Learning Objective
- Belgium and Sri Lanka
- Majoritarianism in Sri Lanka
- Accommodation in Belgium
- Form of Power Sharing
Belgium and Sri Lanka
- Belgium, a small European country with a population of over 10 million, is linguistically divided, with 59% Dutch speakers, 40% French speakers, and 1% German speakers. Tensions between Dutch and French speakers arose due to disparities in economic development and education, particularly in the 1950s and 1960s.
- In Sri Lanka, an island nation with a population of 20 million, the Sinhala community, comprising 74% of the population, dominated the country, leading to conflicts with the Tamil-speaking minority, which includes Sri Lankan and Indian Tamils.
Majoritarianism in Sri Lanka
- Since gaining independence in 1948, Sri Lanka, led by the Sinhala majority, implemented preferential policies favoring Sinhala applicants, leading to growing alienation among Sri Lankan Tamils.
- Denied equal political rights and opportunities, Tamils demanded recognition of Tamil as an official language and regional autonomy but faced government rejection.
- This discord escalated into a civil war, claiming thousands of lives, displacing families, and disrupting the country’s social and economic fabric. The conflict, lasting until 2009, inflicted severe setbacks on Sri Lanka’s progress.
Accommodation in Belgium
- Belgium’s government effectively managed community differences through constitutional amendments from 1970 to 1993. Key elements include equal representation of Dutch and French-speaking ministers in the Central Government, ensuring decisions require support from both linguistic groups.
- State governments operate independently, while Brussels has its own government with equal representation. Additionally, a third type of government, the community government, focuses on cultural and language-related issues. Though complex, this model successfully prevented civic strife between Belgium’s major communities.
Why is power sharing desirable?
Power sharing is beneficial as it minimizes social conflict and ensures democratic governance by involving those affected by decisions. These reasons can be categorized as prudential, focusing on better outcomes, and moral, highlighting the value of power sharing as a democratic principle.
Form of Power Sharing
- In modern democracies, power sharing is essential for effective governance. It involves distributing power among different organs of government, such as the legislature, executive, and judiciary, to prevent the abuse of power.
- Power can also be shared between central and regional governments, as seen in federal systems. Additionally, power sharing extends to various social groups to ensure minority representation and participation.
- This includes mechanisms like community governments in Belgium. Furthermore, power sharing occurs within political parties and alliances, ensuring diverse voices influence decision-making.
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