Single-party state
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A single-party state or one-party system or single-party system is a type of party system government in which a single political party forms the government and no other parties are permitted to run candidates for election. Sometimes the term de facto single-party state is used to describe a dominant-party system where unfair laws or practices prevent the opposition from legally getting power. Some single party states only outlaw opposition parties, while allowing subordinate allied parties to exist as part of a permanent coalition such as a popular front. Within their own countries, dominant parties ruling over single-party states are often referred to simply as the Party. For example, in reference to the Soviet Union, the Party means the Communist Party of the Soviet Union; in reference to People's Republic of Poland it refers to the Polish United Workers' Party.
A one-party system should not be confused with a non-partisan democracy which prohibits all political parties.
Also, some one-party states may allow non-party members to run for legislative seats, as was the case with Taiwan's Tangwai movement in the 1970s and 1980s.
In most cases, single-party states have arisen from Leninist, fascist or nationalist ideologies, particularly in the wake of independence from colonial rule. One-party systems often arise from decolonization because one party has had an overwhelmingly dominant role in liberation or in independence struggles.
Where the ruling party subscribes to a form of Marxism-Leninism, the one-party state system is usually called a communist state, though such states do not use that term to describe themselves, adopting instead the title of people's republic, socialist republic or democratic republic. In communist states such as Cuba, the role of the Communist Party is enshrined in the constitution, and no party is permitted to campaign or run candidates for election, including the Communist party. Candidates are elected on an individual referendum basis without formal party involvement, though elected assemblies predominantly consist of members of the dominant party alongside non-affiliated candidates.[1]
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[edit] Arguments for and against a single party-system
Supporters of a single-party state often appeal to a sense of unity, strength and commonality that a single-party government can lend a state. They argue that multi-party systems introduce too much division and are unsuitable for economic and political development. This argument was particularly popular during the mid-20th century, as many developing nations sought to emulate the Soviet Union, which had transformed itself from a backward, agrarian nation into a superpower.
A common counter-argument is that one-party systems have a tendency to become rigid and unwilling to accept change, which renders them unable to deal with new situations and may result in their collapse. This counter-argument became more widely held as the 20th century drew to a close and the Soviet Union and the countries of the Warsaw Pact collapsed. Finally, one-party states have often been criticized for their disrespect towards human rights, however, this is more a reflection on the ideology of the party in power, rather than on the system itself.
[edit] Democracy, dictatorship and the single-party system
Some do not consider a single party system to be truly democratic. This is due, in part, to the perception that a single party represents a single choice for a voter, which is seen to be no choice at all. While this is often true it is not necessarily the case. For example, under Mussolini's National Fascist Party numerous candidates ran for election in each constituency, albeit under the Fascist Party.
Furthermore, the single-party system is heavily associated with dictatorship. As there is only one party, political power tends to be concentrated solely within the ruling party. As a result it is usually easy for the party in power to disregard previous laws or the constitution of the state, creating a dictatorship consisting of the party. Further contributing to the association of dictatorship and the single-party system is the fact that many dictatorships have adopted a single-party system. This may be a means of legitimizing the dictatorship under that nation's constitution, or to present a veneer of democracy to other democratic nations, or the ideology of the party may require that the dictatorship rule "by the will of the people".
Although many dictatorships represent themselves as one-party states, a one party-state is not a requirement of dictatorships. Examples of a dictatorship that is not a one-party state includes military dictatorships wherein the political power resides with the military, who exercise their authority without regard to political parties or elections.
[edit] Examples
The True Whig Party of Liberia is considered the founder of the first single-party state in the world. The party was concieved by the original Black American settlers and their descendants who referred to themselves as Americo-Liberians. Initially, its ideology was heavily influenced by that of the United States party of the same name. Overtime it morphed into powerful Masonic Order that ruled every aspect of Liberian society for well over a century until it was overthrown in 1980. While the True Whig Party still exist today its influence has declined substantially.
[edit] Current single party states
The following list includes the countries that are legally constituted as single-party states as of 2007 and the name of the single party in power:
People's Republic of China (Communist Party of China leads the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference) - excluding Hong Kong and Macau Special Administrative Regions.
Republic of Cuba (Communist Party of Cuba)
State of Eritrea (People's Front for Democracy and Justice)
Democratic People's Republic of Korea (Korean Workers' Party leads the Democratic Front for the Reunification of the Fatherland)
Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao People's Revolutionary Party leads the Lao Front for National Construction)
Syrian Arab Republic (Baath Party leads the National Progressive Front)
Turkmenistan (Democratic Party of Turkmenistan)
Socialist Republic of Vietnam (Communist Party of Vietnam leads the Vietnamese Fatherland Front)
[edit] Former single-party states
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Examples include:
- many governments in Sub-Saharan Africa after independence, although all except Eritrea have converted to a de jure multi-party system.
