List Political Parties of Alternate Countries
- Thread starter MrHuman
- Start date
Thanks, I may write a story based on that post. I've been thinking of ways to revive my old timeline (or parts of it), and that might be just what I need. A tale of alt-Hawaii, a country that always punches above its weight in the rugby world cup and where tourists enjoy the local ham-and-pineapple curry...
President Al Bundy
Banned
I admit that most parties names sound generic, although I'm pretty sure that the SPD will still be around in ITTLs Germany. At least you shouldn't turn it into a SED-wank.
I'm also surprised that I seem to be pretty close to your plans. Maybe I'm a closet commie?
United States of America (TL-1912)
The USA has three main parties and one kooky fourth party.
Republican Party: The main competitor with the Democrats, and later the Progressives. Advocates conservatism, mostly liberal conservatism. Achieved a high under President Jeane Kirkpatrick, it is experiencing a decline as the Democratic and Objectivist parties rise... Party currently in power, but not expected to win 2016.
Democratic Party: The most experienced of all the parties, it is often called the Grand Old Party and the Comeback Party because it is the oldest party and because it came back from third party status, displacing the Progressives. Deeply Liberal and environmentalist.
Progressive Party: Formerly the main competitor to the Republicans, the Democrats displaced them in 2012. Started by Theodore Roosevelt after the Republicans refused to nominate him for president. Is progressive, sometimes social democratic. Generally left of the Democrats.
Objectivist Party: The kooky fourth party of the American political system. Founded by Ayn Rand in 1976, it achieved national prominence in 2008 when it won New Jersey. There is a real fear of they actually winning an election in the future, after all, if the Democrats could re-bound, anything is possible...
The USA has three main parties and one kooky fourth party.
Republican Party: The main competitor with the Democrats, and later the Progressives. Advocates conservatism, mostly liberal conservatism. Achieved a high under President Jeane Kirkpatrick, it is experiencing a decline as the Democratic and Objectivist parties rise... Party currently in power, but not expected to win 2016.
Democratic Party: The most experienced of all the parties, it is often called the Grand Old Party and the Comeback Party because it is the oldest party and because it came back from third party status, displacing the Progressives. Deeply Liberal and environmentalist.
Progressive Party: Formerly the main competitor to the Republicans, the Democrats displaced them in 2012. Started by Theodore Roosevelt after the Republicans refused to nominate him for president. Is progressive, sometimes social democratic. Generally left of the Democrats.
Objectivist Party: The kooky fourth party of the American political system. Founded by Ayn Rand in 1976, it achieved national prominence in 2008 when it won New Jersey. There is a real fear of they actually winning an election in the future, after all, if the Democrats could re-bound, anything is possible...
King Helü of Wu
Banned
Imperial State of Iran (ITTL no Islamic Revolution)
Since His Imperial Majesty, Shahanshah and Aryamehr of Iran Mohammad Reza Pahlavi partially lifted the ban on political opposition in 1975 as a part of his white revolution, a number of parties came, or came back, into public existence. The restrictions was completely lifted in 1979, making himself a real constitutional monarch. Some speculated that the lift was only due to his health, and his desire to preserve the monarchy, knowing that his son was a weak man.
The liberalization was aimed at exploiting the differences among the oppositions to the Shah and have them all represented in the Majles, so that no party was strong enough to topple the monarchy. To achieve this, alternative vote was selected as the system favored smaller parties.
Resurgence Party
The Shah's own party, which quickly faded into irrelevance since other parties were allowed to exist. It found it's way back only as a minor partner of the National Front in1987 asthe sentiment of Shahstagia gave it a (small) supporting population.
Islamic State Party
Founded by Sadeq Tabatabai as the exiled Khomeini tried to re-establish his links in Iran when the ban was lifted, the Party always held the ayatollah as their spiritual leader. It won a plurality in 1975, which made Khomeini to re-think his strategies. Ruled jointly with the National Front and Patriotic Tudeh Party, they forced an US withdraw from Iran. This, together with other popular policies, gave them a landslide victory in 1979, enabling them to rule singly. It held Majority until 1987, when the National Front, taking advantage of the ISP 's unpopularity among the non-Persians and non-Muslims due to its increasingly repressive policies, won a slight majority office in 1987. ISP is still popular among the the rural constituencies, but since Iran is an urbanizing society, this base is ever shrinking. The party is now shedding it's religious ideology and emphasizes on Persian nationalism to counter the NF's Minority Strategy.
