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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. A party system is a concept in comparative Political science concerning the system of government by political parties. For the government of parliamentary systems see Executive (government. A political party is a Political organization that seeks to attain and maintain political power within Government, usually by participating in electoral An election is a Decision-making process by which a population chooses an individual to hold formal office 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. A dominant-party system, or one party dominant system, is a Party system where only one Political party can realistically become the Government 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. A coalition is an alliance among individuals during which they cooperate in joint action, each in their own Self-interest. A popular front is a broad Coalition of different political groupings often made up of leftists and centrists who are united by opposition to another group 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. The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 The People's Republic of Poland or Polish People's Republic ( Polish: Polska Rzeczpospolita Ludowa, PRL Russian The Polish United Workers' Party (PUWP Polska Zjednoczona Partia Robotnicza - PZPR was a Communist party in the People's Republic of Poland from 1948 to 1990

A one-party system should not be confused with a non-partisan democracy which prohibits all political parties. Non-partisan democracy (also no-party democracy) is a system of representative government or organization such that universal and periodic Elections

Forms of government
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List of forms of government

Direct democracy
Representative democracy
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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 system of government is a term that refers to the set of political Institutions by which a Government of a State is organized in order to exert its powers Politics Politics is the process by which groups of people make decisions See also Form of government This article lists forms of government and Political systems according to a series of different ways of categorising them Anarchism is a Political philosophy encompassing theories and attitudes which support the elimination of all compulsory Government, i Aristocracy is a form of Government, where rule is established through an internal struggle over who has the most status and influence over society and internal relations Authoritarianism describes a Form of government characterized by an emphasis on the Authority of the State in a republic or union An autocracy is a Form of government in which the Political power is held by a single self-appointed ruler A band society is the simplest form of human Society. A band generally consists of a small kin group no larger than an Extended family or Clan. A chiefdom is a type of complex society of varying degrees of centralization that is led by an individual known as a chief. This article is about a type of political territory For other uses see Colony (disambiguation. Communist state is a term used by many Political scientists to describe a Form of government in which the State operates under a one-party system Corporatocracy is a Neologism that describes a Government dominated by corporate influence banks and governments Democracy is a form of government in which the supreme power is held completely by the people under a free electoral system Direct Democracy is a movement within the British Conservative Party dedicated to localism and Constitutional reform as a means of reviving public Representative democracy is a form of government founded on the principles of the people's representatives Despotism is a Form of government by a single authority either an individual or tightly knit group, which rules with absolute political power A dictatorship is usually defined as an autocratic Form of government in which the Government is ruled by a Dictator. A military dictatorship is a Form of government wherein the political power resides with the Military; it is similar but not identical to a Stratocracy, Feudalism, a term first used in the early modern period (17th century in its most classic sense refers to a Medieval Europe Political system composed A kleptocracy (sometimes cleptocracy, occasionally kleptarchy) ( root klepto+kratein = rule by thieves) is a term applied to a Kritarchy is a form of government ruled by judges It may have existed in Israel during the period of time described in the Book of Judges and exist in Somalia under the Meritocracy is a system of a government or another organization wherein Appointments are made and responsibilities are given based on demonstrated talent and Ability A monarchy is a Form of government in which supreme power is actually or nominally lodged in an individual who is the Head of state, often for life or Absolute monarchy is a monarchical Form of government where the king and queen have absolute power over everything A constitutional monarchy, or a limited monarchy, is a form of Constitutional Government, wherein either an elected or hereditary Monarch is An empire (from the Latin " Imperium " denoting military Command within the ancient Roman government) is a State that Ochlocracy ( Greek: οχλοκρατία or okhlokratía; Latin: ochlocratia) is government by mob or a mass of people Oligarchy' ( Greek, Oligarkhía) is a Form of government where Political power effectively rests with a small elite segment Plutocracy is rule by the wealthy or power provided by wealth A puppet state is a State that is nominally independent but in reality under the control of another power A republic is a State or Country that is not led by a hereditary Monarch, but in which the people (or at least a part of its people have impact on its Mixed government, also known as a mixed constitution, is a form of government that integrated facets of government by Democracy, Oligarchy, and Monarchy A constitutional Republic is a State where the Head of state and other officials are elected as representatives of the people and A parliamentary republic or parliamentary constitutional republic is a form of a Republic which operates under a Parliamentary system of government The term socialist state (or socialist republic, or workers' state) can carry one of several different (but related meanings In strictly speaking any A capitalist republic is a concept of government completely the reverse of Marxist thought Technocracy: A form of government in which scientists and technical experts are in control "technocracy is described as that society in which those who govern justify themselves Theocracy is a form of government in which a god or deity is recognized as the supreme civil ruler Theodemocracy is a political system theorized by Joseph Smith Jr Constitutional theory defines a timocracy as either a State where only property owners may participate in Government; or a government Totalitarianism (or totalitarian rule) is a concept used to describe Political systems where a State regulates nearly every aspect of public and private A tribe, viewed historically or developmentally consists of a Social group existing before the development of or outside of States Many anthropologists use REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES The Tangwai movement (黨外 Pinyin: dăngwài literally "outside the party" was a Political movement in the Republic of China ( Taiwan This article is about the Decade 1970-1979 For the Year 1970 see 1970. The 1980s was the decade spanning from January 1 1980 to December 31 1989.

