Power Sharing (Schools, Homes and Communities)

Power-sharing establishes a more equitable balance of power, makes negotiation an attractive alternative to violence, promotes and expands citizen participation in the political process, strengthens voter confidence in open methods of choosing government, and encourages a competitive political environment. Power Sharing: 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 effects. All communities, social groups get their say in the governance. People have a right to be consulted on how they are to be governed. A legitimate government is one where citizens acquire a stake in the system; through participation. We need power sharing as:
Power sharing helps in reducing the conflict between various social groups. Hence, power sharing is necessary for maintaining social harmony and peace.
Power sharing helps in avoiding the tyranny of majority. The tyranny of majority not only destroys the minority social groups but also the majority social group.

1. Power Sharing in our lives A project by Afrah, Anushka, Maryam and Bhavya

2. Introduction Power-sharing establishes a more equitable balance of power, makes negotiation an attractive alternative to violence, promotes and expands citizen participation in the political process, strengthens voter confidence in open methods of choosing government, and encourages a competitive political environment . Power Sharing: 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 effects. All communities, social groups get their say in the governance. People have a right to be consulted on how they are to be governed. A legitimate government is one where citizens acquire a stake in the system; through participation . We need power sharing as: Power sharing helps in reducing the conflict between various social groups. Hence, power sharing is necessary for maintaining social harmony and peace. Power sharing helps in avoiding the tyranny of majority. The tyranny of majority not only destroys the minority social groups but also the majority social group.

3. Introduction People’s voice forms the basis of a democratic government. Hence, power sharing is essential to respect the spirit of democracy. 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. These are the different forms of power sharing: Power sharing in different organs of government Power sharing at different levels of government Power sharing among social groups Power sharing among various pressure groups

4. In India

5. Power Sharing In India India is a democratic country. People of India elect their representative through direct franchise. After that, people’s representatives elect the government to make or amend rules & regulations and to carry out day to day functioning of governance. One basic principle of democracy is that people are the source of all political power. In a democracy, people rule themselves through institutions of self-governance. In a good democratic government, due respect is given to diverse groups and views that exist in a society. Everyone has a voice in the shaping of public policies. Therefore, it follows that in a democracy political forms of power sharing should be distributed among as many citizens as possible.

6. In Political Parties

7. Power Sharing In Political Parties Power is also shared among different political parties. For example: when no party gets absolute  in the elections different parties come together and form a coalition government and share power. Interest groups such as traders, farmers workers also have a share in the government power either through participating in governmental communities or bringing influence in the decision making process. Power is also shared among different social groups such as the religious and linguistic groups. This type of arrangement is done to give space in the government and administration to diverse social groups. Power sharing among various political parties is more apparent for most of the people. Usually the largest political party or the largest political coalition becomes the ruling party. The other parties form the opposition. While opposition is not in power, it is responsible for seeing to it that the ruling party functions as per the wishes of the people. Heads of various committees comes from various political parties; which is another way of sharing power among different political parties.

8. In schools

9. Power Sharing In Schools As many organizational systems writers observe, schools are open systems. To at least some degree, they interact with their environment. One important element in that environment is the formally-constituted bodies representing the local community. In the case of an overseas international school, this body is usually termed "the Board of Directors" or simply "the Board." This body may include the actual owners of the school, important individuals within the community, parents, embassy officials, and important local persons. International school boards face two unusual conditions. First they work in a multi-national environment in which exists considerable ambiguity as to how "American" their schools should be and endure frequent turn-overs of membership.

10. Power Sharing In Schools Private schools, typically, have somewhat similar boards. Private school boards refer to members to "trustees." The boards of NAIS (National Association of Independent Schools) schools have between ten and twenty-five members. The NEA school board meets the definition of a "governing board" one of four categories into which Carver (1990) divides private school boards . In the case of a governing board, to follow Carver, key decisions rest in the board’s hands. NEA’s board, as is typical of private school boards (Stanton 1989), includes alumni, parents of former students, corporate leaders, and wealthy benefactors .

11. Power Sharing In Schools In the cases of the international schools, board members usually hold a financial stake in the success of the school , whether through tuition or stewardship of institutional funds , and represent this funding as well as the local people. This arrangement parallels that of the board of directors of a company or, of course, American school boards, which also represents local constituencies and their dollars. The DoDDs schools represent something of a special case in any discussion of American schools but particularly in terms of the external environment. The U.S. government, instead of any local community, pays for these schools. They boast no local school boards, though they fall subject to the oversight of a number of governmental agencies (Fruit, 1992). As a result, the closest DoDDs equivalent to the international school board, the "SAC" ("Site-Area Council"), represents the local community in an advisory capacity with only the most distant claim to representing "tax-payer dollars."

12. Power Sharing In Schools This study posits that the locus of decision-making varies considerably in three different settings: the international school , the private school, and the DoDDs high school. If, indeed , the "buck" stops in different places in these different settings , this suggests that those chosen for these positions need to possess a different set of skills. To put this another way , an individual suited to direct an international school might flounder at a DoDDs school or a private school and the reverse. Having established this open system framework, this study will next turn to characterize the types of relations that might effect a school through its connection with the external environment .

13. Power Sharing In Schools An example I like to use are small and large high schools. When a high school has a small number of students there is a greater opportunity to gain positions in student council, captain of a sports team or leader of some type of extracurricular. The larger the school, the less opportunity because there is so much more competition to gain these positions and there are handfuls of individuals who are left to follow. Even when re-elections occur, there is a much greater likelihood you will end up a follower again because there is so much more competition

14. At Homes

15. Power Sharing In homes Power sharing is important to give others an opportunity to reap the many benefits of leadership. When only one person is in power, only one person has there say and only one person can gain the benefits. These benefits might include increased self esteem, self reliance, socialization and even achievement. In addition to sharing the wealth, power sharing allows others to become good followers because what good is a leader without followers.  

16. Power Sharing In homes Power in healthy families is shared. This means that family decisions and rules are made with the input of each person. It is not necessary for the father or mother to always dictate orders. Each family member is allowed to express opinions, generate ideas, and make suggestions. The family still needs a leader, but no one person dominates all of the time. This type of “power sharing” gives freedom to every member by allowing each individual to express himself or herself. And this sharing has many positive results: Feeling of trust and cooperation develop The cohesiveness of the family becomes stronger A greater number of solutions are offered that can contribute to more effective decision making.

17. In Communities

18. Power Sharing in communities Power is usually shared in community between the various corporations and agencies. It can also be shared through families, community procedures and some peer organizational frameworks. The sharing of power is basically a way or technique of living with others within the community. . Power may also be shared among different social groups. In a diverse country; like India; there are various social, linguistic and caste groups and power is shared among each group. For example; people from the minority communities, OBCs, and SC & ST are given reservation so that there could be adequate representation for them in the government machinery.

19. Thank You!