National Front
National front was the same Party Mohammad Mossadegh founded in the 1940s and was ousted and outlawed in. At national level, it is considered by the minorities (Christians, Baha'i, Arabs, Azerbaijanis etc) as their only hope in a political spectrum dominated by Persian Muslims. The party had since 1987 always been ruling, either singly or in a coalition government. It was now lead by the Dr. Gholam Hossein Mossadegh, the current PM.
Patriotic Tudeh Party
A De-Russianised communist party which gained some support among the students and urban proletarians. The party suffered in reputation when the soviets invaded Afghanistan, and were forced to distance themselves from USSR. It was never as popular as the West might feared it to be.
People's Mujaheedin
An Islamist Marxist party which has a very small but strong base.
And a bunch of Kurdish, Balochi, Arab, and Azerbaijani parties has only local influences.
Since His Imperial Majesty, Shahanshah and Aryamehr of Iran Mohammad Reza Pahlavi partially lifted the ban on political opposition in 1975 as a part of his white revolution, a number of parties came, or came back, into public existence. The restrictions was completely lifted in 1979, making himself a real constitutional monarch. Some speculated that the lift was only due to his health, and his desire to preserve the monarchy, knowing that his son was a weak man.
The liberalization was aimed at exploiting the differences among the oppositions to the Shah and have them all represented in the Majles, so that no party was strong enough to topple the monarchy. To achieve this, alternative vote was selected as the system favored smaller parties.
Resurgence Party
The Shah's own party, which quickly faded into irrelevance since other parties were allowed to exist. It found it's way back only as a minor partner of the National Front in1987 asthe sentiment of Shahstagia gave it a (small) supporting population.
Islamic State Party
Founded by Sadeq Tabatabai as the exiled Khomeini tried to re-establish his links in Iran when the ban was lifted, the Party always held the ayatollah as their spiritual leader. It won a plurality in 1975, which made Khomeini to re-think his strategies. Ruled jointly with the National Front and Patriotic Tudeh Party, they forced an US withdraw from Iran. This, together with other popular policies, gave them a landslide victory in 1979, enabling them to rule singly. It held Majority until 1987, when the National Front, taking advantage of the ISP 's unpopularity among the non-Persians and non-Muslims due to its increasingly repressive policies, won a slight majority office in 1987. ISP is still popular among the the rural constituencies, but since Iran is an urbanizing society, this base is ever shrinking. The party is now shedding it's religious ideology and emphasizes on Persian nationalism to counter the NF's Minority Strategy.
National Front
National front was the same Party Mohammad Mossadegh founded in the 1940s and was ousted and outlawed in. At national level, it is considered by the minorities (Christians, Baha'i, Arabs, Azerbaijanis etc) as their only hope in a political spectrum dominated by Persian Muslims. The party had since 1987 always been ruling, either singly or in a coalition government. It was now lead by the Dr. Gholam Hossein Mossadegh, the current PM.
Patriotic Tudeh Party
A De-Russianised communist party which gained some support among the students and urban proletarians. The party suffered in reputation when the soviets invaded Afghanistan, and were forced to distance themselves from USSR. It was never as popular as the West might feared it to be.
People's Mujaheedin
An Islamist Marxist party which has a very small but strong base.
And a bunch of Kurdish, Balochi, Arab, and Azerbaijani parties has only local influences.
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Democratic Republic of Korea
Greater Soviet intervention in the Korean War, including but not limited to the involvement of Soviet military personnel as well as shipments of aid and military hardware lead to the unification of the Korean peninsula under the rule of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. When the Soviet-backed regimes in Eastern Europe began crumbling in the mid 1990s, the Korean government, in an attempt to stave off their own demise, began to enact more liberal economic policies, liberalizing and opening up the Korean economy to the rest of the world and dismantling parts of the command economy apparatus. Political reforms have been much slower, however and it was only recently that relatively free local and regional elections were held and opposition parties were allowed to operate freely in 2005.
Parties represented in the Supreme People's Assembly
Socialist Workers' Party of Korea
While the Socialist Workers may have had some legibility in its fiery revolutionary rhetoric in the past, today it is filled mostly with technocrats and career politicians. While it officially remains committed to a far-left platform, it continues to enact pro-market reforms and policies, including those that would promote international private investment and business.
