential for good governance. This chapter introduces us to the concept of power-sharing? through the real-world experiences of two very different nations — Belgium in Europe and Sri Lanka in South Asia. Both countries are democracies, but they dealt with the challenge of sharing power among diverse communities in strikingly different ways.
By comparing these two case studies, we can draw important conclusions about why sharing governmental authority is essential in any democracy and what happens when a majority community refuses to accommodate minority interests.
Ethnic Diversity in Belgium and Sri Lanka
Belgium: A Small Country with Complex Diversity
Belgium is a small European country, even smaller in area than Haryana, with a population of just over one crore (roughly half of Haryana's population). Despite its modest size, Belgium's ethnic? composition is remarkably complex. The country has three main language communities:
Dutch-speaking (59%)
The majority community, living in the Flemish region in the northern part of Belgium.
French-speaking (40%)
Living in the Wallonia region in the south. Historically wealthier and more powerful.
German-speaking (1%)
A very small community in the eastern part of Belgium near the German border.
A critical flashpoint was the capital city of Brussels. In Brussels, approximately 80 per cent of the population speaks French, while only 20 per cent speaks Dutch. This created a unique tension: the Dutch-speaking community formed the overall majority in the country but remained a minority in the capital city.
Key Tension
The French-speaking minority in Belgium was historically richer and more powerful. The Dutch-speaking community, despite being the national majority, gained access to economic development and educational opportunities only later. This imbalance fuelled community tensions during the 1950s and 1960s, especially in Brussels.
Sri Lanka: An Island with Ethnic Divisions
Sri Lanka is an island nation located just a few kilometres off the southern coast of Tamil Nadu, with a population of roughly two crore (comparable to Haryana). Like many South Asian nations, Sri Lanka has a diverse population with two major social groups:
Sinhala-speakers (74%)
The overwhelming majority, mostly Buddhist, concentrated in the south and west of the island.
Tamil-speakers (18%)
Divided into Sri Lankan Tamils (13%) who are natives, and Indian Tamils (5%) whose forefathers came as plantation workers during colonial rule.
Sri Lankan Tamils are mainly concentrated in the northern and eastern provinces. Most Sinhala-speakers follow Buddhism, while most Tamils are Hindu or Muslim. About 7 per cent of Sri Lanka's population are Christians, drawn from both Sinhala and Tamil backgrounds.
Comparing Belgium & Sri Lanka — Population Composition
L4 AnalyseHow Majoritarianism Led to Civil War in Sri Lanka
Definition
Majoritarianism: A political doctrine holding that the majority community should be able to govern a country in whichever way it chooses, even if it means disregarding the wishes, needs, and rights of minority communities.
Sri Lanka gained independence in 1948. The leaders of the Sinhala community then sought to establish dominance over the government by leveraging their numerical majority. The democratically elected government adopted a series of majoritarian? measures designed to consolidate Sinhala supremacy:
1948
Independence
Sri Lanka became an independent nation. Sinhala leaders began seeking political dominance.1956
Official Language Act
Sinhala was declared the sole official language, sidelining Tamil entirely from government affairs.1956–1970s
Preferential Policies
Government policies favoured Sinhala applicants in university admissions and public sector employment.Constitutional Amendment
State Protection of Buddhism
A new constitutional provision required the state to protect and promote Buddhism, further alienating non-Buddhist minorities.1980s onwards
Demand for Tamil Eelam
Multiple Tamil political organisations emerged, demanding an independent state in the north and east of Sri Lanka.1983–2009
Civil War
Distrust escalated into a devastating civil war. Thousands from both communities were killed, families were displaced, and the country suffered enormous social, cultural, and economic damage.Definition
Civil War: An armed conflict between opposing groups within a single country that is so intense it resembles a full-scale war. Sri Lanka's civil war lasted from 1983 to 2009 and caused massive loss of life and displacement.
These majoritarian policies made the Sri Lankan Tamils feel that the constitution and government were actively working against them — denying them equal political rights, discriminating in employment and education, and ignoring their cultural interests. Tamil leaders initially demanded recognition of Tamil as an official language, greater regional autonomy, and equal opportunity in education and jobs. When these demands were repeatedly rejected, the conflict grew more extreme and eventually became violent.
THINK ABOUT IT — Majority Rule vs. Majoritarianism
L5 Evaluate
Consider this question from the textbook: "What is wrong if the majority community rules? If Sinhalas don't rule in Sri Lanka, where else will they rule?"
Discuss in your group:
- Is there a difference between majority rule and majoritarianism?
- In a democracy, does being the majority give a community the right to suppress minority interests?
- What are the long-term consequences of such an approach, as seen in Sri Lanka?
- Can you think of any other country where majoritarianism has caused conflict?
Guidance
Majority rule means decisions are taken by the majority through democratic processes, but with safeguards for minority rights. Majoritarianism, on the other hand, means the majority imposes its will without regard for minorities. Democracy requires that the majority respects the rights and needs of all citizens. Sri Lanka's experience shows that majoritarianism can destroy national unity, lead to civil war, and harm even the majority community itself through instability and economic decline.
MAP ACTIVITY — Locating Communities
L3 Apply
Refer to the maps of Belgium and Sri Lanka in your textbook.
- Identify where the Dutch-speaking and French-speaking communities are concentrated in Belgium.
