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In most cases, single-party states have arisen from ], ], or ] ideologies, particularly in the wake of independence from ]. One-party systems often arise from decolonization because one party has had an overwhelmingly dominant role in liberation or in independence struggles. | In most cases, single-party states have arisen from ], ], or ] ideologies, particularly in the wake of independence from ]. One-party systems often arise from decolonization because one party has had an overwhelmingly dominant role in liberation or in independence struggles. | ||
Where the ] subscribes to a form of ] or even ], the one-party system is usually called a ]. | Where the ] subscribes to a form of ] or even ], the one-party system is usually called a ]. | ||
==Arguments for and against a single party-system== | ==Arguments for and against a single party-system== |
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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. In most cases, parties other than the one in power are banned, although some systems guarantee a majority for one favored party that ensures the impotence of any parties relegated by law or practice (including rigged elections) to a permanent status as a miniscule and impotent minority. Even if some debate appears in the parliament, real power ordinarily lies in the unelected leadership of the dominant Party, as was the norm in the former German Democratic Republic.
Although other political parties are sometimes allowed under a single-party system, these other parties must subordinate themselves to the dominant party and cannot function as an opposition. 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.
A one-party system should not be confused with a dominant-party system in which an opposition is not officially prohibited, but it is largely ineffective (has no realistic chance of becoming the government), nor should it be confused with a non-partisan democracy which prohibits all political parties.
In most cases, single-party states have arisen from fascist, Stalinist, 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 or even Stalinism, the one-party system is usually called a Socialist or Communist state.
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.
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.
Examples
Constitutionally-defined single party states
The following list includes the countries that are legally constituted as single-party states as of 2006 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)
- Cuba (Communist Party of Cuba)
- North Korea (Korean Workers' Party leads the Democratic Front for the Reunification of the Fatherland)
- Laos (Lao People's Revolutionary Party leads the Lao Front for National Construction)
- Syria (Ba'ath Party leads the National Progressive Front)
- Turkmenistan (Democratic Party of Turkmenistan)
- Vietnam (Communist Party of Vietnam leads the Vietnamese Fatherland Front)
Effective single-party states today
Various legal or military measures make these effectively (de facto) single-party states as of 2006:
- Burma/Myanmar
- Egypt (National Democratic Party) (other parties exist but face various restrictions)
- Eritrea (People's Front for Democracy and Justice)
- Western Sahara's Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic is composed entirely of Polisario Front members. Elections are held every three years with no opposition. In 2004, a splinter group, the Front Polisario Khat al-Shahid was announced.
Former single-party states
Examples include:
- many governments in Sub-Saharan Africa after independence, although all except Eritrea have converted to a multi-party system.
- Angola (Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola-Labour Party) 1975-1991
- Benin (Benin People's Revolutionary Party) 1975-1990
- Burundi (Union for National Progress) 1966-1976, 1979-1992
- Cameroon (Cameroonian 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 1981-1990)
- Central African Republic (Movement for the Social Evolution of Black Africa) 1962-1979, (Central African Democratic Union) 1980-1981, (Central African Democratic Rally) 1987-1991
- 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
- Iran (Rastakhiz Party) 1975-1979
- Iraq (Ba'ath Party) 1968-2003
- South Yemen (Yemeni Socialist Party) 1978-1990
- Tunisia (Constitutional Democratic Rally) 1957-
- 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) 1948-1989
- East Germany (Socialist Unity Party of Germany) 1949-1989
- Hungary (Hungarian Socialist Workers' Party) 1948-1989
- Mongolia (Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party) 1921-1996
- 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) 1917-1991
- Yugoslavia (League of Communists of Yugoslavia) 1945-1991
- Cambodia (Khmer Rouge) 1975-79
- Republic of China (Chinese Nationalist Party), on Mainland China 1927-1949, on Taiwan 1945-1987
- Germany (National Socialist German Workers Party) 1933-1945
- Grenada (New Jewel Movement) 1979-1983
- Indonesia (Party of the Functional Groups) 1966-1998
- Italy (National Fascist Party) 1928-1943
- Mexico (Institutional Revolutionary Party) 1929-2000
- Paraguay (Colorado Party) 1947-1962
- Philippines (New Society Movement) 1971-1981
- Portugal (National Union) 1930-1974
- Spain (Spanish Patriotic Union), 1923-1930, and the (National Movement), 1936-1978.
Notes
- The Burmese / Myanmar military, which has ruled the country since 1988, created a "National Unity Party" to give the régime a civilian façade. An election held in 1990 was nullified. The legal status of the winner of that election, the National League for Democracy (NLD), is in flux.
See also
- List of democracy and elections-related topics
- Multi-Party System
- Two-Party System
- Dominant Party System
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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