Communist Party of Korea
Established by hard-leftists that felt disenfranchised with the direction the Socialist Workers were going, the Communist Party is a mostly unreconstructed Stalinist party that wants a return to a completely state run command economy as well as the return of the single party state. Backs the Socialist Workers out for pragmatic reasons.
Agrarian Farmers League
A relatively minor agrarian party in coalition with the Socialist Workers. While it claims to represent the workers in the agricultural sector, it is nothing more than a puppet of the Socialist Workers' Party and agrees with their policies most of the time.
Coalition of Liberals and Democrats
A social liberal party with social democratic tendencies, the coalition supports greater economic liberalization along with the strengthening of national social programs. It's most popular with students and regularly gets a large plurality of he youth vote. The largest actual opposition party
Party for the Future of Korea
Formed in 2008, the Party for the Future of Korea is a liberal conservative party in alliance with the Coalition of Liberals and Democrats. Supports greater integration into the global market economy alongside protectionist measures to protect domestic industries from foreign competition. As a socially conservative party, it backs the governments anti same-sex marriage stance among others.
Current composition of the Supreme People's Assembly (As of 15 February 2011)
Socialist Workers' Party of Korea 531
Communist Party of Korea 97
Coalition of Liberals and Democrats 119
Party for the Future of Korea 78
Agrarian Farmers League 25
Popular People's Alliance : 531 + 97 + 25 = 653
Democratic Union - 119 + 78 = 197
Greater Soviet intervention in the Korean War, including but not limited to the involvement of Soviet military personnel as well as shipments of aid and military hardware lead to the unification of the Korean peninsula under the rule of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. When the Soviet-backed regimes in Eastern Europe began crumbling in the mid 1990s, the Korean government, in an attempt to stave off their own demise, began to enact more liberal economic policies, liberalizing and opening up the Korean economy to the rest of the world and dismantling parts of the command economy apparatus. Political reforms have been much slower, however and it was only recently that relatively free local and regional elections were held and opposition parties were allowed to operate freely in 2005.
Parties represented in the Supreme People's Assembly
Socialist Workers' Party of Korea
While the Socialist Workers may have had some legibility in its fiery revolutionary rhetoric in the past, today it is filled mostly with technocrats and career politicians. While it officially remains committed to a far-left platform, it continues to enact pro-market reforms and policies, including those that would promote international private investment and business.
Communist Party of Korea
Established by hard-leftists that felt disenfranchised with the direction the Socialist Workers were going, the Communist Party is a mostly unreconstructed Stalinist party that wants a return to a completely state run command economy as well as the return of the single party state. Backs the Socialist Workers out for pragmatic reasons.
Agrarian Farmers League
A relatively minor agrarian party in coalition with the Socialist Workers. While it claims to represent the workers in the agricultural sector, it is nothing more than a puppet of the Socialist Workers' Party and agrees with their policies most of the time.
Coalition of Liberals and Democrats
A social liberal party with social democratic tendencies, the coalition supports greater economic liberalization along with the strengthening of national social programs. It's most popular with students and regularly gets a large plurality of he youth vote. The largest actual opposition party
Party for the Future of Korea
Formed in 2008, the Party for the Future of Korea is a liberal conservative party in alliance with the Coalition of Liberals and Democrats. Supports greater integration into the global market economy alongside protectionist measures to protect domestic industries from foreign competition. As a socially conservative party, it backs the governments anti same-sex marriage stance among others.
Current composition of the Supreme People's Assembly (As of 15 February 2011)
Socialist Workers' Party of Korea 531
Communist Party of Korea 97
Coalition of Liberals and Democrats 119
Party for the Future of Korea 78
Agrarian Farmers League 25
Popular People's Alliance : 531 + 97 + 25 = 653
Democratic Union - 119 + 78 = 197
The Union of West Indian Republics
West Indian Trade Union Congress
The party of Alexander Bustamante and Hubert Critchlow, formed from the labor movement of the British West Indies. Originally simply seeking universal adult suffrage and various labor reforms, the strikes throughout the West Indies that began in the 1930's unexpectedly sparked a fire in a region that had been a tinderbox since the Entente defeat in the Great War. By the time it became clear that their labor rebellion had begun a revolution seeking total independence, Bustamante and the labour movement in Jamaica and Critchlow and the labour movement in British Guayana could do nothing other than seek to ride the wave of the Garveyist black nationalist revolt. To this end they spent the war of independence consolidating the trade unions in their respective colonies (the Jamaican Labour Union and the Guyanan Labour Union), across racial lines, and ultimately formed a trade union federation like that in Britain throughout the British West Indies. Thus was born the West Indian TUC.
