CBSE Class 10 SST: Power Sharing — Political Science Notes 2026

Belgium and Sri Lanka Stories

• Belgium: 59% Dutch (Flemish), 40% French (Walloon), 1% German; Brussels 80% French despite being in Flemish region
• Sri Lanka: 74% Sinhalese, 18% Tamil; 1948 independence — Sinhalese government made Sinhala only official language
• Different outcomes: Belgium chose power sharing (stability); Sri Lanka chose majoritarianism (civil war, 1983–2009)

Majoritarianism in Sri Lanka

• Sinhala Only Act 1956: marginalised Tamil community from government jobs, universities
• 1972 constitution: Buddhism official status; discriminatory policies built resentment over decades
• Tamil Eelam demand: separate state; LTTE (Liberation Tigers) armed conflict; ended with military defeat of LTTE in 2009

Belgian Model of Power Sharing

• Constitutional amendment: French and Dutch speakers have equal representation in central government regardless of population
• Brussels: separate government; Community governments: Dutch, French, German — power over culture, education
• Result: accommodation of diversity; prevented conflict despite ethnic tensions

Why Power Sharing is Desirable

• Prudential reason: reduces possibility of conflict; majoritarian power invites resistance and instability (Sri Lanka example)
• Moral reason: inherently right in a democracy; everyone has a right to participate; no group should dominate
• Power shared among: organs of government (legislature, executive, judiciary), levels of government (federal, state, local), social groups, political parties

Forms of Power Sharing

• Horizontal power sharing: among different organs of state; checks and balances; judiciary reviews executive actions
• Vertical power sharing: between national and sub-national levels; federalism; India's Union/State/Concurrent lists
• Power sharing among social groups: community governments (Belgium); reservations (India); linguistic states

Power Sharing in India

• Coalition governments: multiple parties share power; UPA (2004–2014) and NDA coalitions; power-sharing at national level
• Article 356 vs. cooperative federalism: tension between centre and states; GST Council example of cooperative power sharing
• SC/ST OBC reservations: power sharing in government jobs and education to historically marginalised communities

CBSE Exam Tips

• Belgium and Sri Lanka comparison: most important topic in Chapter 1; write in contrast format
• Prudential vs. moral reasons for power sharing: define and give example for each
• Why did Belgium succeed and Sri Lanka fail? Answer: accommodation vs. imposition of majority will