What is the prudent reason for power sharing

Read the following passage and pick out any one of the prudential reasons for power sharing offered in this.
“We need to give more power to the Panchayats to realise the dream of Mahatma Gandhi and the hopes of the makers of our Constitution. Panchayati Raj establishes true democracy. It restores power to the only place where power belongs in a democracy - in the hands of the people. Giving power to Panchayats is also a way to reduce corruption and increase administrative efficiency. When people participate in the planning and implementation of developmental schemes, they would naturally exercise greater control over these schemes. This would eliminate the corrupt middlemen. Thus Panchayati Raj will strengthen the foundations of our democracy.”

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Answer the following questions:
Uses of power-sharing
Prudential Power Sharing
Difference between Prudential Power Sharing and Moral Power Sharing
Sample Questions

Participation of the people in the planning and implementation of developmental schemes, naturally enhances control over these schemes. Panchayati Raj will strengthen the foundations of our democracy. It is referred as grass root democracy, as Gandhi had himself confessed that real India lives in Villages. The prime objectives is to get rid of the corrupt middle man.

Question 1: What are the different forms of power sharing in modern democracies? Give an example of each of these.

Answer: Different forms of power sharing in modern democracies are as follows:

Power sharing in different organs of government: Example: power sharing between legislature and executive
Power sharing at different levels of government: Example: power sharing between Union government and state government.
Power sharing among social groups: Example: Reservation in government jobs for OBCs and SCs & STs.
Power sharing among various pressure groups: Example: Representative of trade union being consulted while making a new labour law.

Answer the following questions:

Question 2: State one prudential reason and one moral reason for power sharing with an example from the Indian context.

Answer: Prudential Reason: Power sharing helps in reducing the conflict between various social groups. Hence, power sharing is necessary for maintaining social harmony and peace.

Moral Reason: The avoiding conflict in society and preventing majority tyranny are considered as prudential reasons for power sharing. Maintaining the spirit of democracy is considered as the moral reason for power sharing.

Question 3: After reading this chapter, three students drew different conclusions. Which of these do you agree with and why? Give your reasons in about 50 words.

Thomman - sharing is necessary only in societies which have religious, linguistic or ethnic divisions.

Mathayi – Power sharing is suitable only for big countries that have regional divisions.

Ouseph – Every society needs some form of power sharing even if it is small or does not have social divisions.

Answer: I will agree with Ouseph. We know that the power to people is the basic theme of a democracy. By sharing power, we respect the basic theme of democracy. Moreover, by not sharing power; there is every chance of power being concentrated in the hands of a selected few. Such an arrangement would finally result in dictatorship and would kill democracy.

Question 4: The Mayor of Merchtem, a town near Brussels in Belgium, has defended a ban on speaking French in the town’s schools. He said that the ban would help all non-Dutch speakers integrate in this Flemish town. Do you think that this measure is in keeping with the spirit of Belgium’s power sharing arrangements? Give your reasons in about 50 words.

Answer: As per the power sharing arrangements in Belgium; Dutch speakers and non-Dutch speakers have stake in power. The Brussels government has equal representation from the French speaking people and the Dutch speaking people; which shows that both groups have to respect each other’s right. Hence, the Mayor of Merchtem is wrong in banning the French language in school.

Question 5: Read the following passage and pick out any one of the prudential reasons for power sharing offered in this.

“We need to give more power to the panchayats to realize the dream of Mahatma Gandhi and the hopes of the makers of our Constitution. Panchayati Raj establishes true democracy. It restores power to the only place where power belongs in a democracy – in the hands of the people. Giving power to Panchayats is also a way to reduce corruption and increase administrative efficiency. When people participate in the planning and implementation of developmental schemes, they would naturally exercise greater control over these schemes. This would eliminate the corrupt middlemen. Thus, Panchayati Raj will strengthen the foundations of our democracy.”

Answer: This passage shows power sharing at different levels of the government; which is one of the prudential reasons.

