NCERT · Class 10 · Social Science · Civics: Power SharingCompare the power sharing arrangements in Belgium and Sri Lanka. Highlight the major differences in how both countries dealt with ethnic diversity.

Introduction\nBelgium and Sri Lanka are two democratic nations that faced intense ethnic diversity and challenges regarding power sharing. However, their political approaches and constitutional paths to resolving ethnic conflicts were drastically different, leading to contrasting outcomes in national unity and peace.

Ethnic Composition of Belgium

• Complex Demographics: Belgium is a small European country with a complex ethnic composition.
• Regional Language Splits: About 59 percent of the population lives in the Flemish region and speaks Dutch. Another 40 percent lives in the Wallonia region and speaks French. The remaining 1 percent speaks German.
• Capital Contrast: In the capital city Brussels, 80 percent of people speak French while 20 percent are Dutch-speaking.

Belgium's Power Sharing Model

• Constitutional Amendments: Between 1970 and 1993, the Belgian Constitution was amended four times to enable everyone to live together within the same country.
• Equal Ministers: The central government had equal number of Dutch and French-speaking ministers.
• Community Government: A third kind of government, called community government, was introduced, elected by people belonging to one language community—Dutch, French, and German—no matter where they lived. This government had power regarding cultural, educational, and language-related issues.
• Result: This innovative model successfully prevented civil war and maintained mutual trust among communities.

Ethnic Composition of Sri Lanka

• Sinhala Majority: Sri Lanka is an island nation with a population of about two crore. The major social group is the Sinhala-speakers (74 percent).
• Tamil Minority: Tamils are 18 percent, divided into Sri Lankan Tamils (13 percent) and Indian Tamils (5 percent).
• Religious Divide: Most Sinhala-speaking people are Buddhists, while most Tamils are Hindus or Muslims. Christians make up about 7 percent.

Sri Lanka's Majoritarian Approach

• Majoritarianism: Sri Lanka emerged as an independent country in 1948. The democratically elected governments adopted a series of majoritarian measures to establish Sinhala supremacy.
• Discriminatory Laws: In 1956, an Act was passed recognizing Sinhala as the only official language, disregarding Tamil. Preferential policies were favored for university positions and government jobs for Sinhala applicants.
• Result: This alienation led to bitter resentment among Sri Lankan Tamils, leading to the formation of militant groups, demands for an independent Tamil Eelam, and ultimately a devastating civil war that lasted for decades.

Conclusion\nWhile Belgium chose an inclusive path of recognizing and respecting the regional and linguistic diversity through a complex power-sharing arrangement, Sri Lanka pursued majoritarian policies that suppressed minority rights, resulting in conflict versus harmony.