As Garvey and the UNIA spread the revolution throughout the Caribbean, not just in British colonies, the anglophonic TUC found no future in attempting an alliance with the entrenched Hatian political establishment and instead broadened its base in the former British colonies, creating a unified countering force to black nationalism, not just labour across race lines but a solid block of the white and Indian vote.
Caribbean Section of the Negro International
Section des Caraïbes du Negro International
The party of Marcus Garvey and the revolution. The West Indian general strike creating the conditions for the revolution, but the revolutionary vanguard had been in place ever since the Great War showed the anti-colonial intellectuals in the British Empire than the "mother country" could be defeated. Garvey's Universal Negro Improvement Association was the premier intellectual club among black intellectuals not just in the Caribbean, but the Americas and West Africa. It later became the Negro International, with Garvey's followers heading up the Caribbean Section.
From the beginning, the revolution was built on the backs of many intersecting and oftentimes conflicting ideals. Each island seemed to have its own national movement, there was the black intelligentsia as a class seeking improvement of their oppressed population, the anti-British pan-Caribbean thinkers, the anti-American Hatian sympathizers, the Spiritual Baptists and Christian socialists, and finally the core of Garvey's coalition - the pan-African movement. The supporters of the Caribbean becoming a beacon of universal cooperation and friendship towards the ultimate liberation of all people of color in imperialized Africa and in the unequal Americas were themselves divided among the Redemptionists, Garvey's own ideological faction seeking to "redeem" Africa by liberating it from the colonial powers, and the Rastafari religion. The Rastafarians shared the same goals, a free confederation in the Caribbean and the ultimate liberation of Africa from the colonial powers, but on a religious rather than political basis.
Following the revolution, the nascent CSNI/SCNI were the ones who pushed for total independence from Britain, and subsequently became the party of opposition to the colonial powers, while even at the same time maintaining friendly stances with the United States from where the Black International drew much support. They also became the main polyphonic party, supporting both English and French (in contrast to the anglophonic TUC and francophonic Parti National).
Trinidadian Rally of Faith
The party of T.U.B. Butler, primarily a regionalist party with Christian Democratic flavor. Like Bustamante, Butler was a labor leader whose movement was multi-racial, but Butler was also in the unique position of creating a multi-ethnic popular movement supporting many of the goals of the Garveyist revolution. Over time, however, the TRF became simply a local interest party, advocating for the unique needs of Trinidad as the most industrialized island in the Caribbean.
Parti National
One of the two main parties of Haiti and the Dominican Republic, established (or reestablished, if you trace its lineage back to the early days of the Hatian republic) by rebel leader Charlemagne Peralte, the garrison commander of Legane who waged more than a decade of guerrilla warfare against the U.S. occupation forces on the island of Santa Domingo. The liberation of the island in 1926 saw it split back into its two component nations, but Peralte's status as liberator of the island meant the Parti National maintained a presence in the Dominican Republic. After his death, Peralte's followers supported the Caribbean Revolution and were instrumental in voting for Hatian entry into the UWIR. Within the political landscape of the Union, the PN became primarily a supporter of the French language and skepticism of the United States.
Parti Liberal
The other of the two main parties of Santa Domingo, the PL reestablished the democratic process in the Dominican Republic following the liberation, and maintained friendly ties with the Peralte Administration, including merging itself with the reformed Liberals of Haiti. As opposed to the predominantly black and pan-Caribbean National Party, the hispanic and mixed-race Liberals were in the no vote opposition to Union entry in Haiti and the no vote majority in the Dominican Republic. From within Haiti the PL continued to promote liberal ideas within the greater Union.
West Indian Trade Union Congress
The party of Alexander Bustamante and Hubert Critchlow, formed from the labor movement of the British West Indies. Originally simply seeking universal adult suffrage and various labor reforms, the strikes throughout the West Indies that began in the 1930's unexpectedly sparked a fire in a region that had been a tinderbox since the Entente defeat in the Great War. By the time it became clear that their labor rebellion had begun a revolution seeking total independence, Bustamante and the labour movement in Jamaica and Critchlow and the labour movement in British Guayana could do nothing other than seek to ride the wave of the Garveyist black nationalist revolt. To this end they spent the war of independence consolidating the trade unions in their respective colonies (the Jamaican Labour Union and the Guyanan Labour Union), across racial lines, and ultimately formed a trade union federation like that in Britain throughout the British West Indies. Thus was born the West Indian TUC.
