Key Points

Power sharing is a democratic principle where political power is distributed among different organs of government, levels of government, social groups, and political parties. This prevents the concentration of power in any one hand.

Belgium has a complex ethnic makeup: 59% are Dutch-speaking (Flemish region), 40% are French-speaking (Wallonia region), and 1% are German-speaking. The capital, Brussels, has a French-speaking majority (80%) despite being in the Flemish region.

Between 1970 and 1993, Belgium adopted a power-sharing model that included equal ministers in the central government, autonomy for state governments, and a separate government for Brussels with equal representation.

Belgium has a third kind of government called the 'community government', elected by people belonging to one language group. It has power regarding cultural, educational, and language-related issues.

Sri Lanka's population is dominated by Sinhala-speakers (74%), who are mostly Buddhists. The largest minority group is the Tamil-speakers (18%), who are primarily Hindus or Muslims.

After independence in 1948, Sri Lanka's democratically elected government adopted majoritarian policies. A 1956 Act recognized Sinhala as the only official language and favored Sinhala applicants for jobs and university positions.

Majoritarianism in Sri Lanka led to the alienation of Tamils, strained relations between the two communities, and eventually resulted in a civil war that caused a terrible setback to the country.

Prudential reasons are based on practical outcomes. Power sharing is considered good because it helps reduce social conflict, prevents political instability, and maintains the unity of the nation.

Moral reasons highlight the intrinsic value of power sharing. It is considered the very spirit of democracy because it involves people in governance and creates a legitimate government.

Power is shared among different organs of government like the legislature, executive, and judiciary. This arrangement, known as a system of 'checks and balances', ensures no organ has unlimited power.

Power is shared among governments at different levels, such as a central government, state governments, and local governments (municipality, panchayat). This is also called a federal division of power.

Power can be shared among different social, religious, or linguistic groups. 'Community government' in Belgium and 'reserved constituencies' for weaker sections in India are key examples.

Power is shared among political parties, pressure groups, and movements through competition and influence. When multiple parties form an alliance to govern, it is called a coalition government.

Majoritarianism is a belief that the majority community should be able to rule a country as it wishes, by disregarding the needs and wishes of the minority.