In most cases, single-party states have arisen from Leninist, fascist or nationalist ideologies, particularly in the wake of independence from colonial rule. Leninism refers to various related political and economic theories elaborated by Bolshevik revolutionary leader Vladimir Lenin. Fascism is a totalitarian nationalist and corporatist ideology The term nationalism can refer to an Ideology, a sentiment, a form of Culture, or a Social movement that focuses on the Nation Colonisation (also known as Colonization) occurs whenever any one or more species populates a new area 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. The ruling party in a Parliamentary system is the Political party or Coalition of the majority in Parliament. Marxism-Leninism is a Communist ideological stream that emerged as the mainstream tendency amongst the Communist parties in the 1920s as it was adopted Communist state is a term used by many Political scientists to describe a Form of government in which the State operates under a one-party system People's Republic (rarely Popular Republic) is a title that is often used by Marxist-Leninist Governments to describe their State. The term socialist state (or socialist republic, or workers' state) can carry one of several different (but related meanings In strictly speaking any 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. The Republic of Cuba (ˈkjuːbə or) consists of the island of Cuba (the largest and second-most populous island of the Greater Antilles) Isla de la A Political party described as a communist party includes those that advocate the application of the social principles of Communism through a communist form of An election is a Decision-making process by which a population chooses an individual to hold formal office 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. A referendum (plural referendums or referenda) ballot question, or plebiscite (from Latin plebiscita [1]

Contents

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. The twentieth century of the Common Era began on The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 Agriculture refers to the production of goods through the growing of plants and fungi and the raising of domesticated Animals The study of agriculture A superpower is a State with a leading position in the international system and the ability to Influence events and project power on a worldwide scale

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. The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 The Warsaw Pact (see Nomenclature) was an organization of Communist states in Central and Eastern Europe. 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. Human rights refers to the "basic Rights and freedoms to which all humans are entitled

Democracy, dictatorship and the single-party system

Some do not consider a single party system to be truly democratic. Democracy is a form of government in which the supreme power is held completely by the people under a free electoral system 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. The National Fascist Party ( Partito Nazionale Fascista; PNF was an Italian party created by Benito Mussolini as the political expression of A constituency is any cohesive corporate unit or body bound by shared structures goals or loyalty

Furthermore, the single-party system is heavily associated with dictatorship. A dictatorship is usually defined as an autocratic Form of government in which the Government is ruled by a Dictator. As there is only one party, political power tends to be concentrated solely within the ruling party. Political power ( Imperium in Latin is a type of power held by a group in a Society which allows administration of some or all of 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. Law is a system of rules enforced through a set of Institutions used as an instrument to underpin civil obedience politics economics and society A constitution is a system for government often Codified as a written document that establishes the rules and principles of an autonomous political entity 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". An ideology is a set of beliefs aims and Ideas especially in politics

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. A military dictatorship is a Form of government wherein the political power resides with the Military; it is similar but not identical to a Stratocracy, A military is an Organization authorized by its Nation to use force usually including use of Weapons in defending its Country (or by attacking

Examples

The True Whig Party of Liberia is considered the founder of the first single-party state in the world. The True Whig Party, also known as Liberian Whig Party, was Liberia 's only legal political party for over 100 years from 1878 to the Coup d'etat The party was concieved by the original Black American settlers and their descendants who referred to themselves as Americo-Liberians. African Americans or Black Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have origins in any of the black populations of Africa Americo-Liberians are a Liberian ethnicity of African American descent 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. The Masonic Order of Liberia is a Fraternal organization based on the principles of Freemasonry. Liberia, officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country on the west coast of Africa, bordered by Sierra Leone, Guinea, Côte d'Ivoire While the True Whig Party still exist today its influence has declined substantially.

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:

Former single-party states

Political parties
Part of the Politics series
Left-wing politics
Right-wing politics
Syncretic politics
Dominant-party system
Multi-party system
Non-partisan democracy
Single-party state
Two-party system
Relevant lists:
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Examples include:

Notes

  1. ^ Cuba: Elections and Events 1991-2001 Latin American Election Statistics Home

See also

External links

Democracy Democracy History of democracy Varieties Types of democracy A multi-party system is a system in which three or more political parties have the capacity to gain control of government separately or in coalition A two-party system is a form of Party system where two major Political parties dominate voting in nearly all Elections at every A dominant-party system, or one party dominant system, is a Party system where only one Political party can realistically become the Government
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