As Garvey and the UNIA spread the revolution throughout the Caribbean, not just in British colonies, the anglophonic TUC found no future in attempting an alliance with the entrenched Hatian political establishment and instead broadened its base in the former British colonies, creating a unified countering force to black nationalism, not just labour across race lines but a solid block of the white and Indian vote.
Caribbean Section of the Negro International
Section des Caraïbes du Negro International
The party of Marcus Garvey and the revolution. The West Indian general strike creating the conditions for the revolution, but the revolutionary vanguard had been in place ever since the Great War showed the anti-colonial intellectuals in the British Empire than the "mother country" could be defeated. Garvey's Universal Negro Improvement Association was the premier intellectual club among black intellectuals not just in the Caribbean, but the Americas and West Africa. It later became the Negro International, with Garvey's followers heading up the Caribbean Section.
From the beginning, the revolution was built on the backs of many intersecting and oftentimes conflicting ideals. Each island seemed to have its own national movement, there was the black intelligentsia as a class seeking improvement of their oppressed population, the anti-British pan-Caribbean thinkers, the anti-American Hatian sympathizers, the Spiritual Baptists and Christian socialists, and finally the core of Garvey's coalition - the pan-African movement. The supporters of the Caribbean becoming a beacon of universal cooperation and friendship towards the ultimate liberation of all people of color in imperialized Africa and in the unequal Americas were themselves divided among the Redemptionists, Garvey's own ideological faction seeking to "redeem" Africa by liberating it from the colonial powers, and the Rastafari religion. The Rastafarians shared the same goals, a free confederation in the Caribbean and the ultimate liberation of Africa from the colonial powers, but on a religious rather than political basis.
Following the revolution, the nascent CSNI/SCNI were the ones who pushed for total independence from Britain, and subsequently became the party of opposition to the colonial powers, while even at the same time maintaining friendly stances with the United States from where the Black International drew much support. They also became the main polyphonic party, supporting both English and French (in contrast to the anglophonic TUC and francophonic Parti National).
Trinidadian Rally of Faith
The party of T.U.B. Butler, primarily a regionalist party with Christian Democratic flavor. Like Bustamante, Butler was a labor leader whose movement was multi-racial, but Butler was also in the unique position of creating a multi-ethnic popular movement supporting many of the goals of the Garveyist revolution. Over time, however, the TRF became simply a local interest party, advocating for the unique needs of Trinidad as the most industrialized island in the Caribbean.
Parti National
One of the two main parties of Haiti and the Dominican Republic, established (or reestablished, if you trace its lineage back to the early days of the Hatian republic) by rebel leader Charlemagne Peralte, the garrison commander of Legane who waged more than a decade of guerrilla warfare against the U.S. occupation forces on the island of Santa Domingo. The liberation of the island in 1926 saw it split back into its two component nations, but Peralte's status as liberator of the island meant the Parti National maintained a presence in the Dominican Republic. After his death, Peralte's followers supported the Caribbean Revolution and were instrumental in voting for Hatian entry into the UWIR. Within the political landscape of the Union, the PN became primarily a supporter of the French language and skepticism of the United States.
Parti Liberal
The other of the two main parties of Santa Domingo, the PL reestablished the democratic process in the Dominican Republic following the liberation, and maintained friendly ties with the Peralte Administration, including merging itself with the reformed Liberals of Haiti. As opposed to the predominantly black and pan-Caribbean National Party, the hispanic and mixed-race Liberals were in the no vote opposition to Union entry in Haiti and the no vote majority in the Dominican Republic. From within Haiti the PL continued to promote liberal ideas within the greater Union.
Thande
Donor
Union of Britain and France (aka "Britance")
Formed, of course, by Guy Mollet's proposal during the Suez Crisis for a Franco-British political union being adopted.
New Democratic Party / Nouveau Parti démocratique: The main centre-right party, formed by a merger of the Conservative and Unionist Party of the United Kingdom and the Popular Republican Movement of France, with some additional smaller 'divers droite' French parties added in as well. Half the National Centre of Independents and Peasants also joined, that party fracturing down the middle. Considered to have its centre of power in Britain due to the Conservatives being more organised and in power at the time the merger happened, whereas the French Right was scattered and chaotic. The name was chosen by Harold Macmillan, taking the opportunity to rebrand with a more forward-looking label.