- Angola (Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola-Labour Party) 1975-1991
- Benin (People's Revolutionary Party of Benin) 1975-1990
- Burundi (Union for National Progress) 1966-1993
- Cameroon (Cameroon National Union 1966-1985/Cameroon People's Democratic Movement 1985-1990)
- Cape Verde (African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde 1975-1981/African Party for the Independence of Cape Verde 1981-1991)
- Central African Republic (Movement for the Social Evolution of Black Africa) 1962-1979, (Central African Democratic Union) 1980-1981, (Central African Democratic Rally) 1985-1991
- Chad (Chadian Progressive Party 1962-1973/National Movement for the Cultural and Social Revolution 1973-1975), (National Union for Independence and Revolution) 1989-1990
- Comoros (Comorian Union for Progress) 1982-1990
- Congo-Brazzaville (National Revolutionary Movement) 1964-1968, (Congolese Labour Party) 1969-1990
- Côte d'Ivoire (Democratic Party of Côte d'Ivoire-African Democratic Rally) 1960-1990
- Djibouti (People's Rally for Progress) 1981-1992
- Equatorial Guinea (Worker's National United Party) 1970-1979, (Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea) 1987-1991
- Ethiopia (Worker's Party of Ethiopia) 1987-1991
- Gabon (Gabonese Democratic Party) 1968-1990
- Ghana (Convention People's Party) 1964-1966
- Guinea (Democratic Party of Guinea) 1958-1984
- Guinea-Bissau (African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde) 1974-1991
- Kenya (Kenya African National Union) 1982-1990
- Liberia (True Whig Party) 1878-1980
- Madagascar (National Front for the Defence of the Revolution) 1976-1989
- Malawi (Malawi Congress Party) 1966-1993
- Mali (Sudanese Union-African Democratic Rally) 1960-1968, (Democratic Union of the Malian People) 1979-1991
- Mauritania (Mauritanian People's Party) 1961-1978
- Mozambique (Mozambique Liberation Front) 1975-1990
- Niger (Nigerien Progressive Party-African Democratic Rally) 1960-1974, (National Movement for a Developing Society) 1989-1991
- Rwanda (Democratic Republican Party-Party of the Hutu Emancipation Movement) 1965-1973, (National Revolutionary Movement for Development) 1978-1991
- São Tomé and Príncipe (Movement for the Liberation of São Tomé and Príncipe) 1975-1990
- Senegal (Socialist Party) 1966-1974
- Seychelles (Seychelles People's Progressive Front) 1979-1991
- Sierra Leone (All People's Congress) 1978-1991
- Somalia (Somali Revolutionary Socialist Party) 1976-1991
- Sudan (Sudanese Socialist Union) 1971-1985
- Tanzania (Tanganyika African National Union) 1965-1975; Zanzibar (Afro-Shirazi Party 1965-1992; TANU and ASP merged to form (Chama Cha Mapinduzi) 1975-1992
- Togo (Rally of the Togolese People) 1969-1991
- Uganda (National Resistance Movement/Party) 1987-2005
- Upper Volta (Voltaic Democratic Union-African Democratic Rally) 1960-1966
- Zambia (United National Independence Party) 1972-1990
- Zaire (Popular Movement of the Revolution) 1967-1990
- many Middle Eastern and North African governments such as:
- Algeria (National Liberation Front) 1962-1988
- Egypt (Arab Socialist Union) 1962-1978
- Iran (Rastakhiz Party) 1975-1978
- Iraq (Baath Party) 1968-2003
- South Yemen (Yemeni Socialist Party) 1978-1990
- Syria (Arab Liberation Movement) 1951-1954
- Tunisia (Constitutional Democratic Rally) 1963-1981
- the former Soviet Union, the Warsaw Pact, and some of its neighbors were ruled by Communist parties.
- Afghanistan (People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan) 1978-1992
- Albania (Albanian Party of Labour) 1945-1991
- Bulgaria (Bulgarian Communist Party) 1946-1990
- Czechoslovakia (Communist Party of Czechoslovakia with minor allied parties Czech National Social Party, Czechoslovak People's Party, Freedom Party (Slovakia) and Party of Slovak Revival) 1948-1989
- East Germany (Socialist Unity Party of Germany with minor allied parties CDU, DBD, LDPD, NDPD) 1949-1989
- Hungary (Hungarian Socialist Workers' Party) 1948-1989
- Mongolia (Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party) 1921-1990
- Poland (Polish United Workers' Party with two minor allied parties SD and ZSL) 1948-1989
- Romania (Romanian Communist Party) 1947-1989
- Soviet Union (Communist Party of the Soviet Union) 1922-1990
- Yugoslavia (League of Communists of Yugoslavia) 1945-1990
- Afghanistan (National Revolutionary Party) 1975-1978
- Burma (Burma Socialist Programme Party) 1962-1988
- Cambodia (Communist Party of Kampuchea) 1975-79 (not official until September 1977)
- Republic of China (Nationalist Party of China), on Mainland China 1928-1949, on Taiwan 1949-1987
- Croatia (Ustaše) 1941-1945
- Dominican Republic (Dominican Party) 1930-1961
- Germany (National Socialist German Workers Party (Nazi Party)) 1933-1945
- Grenada (New Jewel Movement) 1979-1983
- Hungary (Arrow Cross Party) 1944-1945
- Italy (National Fascist Party) 1928-1943
- Japan (Imperial Rule Assistance Association) 1940-1945
- Paraguay (Colorado Party) 1947-1962
- Portugal (National Union) 1930-1974
- Romania (National Renaissance Front) 1938-1940, (Iron Guard) 1940-1941
- Slovak Republic (Slovak People's Party) 1939-1945
- Spain (Spanish Patriotic Union), 1923-1930, and the (National Movement), 1939-1977.
- Turkey (Republican People’s Party),1923-1946.
[edit] Notes
- ^ Cuba: Elections and Events 1991-2001 Latin American Election Statistics Home
[edit] See also
- List of democracy and elections-related topics
- Multi-Party System
- Two-Party System
- Dominant Party System
[edit] External links
- Map of One Party States, 1945-95
- Single party states in Africa
- List of One-Party Regimes
- When the State is Ultimate
- Totalitarian Daydreams and Christian Humanism
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