Why power sharing is desirable?

Power-sharing is a political arrangement in which different or opposing groups take part in the government together.

In modern democracies, power sharing can be seen taking the following forms:

• Organs of Government: In democracy, power is shared among Legislature, Executive and Judiciary. This is known as distribution of power, it allows different organs of government placed at the same level to exercise different powers. No organ can exercise unlimited power as each organ checks the others.
• Governments at different levels: In federal form of government, power is shared between the central and state governments. In India there is another lower level of government -local self-government. This is called vertical division of government.
• Social Groups: Power may also be shared among different social groups such as religious and linguistic groups. In India there are constitutional and legal arrangements whereby socially weaker sections and women are represented in the legislatures and administration.

Why power sharing is desirable?

Question: Why Power sharing desirable?
Answer: Power sharing is desirable because of the following reasons:

• Prudential reasons: It helps reduce the possibility of conflict between social groups. It gives space to each and every social group in the democracy.
• Moral reasons: Power sharing is the spirit of democracy. A legitimate government is one where citizens through participation acquire a stake in the system.

Question: What is power sharing in a democracy? Explain with examples.
Answer: Power Sharing is a term which is used to describe a system of governance in which all major segments of society are provided a permanent share of power.

Power sharing is desirable because of the following reasons.

1. Power sharing helps to reduce the possibility of conflict between social groups. Power sharing is a good way to ensure the stability of political order as social conflict often leads to violence and political instability.
2. Imposing the will of the majority community over others may look like an attractive option in the short run, but in the long run it determines the unity of the nation. Tyranny of the majority is not only oppressive for the minority but it also brings ruin to the majority.
3. The very spirit of democracy is power sharing. A democratic rule involves sharing power with those affected by its exercise, and who have to live with its effects. Citizens of a country have a right to be consulted on how they are being governed. A legitimate government is one where citizens, through participation, acquire a stake in the system.

Question: 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:

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

Question:Why power sharing is desirable? Explain giving any three prudential and moral reasons.

Answer: Power sharing is desirable in a democracy because:

Prudential reasons:

• It helps to reduce the possibility of conflict between social groups. Since social conflict often leads to violence and political instability.
• It is a good way to ensure the stability of political order.
• Imposing the will of majority, community over others may look like an attractive option in the short run, but in the long run it undermines the unity of the nation.

Moral reasons:

• Power sharing is the very spirit of democracy. A democratic rule involves sharing power with those affected by its exercise and who have to live with its effect.
• People have a right to be consulted on how they are to be governed.
• A legitimate government is one where citizens through participation, acquire a stake in the system.