- Where are the Sri Lankan Tamils and Sinhala-speakers mainly found?
- Why is the location of Brussels significant for the Belgian power-sharing story?
Guidance
In Belgium, Dutch-speakers live in the northern Flemish region while French-speakers occupy the southern Wallonia region. Brussels, the capital, lies in the Flemish region but has a French-speaking majority (80%). This makes it a contested space. In Sri Lanka, Tamils are concentrated in the north and east while Sinhala-speakers dominate the south, west, and central areas.
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Competency-Based Questions
Case Study: Country X has two major language groups — Group A (65%) and Group B (30%). After independence, Group A passes laws making its language the only official language, reserves 80% of government jobs for its community, and declares its religion as the state religion. Group B protests peacefully but is ignored. Tensions rise over the next two decades.
Q1. Which real country's experience does Country X most closely resemble?
L3 Apply
Q2. Analyse why the approach taken by Country X's majority group is considered "majoritarianism" rather than simple "majority rule."
L4 Analyse
Q3. Evaluate the likely long-term consequences of Country X's policies for both the majority and minority communities.
L5 Evaluate
HOT Q. Design an alternative set of policies that Country X could have adopted to address the concerns of both communities while maintaining national unity.
L6 Create
⚖ Assertion–Reason Questions
Assertion (A): Sri Lankan Tamils felt increasingly alienated from the government after 1956.
Reason (R): The government passed the Official Language Act making Sinhala the only official language and introduced preferential policies favouring Sinhala applicants.
Reason (R): The government passed the Official Language Act making Sinhala the only official language and introduced preferential policies favouring Sinhala applicants.
Assertion (A): The Dutch-speaking community in Belgium was content with the political arrangement before 1970.
Reason (R): The French-speaking minority in Belgium was historically richer and more powerful, creating resentment among the Dutch-speaking majority.
Reason (R): The French-speaking minority in Belgium was historically richer and more powerful, creating resentment among the Dutch-speaking majority.
Assertion (A): Sri Lanka's civil war ended in 2009 after decades of conflict.
Reason (R): The government adopted a power-sharing arrangement similar to Belgium's model to resolve the ethnic conflict.
Reason (R): The government adopted a power-sharing arrangement similar to Belgium's model to resolve the ethnic conflict.
Continue Learning — Chapter 1: Power-sharing
Frequently Asked Questions
What is power sharing in Class 10 Civics?
Power sharing refers to the distribution of governmental authority among different organs, levels, social groups, and political parties so that no single entity holds all the power. In NCERT Class 10 Civics Chapter 1, power sharing is explained through the contrasting examples of Belgium and Sri Lanka. Belgium adopted an accommodative approach by sharing power among its Dutch, French, and German-speaking communities, while Sri Lanka pursued majoritarianism favouring the Sinhala community. Power sharing is considered essential for maintaining unity in diverse societies and is a hallmark of democratic governance.
What is the ethnic composition of Belgium?
Belgium has a total population of roughly one crore, divided among three main linguistic communities. About 59 percent speak Dutch (Flemish), 40 percent speak French, and the remaining 1 percent speak German. Brussels, the capital, has a unique composition where 80 percent of the population speaks French while only 20 percent speaks Dutch. This uneven distribution created tensions between the two major communities, making power sharing arrangements essential for political stability in Belgium.
What is majoritarianism with reference to Sri Lanka?
Majoritarianism is a political philosophy where the majority community dominates governance at the expense of minority groups. In Sri Lanka, the Sinhala-speaking majority (74 percent) imposed its will through the 1956 Sinhala Only Act, preferential policies in university admissions, and government employment for Sinhala applicants. Buddhism was given a privileged constitutional position. These measures marginalised the Sri Lankan Tamil community (18 percent), leading to a devastating civil war that lasted from 1983 to 2009.
How did Belgium solve its ethnic conflict?
Belgium resolved its ethnic tensions through a creative power-sharing arrangement rather than majoritarianism. The Belgian model included equal representation for Dutch and French ministers in the central cabinet, separate state governments for linguistic regions, a community government elected by each language group for cultural and educational matters, and special majority requirements for amending constitutional language provisions. Brussels had a separate bilingual government with equal representation from both communities.
Why did Sri Lanka face a civil war?
Sri Lanka faced a civil war primarily because the Sinhala-majority government adopted majoritarian policies that systematically discriminated against the Tamil minority. The 1956 Official Language Act declared Sinhala the only official language, displacing Tamil speakers from public employment. Preferential treatment was given to Sinhalese in education and government jobs. The denial of citizenship to Indian Tamils worsened tensions. By the 1980s, these grievances escalated into armed conflict between the LTTE and the Sri Lankan government, lasting until 2009.
What is the difference between power sharing in Belgium and Sri Lanka?
The key difference lies in their approach to diversity. Belgium adopted accommodation and power sharing by creating a federal structure with community governments, equal cabinet representation, and constitutional safeguards for minorities. Sri Lanka adopted majoritarianism, using state power to impose the language, religion, and culture of the Sinhala majority on Tamil minorities. Belgium's approach maintained unity and social harmony, while Sri Lanka's approach led to civil war, economic destruction, and loss of thousands of lives.
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Social Science Class 10 — Democratic Politics II (Civics)
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