If the parents of Annette and Selvi were to approach respective governments to realise the desire of the child who is more likely to succeed? And why?
Annette's parents are more likely to succeed. Belgium has established a community government elected by people belonging to one language community – Dutch, French, or German-speaking – no matter where they live. This government has the power to decide on cultural, educational, and language-related issues.
Selvi's parents are less likely to succeed. Sri Lanka represents a contrasting example where the majority community wants to force its dominance over others and refuses to share power. The Tamil-speaking community's demands are unlikely to be accepted.
The Belgian model shows that respecting the feelings and interests of different communities through power-sharing arrangements maintains unity, while Sri Lanka's approach undermines the country's unity.
Explanation
This question tests students' understanding of power-sharing arrangements in Belgium and Sri Lanka. In Belgium, the community government system allows different language communities to have control over cultural and educational matters, making it easier for minority language demands to be addressed. In Sri Lanka, the Sinhalese majority's refusal to share power with the Tamil minority means Tamil language demands are less likely to be accommodated by the government.
Solution Steps
Step 1: Identify Belgium's power-sharing model – community government handles language and educational issues
Step 2: Identify Sri Lanka's approach – majority community dominates and refuses to share power
Step 3: Conclude which system is more responsive to minority language demands