Question 6: Different arguments are usually put forth in favour of and against power sharing. Identify those which are in favour of power sharing and select the answer using the codes given below? Power sharing:

Reduces conflict among different communities
Decreases the possibility of arbitrariness
Delays decision making process
Accommodates diversities
Increases instability and divisiveness
Promotes people’s participation in government
Undermines the unity of a country

a, b, d, f
a, c, e, f
a, b, d, g
b, c, d, g

Answer: (i) a, b, d, f

Question 7: Consider the following statements about power sharing arrangements in Belgium and Sri Lanka.

In Belgium, the Dutch-speaking majority people tried to impose their domination on the minority French-speaking community.
In Sri Lanka, the policies of the government sought to ensure the dominance of the Sinhala-speaking majority.
The Tamils in Sri Lanka demanded a federal arrangement of power sharing to protect their culture, language and equality of opportunity in education and jobs.
The transformation of Belgium from unitary government to a federal one prevented a possible division of the country on linguistic lines.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

Answer: b, c and d

Question 8: Consider the following two statements on power sharing and select the answer using the codes given below:

Power sharing is good for democracy.
It helps to reduce the possibility of conflict between social groups.

Which of these statements are true and false?

a is true but b is false
Both a and b are true
Both a and b are false
a is false but b is true

Answer: (ii) Both a and b are true

Question 9: Match List I (forms of power sharing) with List II (forms of government) and select the correct answer using the codes given below in the lists:

Answer:

List I	List II
Power shared among different organs of government	Separation of powers
Power shared among government at different levels	Federal government
Power shared by different social groups	Community government
Power shared by two or more political parties	Coalition government

Answer:

The Prudential reasons for power sharing stress on the facts that

In the short run, it will be attractive to have the will of the majority to impose on the minority but in the long run it will start undermining the unity of the nation.
If the minority is oppressed by the majority, then it will bring ruin not only to the minority but to the majority as well.
If there is lack of stability in the political order it will cause violence and social instability. Hence, power sharing will help in ensuring stability in political order.
If the power is shared, it will reduce conflicts between social groups.

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Power Sharing is known as the distribution of power among the different organs of the government line executive, legislature, and judiciary. It can also be shared among governments at different levels of organizations like the general government for the whole country and the federal government (provincial or regional level). Power sharing can also be shared among different social groups like religious and linguistic groups. In this, the power can be even shared at distinct levels such as Union, State, and Local.

Power sharing is used to reduce the possibility of conflict between social groups. While social conflicts can often lead to violence and political instability.
Power sharing is used to ensure the stability of political groups.

Prudential Power sharing is known to stop the conflicts between different forms of government. It is based on careful calculation of losses and gains. It has political stability. It states that it has better outcomes.

Example

Reservation of constituencies for minorities and women in India.

Moral Power Sharing is the sharing of power in the spirit of democracy. It is based on moral consideration. It states that it is valuable to share power. In this, the people have the right to oppose how they are to govern.

Example

Decentralization of power in India.

S.no	Prudential Power Sharing	Moral Power Sharing
1	It is based on the careful calculation of losses and gains.	It is based on moral consideration.
2	It states that it has better outcomes.	It states that it is valuable to share power.
3	It helps to reduce the possibility of conflict between social groups.	It is the basic spirit of democracy.
4	It has political stability.	In this people have the right to oppose how they are to be governed.
5	It undermines the unity of the nation both minor and major communities.	It is not based on the Decentralization calculation of loss or gain.
6	Example: Reservation of constituencies for minorities and women in India.	Example: Decentralisation of power in India.

Sample Questions

Question 1: Mention the forms of Power Sharing in India.

Answer:

It can be shared among governments at different levels of organisations like general government for the whole country and the federal government’s (provincial or regional level).
Power sharing can also be shared among different social groups like religious and linguistic groups.
In Power Sharing, the power can be even shared at distinct levels such as Union, State and Local.

Question 2: Is Power Sharing desirable?

Answer:

Yes it is desirable, because Power sharing is used to reduce the possibility of conflict between social groups. While social conflicts can often lead to violence and political instability.
Power sharing is used to ensure the stability of political groups.