What could have happened if Dutch community had taken advantage of its majority in Belgium?
Answer
In Belgium, the Dutch community could have taken advantage of its numeric majority and force its will on the French and German speaking population. This would have pushed the conflict among communities further.
Why was the tension between the Dutch speaking and the French-speaking people more acute in Brussels?
Answer
The minority French-speaking communThe reason was that the Dutch-speaking people constituted a majority in the country (Belgium), but a minority in the capital (Brussels). ity was relatively rich and powerful in Belgium.
Basic principle of democracy is that people are the source of all political powers. In a democracy, people rule themselves through institutions of self-governance.
How did Belgium’s accommodation help to avoid civil war?
Answer
The new arrangements of the government helped to avoid civil strife between the two major communities and a possible division of the country on linguistic lines.
Power can be shared among governments at different levels-a general government for the entire country and government at the provincial or regional level. This is also called federal division of power as well as vertical division of power.
Most of the Sinhala speaking are Buddhists, while most of the Tamils are Hindus or Muslims and there are about 7 percent Christians, who are both Tamils and Sinhalas.
Read the following passage and pick out any one of the prudential reasons for power sharing offered in this.
"We need to give more power to the panchayats to realise the dream of Mahatma Gandhi and the hopes of the makers of our Constitution. Panchayati Raj establishes true democracy. It restores power to the only place where power belongs in a democracy – in the hands of the people. Giving power to Panchayats is also a way to reduce corruption and increase administrative efficiency. When people participate in the planning and implementation of developmental schemes, they would naturally exercise greater control over these schemes. This would eliminate the corrupt middlemen. Thus, Panchayati Raj will strengthen the foundations of our democracy."
Answer
Participation of the people in the planning and implementation of developmental schemes, naturally enhances control over these schemes. Panchayati Raj will strengthen the foundations of our democracy. It is referred as grass root democracy, as Gandhi had himself confessed that real India lives in Villages. The prime objectives is to get rid of the corrupt middle man.
A social division based on shared culture. People belonging to the same ethnic group, believe in their common descent because of similarities of physical type or of culture or both. They need not always have the same religion or nationality.
Which prudential reasons make power sharing desirable?
Answer
Power sharing is good because it helps to reduce the possibility of conflict between social groups. Power sharing is a good way to ensure the stability of political order.
What gave birth to the feeling of alienation among the Sri Lankan Tamils?
Answer
The Sri Lankan government adopted a series of majoritarian measures to establish Sinhala supremacy in the country. This gave birth to the feeling of alienation among the Sri Lankan Tamils.
Sri Lanka has a diverse population. Explain. OR
What are the major social groups of Sri Lanka?
Answer
The major social groups of Sri Lanka are the Sinhala-speakers (74 percent) and the Tamil-speakers (18 percent). Among Tamils there are two subgroups- Sri Lankan Tamils and Indian Tamils.
How was Sri Lanka different from Belgium in making the decisions of their communities?
Answer
Sri Lanka showed us that if a majority community wants to force its dominance over others and refuses to share power, it can undermine the unity of the country.
Why did Sri Lankan Tamils feel alienated from Sinhalese?
Answer
They felt that the constitution and government policies denied them even political rights, discriminated against them in getting jobs and other opportunities and ignored their interests.
59 percent of the populations lives in the Flemish region and speak Dutch language, 40 percent live in the Wallonia region and speak French, remaining one percent of the Belgians speak German.
As a result of civil war between two communities, thousands of people from both the communities were killed. Many families were forced to leave the country as refugees and many more lost their livelihoods.
What is the difference between prudential reasons and moral reasons of power sharing?
Answer
Prudential reasons stress that power sharing will bring out better outcomes, whereas moral reasons emphasise the very act of power sharing as valuable.
How is power shared among different social groups?
Answer
Power is also shared among different social groups, such as the religious and linguistic groups. Socially weaker sections and women are also represent in the legislatures and administration.
Power sharing is a mechanism under which all the major segments of the society are provided with a permanent share of power in the governance of the country.