In Sri Lanka, the Sinhala community enjoyed a bigger majority. Hence, it could influence its will on other communities.

1. Understanding the Composition of Belgium:

(i) Belgium is a nation that is smaller than Haryana in the area. The population of Belgium is about half of Haryana’s, around $1$ crore.

(ii) It has a complex ethnic composition:

(a) About $59\%$ of the population resides in the Flemish Region and speaks Dutch.

(b) About $40\%$ of the population resides in the Wallonia region and speaks French.

(c) Only about $1\%$ of the Belgian populace speaks German.

(iii) Brussels is the capital of Belgium, where about $80\%$ of the population speaks French, whereas the rest $20\%$ speaks Dutch.

(iv) The French-speaking community in Belgium was a minority, but they were rich and powerful.

(v) The Dutch-speaking community resented this fact because they only got the benefit of education and development much later.

(vi) There were tensions between the Dutch-speaking and French-speaking communities during the $1950-1960$s; especially in Brussels.

(vii) In Brussels, the Dutch-speaking population constituted a minority. But in the country, they were in majority.

(viii) In Belgium, the Dutch-speaking community could take advantage of its majority, and force its will on the minorities. This could lead to either of the two outcomes:

(a) The partition of the country.

(b) Both sides would try to take control of the capital Brussels. 

2. Understanding the Composition of Sri Lanka:

(i) Sri Lanka is an island nation, off the southern coast of Tamil Nadu.

(ii) The population of Sri Lanka is diverse. It is almost the same as Haryana, around $2$ crore.

(iii) There are $2$ Major groups-

(a) The Sinhala speakers form the majority comprising $74\%$ of the total population. Most of them are Buddhists.

(b) The Tamil speakers are a minority $\left(18\%\right)$. Most of them are Hindus or Muslims.

(c) Christians constitute $7\%$ of the population, who are both Sinhala and Tamil.

(iv) Among Tamils, there are two subgroups-

(a) The native Tamils are called ‘Sri Lankan Tamils’ who comprise $13\%$ of the population. They are concentrated in the northern and eastern parts of Sri Lanka.

(b) The others are called ‘Indian Tamils’, whose forefathers came from India as colonial labourers.

(v) The Sinhala community had a huge majority in Sri Lanka, and they could impose their will on the entire country.

3. Understanding Majoritarianism in Sri Lanka:

(i) Sri Lanka became independent in $1948$. The Sinhala community, which was the majority, formed the government.

(ii) It adopted majoritarian measures to secure Sinhala supremacy:

(a) Sinhala was declared the only official language, disregarding Tamil, by an act in $1956$.

(b) Preferential policies that favoured the Sinhala community for university positions and government jobs were adopted.

(c) According to a new constitution, Buddhism was protected by the state.

(iii) These government measures increased the feeling of alienation among the Sri Lankan Tamils, because:

(a) None of the main political parties were sensitive to their language and culture.

(b) The policies and the Constitution denied them equal rights.

(c) The government discriminated against them in matters of jobs and other opportunities.

(iv) This caused strain between the Sinhala and the Tamil communities.

(v) The Sri Lankan Tamils launched a struggle for-

(a) The recognition of Tamil as an official language.

(b) For regional autonomy.

(c) Equality of opportunity in education and jobs.

(vi) Their demand for autonomy to provinces with a majority of Tamils was denied repeatedly.

(vii) By the $1980$s, many political organisations started demanding an independent Tamil Eelam or state.

(viii) The mistrust between both communities turned into a civil war. This led to the following issues-

(a) Thousands of people from both sides perished.

(b) Families were forced to seek refuge in other countries.

(c) Many people lost their livelihoods.

(ix) The civil war ended in $2009$ and caused major setbacks for the country.

4. Understanding the Belgian Model: 

(i) Belgian leaders recognised the existence of regional and cultural differences.

(ii) From $1970$ to $1993$, they amended the constitution multiple times to maintain communal harmony.

(iii) The arrangement in Belgium had elements such as-

(a) The number of Dutch and French-speaking ministers shall be equal in the central government.

(b) Special laws were made to require the support of the majority of members from each linguistic group.

(c) Many powers of the central government were given to state governments of the two regions.

(iv) State governments are not subordinate to the Central Government of Belgium.

(v) Brussels got a separate government in which both the groups have equal representation.

(vi) There is a third type of government, called ‘community government’.

(vii) It is elected by people belonging to one language community – French, Dutch, and German-speaking.

(viii) It has the power regarding cultural, educational, and language-related issues.

(ix) Belgian model helped avoid civic strife between the two communities and possible divisiveness in the country.

(x) Belgium’s example shows us that unity is only possible when the diversity of people is acknowledged and harmonised.

(xi) Sri Lanka’s example is diametrically opposite and shows us that when the majority oppresses the minority, it can have dire consequences.

5. Understanding why power-sharing is desirable:

(i) Two different reasons can be given in favour of power-sharing- 

(a) Firstly, power-sharing ensures the stability of political order because it helps to reduce the possibility of conflict between social groups. This is called the prudential reason.

(b) Secondly, power-sharing is the very spirit of democracy. This is because democratic rule involves sharing power with those affected by its exercise. This is called moral reason.

6. Various Forms of Power Sharing:

(i) Power-sharing emerged in opposition to the notions of undivided political power.

(ii) It was believed that power should be concentrated in a single entity because, if it was divided, it wouldn't be effective or couldn't be used quickly.

(iii) In a democracy people are the source of all political power, and they rule themselves through institutions of self-government.

(iv) A good democracy acknowledges diversity and gives voices to as many people as possible.

(v) In modern democracies, there are many forms of power-sharing.

(vi) The Horizontal distribution of power is when:

(a) Power is shared among different organs of government, such as the Legislature, Executive, and Judiciary.

(b) Different organs of government are placed at the same level to exercise different powers.

(c) The separation ensures that none of the organs can exercise unlimited power.

(d) There is a balance of power because each organ checks the other. This arrangement is called a system of checks and balances.

(vii) In the Vertical distribution of power the:

(a) Power is shared among governments at different levels. For example, a federal government for the entire country and governments at the regional levels.

(b) In India, the Federal government is called the Central or Union Government and the governments at the provincial or regional level are called State Governments. The powers of each level are laid down.

(c) Many countries do not follow this system and there are no provincial governments.

(d) This is called the federal division of power.

(e) The same principle is extended to the municipality and panchayat.

(viii) Power can also be shared among different social groups such as the religious, ethnic, and linguistic groups, such as:

(a) Many countries have constitutional and legal provisions where the socially weaker sections are represented in the administration and legislatures.

(b) Diverse social groups get representation in the government and administration due to this.

(c) Using this method, minority communities get a fair share of power.

(ix) Power sharing is also observed in the way political parties and pressure groups influence those in power, as:

(a) The citizens have the freedom to choose among various political parties for power, in contemporary democracies.

(b) Competition ensures that power is not concentrated in a single entity.

(c) Power can also be shared among different political parties that represent different ideologies.

(x) In a coalition government, two or more parties form a direct alliance and contest elections.

(xi) In a democracy, traders, businessmen, industrialists, farmers and industrial workers also have a share in governmental power.

(xii) Interest groups share power through participation in governmental committees or bringing attention to the decision-making process.