Class 10 Civics: Power Sharing

Introduction

• Tutor: श‌ुभम पाठक
• Subject: SST and Science for Class 9th and 10th
• Focus: Class 10 Civics, Chapter 1 - Power Sharing
• Goal: Explain every word from NCERT, including image-based questions and important points
• Resources: Free notes in description
• Tips: Highlight important points in NCERT alongside the lecture

Power Sharing

Countries Discussed:

1. Belgium (Europe) and Sri Lanka (Asia)
   • Belgium's Case: Ethnic population variation
   • Sri Lanka's Case: Ethnic and religious majority and minority issues

Key Concepts:

• Ethnic Population: Relates to culture (language, food, dress, festivals)
• Belgium: Mixed language (Dutch and French) leading to ethnic tensions
• Sri Lanka: Majority Sinhala and Buddhist, minority Tamil (Sri Lankan and Indian Tamils)
• Power Dynamics: Majority and minority issues leading to civil war in Sri Lanka, peaceful resolution in Belgium

Belgium's Ethnic Composition and Issues

• Languages: Dutch (majority in Flanders) and French (majority in Wallonia)
• Brussels: Capital where French speakers are the majority
• Tensions: Dutch speakers felt left out of economic benefits
• Resolution: Avoided civil war through effective power-sharing

Sri Lanka's Ethnic Composition and Issues

• Languages: Sinhala (majority, 74%) and Tamil (minority, 18%)
• Religion: Majority Buddhist, minority includes Hindus
• Issues: Majority's preferential treatment in jobs, education, and official language
• Civil War: Resulted from Tamil's alienation and unequal treatment
• LTTE: Militant organization demanding separate Tamil state

Belgium's Solution to Ethnic Issues

• Approach: Accommodation, love, respect, and multiple constitutional amendments
• Measures: Four Amendments between 1970-1993
  • Equal representation for Dutch and French in central government
  • Autonomous state governments
  • Equal representation in Brussels
  • Community government for cultural and educational decisions

Lessons from Sri Lanka

• Majoritarianism: Preference to majority leading to minority alienation
• Civil War: Resulting from unaddressed minority grievances

Power Sharing in Democracy

Importance and Reasons

1. Prudential Reasons: Prevents conflicts and maintains political order
2. Moral Reasons: True democracy involves sharing power
3. Checks and Balances: Legislative, Executive, Judiciary (Horizontal Power Sharing)
4. Federal Structure: Union, State, and Local Governments (Vertical Power Sharing)
5. Social Group Representation: Ensures inclusion of diverse groups
6. Coalition Governments: Involves alliances to ensure broader representation
7. Pressure Groups and Movements: Crucial for influencing and balancing governmental power

Practical Examples and Visuals in Textbook

• Germany's Coalition Government Issues: Illustrated with dual steering wheels
• US and Italy Leaders: Emphasizes ineffective democratic practices

Homework Questions

1. Explain how Belgium was able to solve its ethnic problems?
2. Differentiate between horizontal and vertical power sharing.
3. Assertion and reasoning on power sharing (given in comments).

Conclusion

• Power sharing is crucial in maintaining true democracy.
• Upcoming chapters and further discussions.
• Encourage comments and engagement for better understanding.