Question

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 - Power sharing is necessary only in societies that have religious, linguistic or ethnic divisions.

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

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

Answer 1

Joseph's statement is the most logical, and thus, should be agreed on. Every society needs some form of power-sharing even if it is small or does not have social divisions. A democratic society is one where its members or citizens through participation acquire a stake in the system. Power-sharing not only prevents conflict between various groups in the society but it also generates a sense of belongingness among them to society. Power-sharing helps to maintain a balance of power among various institutions and also keep a check on how it is exercised. Irrespective of the size of a country or the type of a society, people will be more satisfied where they have a say in the functioning and decision making processes of the system.