Labour Party / Parti travailliste: The main centre-left party, formed by a merger of the Labour Party (and Labour Co-operative Party) of the United Kingdom and the French Section of the Workers' International. It has an affiliation agreement with the portion of the Irish Labour Party that stands candidates in Northern Ireland. Its centre of power is roughly balanced between the two countries.
Radical Liberal Party / Parti Radical Libéral: Classical liberals. Formed by a merger of the Liberal Party of the United Kingdom, the Radical Party of France and the more left-wing half of the National Centre of Independents and Peasants, the other half going to the New Democrats. Its centre of power is considered to be in France.
Communist Party of Western Europe / Parti communiste de l'Europe Occidentale: Communists, mostly of the take-orders-from-Moscow stripe but with some internal disagreements. Formed by the merger of the Communist Party of Great Britain and the French Communist Party. Initially opposed the union and refused to acknowledge it, but had to change this to comply with new election laws and changed its name in turn. Its centre of power is undoubtedly in France.
Alliance for Celtic Liberty / Alliance pour la liberté celtique: Due to new election laws requiring registered parties (i.e. those liable for funding, party political broadcasts, etc.) to stand candidates in all constituent parts of the Union, the Scottish National Party, Plaid Cymru and moderate Irish republicans created an electoral alliance that also incorporated more minor Cornish and Breton groups in order to fulfil the new rules. Although the formation of the group was for purely pragmatic reasons, it has led to more Celtic internationalism.
United National Party / Parti nationale uni: Currently minor alliance of far-right groups, their main cause being opposition to immigration and defence of colonialism (pied-noirs, Rhodesia, etc.)
Anti-Union Group / Bloc contre-union: A loose alliance of groups opposed to the Franco-British Union, which have been forced to work together by the new election rules despite the fact that they mostly hate each other.
Formed, of course, by Guy Mollet's proposal during the Suez Crisis for a Franco-British political union being adopted.
New Democratic Party / Nouveau Parti démocratique: The main centre-right party, formed by a merger of the Conservative and Unionist Party of the United Kingdom and the Popular Republican Movement of France, with some additional smaller 'divers droite' French parties added in as well. Half the National Centre of Independents and Peasants also joined, that party fracturing down the middle. Considered to have its centre of power in Britain due to the Conservatives being more organised and in power at the time the merger happened, whereas the French Right was scattered and chaotic. The name was chosen by Harold Macmillan, taking the opportunity to rebrand with a more forward-looking label.
Labour Party / Parti travailliste: The main centre-left party, formed by a merger of the Labour Party (and Labour Co-operative Party) of the United Kingdom and the French Section of the Workers' International. It has an affiliation agreement with the portion of the Irish Labour Party that stands candidates in Northern Ireland. Its centre of power is roughly balanced between the two countries.
Radical Liberal Party / Parti Radical Libéral: Classical liberals. Formed by a merger of the Liberal Party of the United Kingdom, the Radical Party of France and the more left-wing half of the National Centre of Independents and Peasants, the other half going to the New Democrats. Its centre of power is considered to be in France.
Communist Party of Western Europe / Parti communiste de l'Europe Occidentale: Communists, mostly of the take-orders-from-Moscow stripe but with some internal disagreements. Formed by the merger of the Communist Party of Great Britain and the French Communist Party. Initially opposed the union and refused to acknowledge it, but had to change this to comply with new election laws and changed its name in turn. Its centre of power is undoubtedly in France.
Alliance for Celtic Liberty / Alliance pour la liberté celtique: Due to new election laws requiring registered parties (i.e. those liable for funding, party political broadcasts, etc.) to stand candidates in all constituent parts of the Union, the Scottish National Party, Plaid Cymru and moderate Irish republicans created an electoral alliance that also incorporated more minor Cornish and Breton groups in order to fulfil the new rules. Although the formation of the group was for purely pragmatic reasons, it has led to more Celtic internationalism.
United National Party / Parti nationale uni: Currently minor alliance of far-right groups, their main cause being opposition to immigration and defence of colonialism (pied-noirs, Rhodesia, etc.)
Anti-Union Group / Bloc contre-union: A loose alliance of groups opposed to the Franco-British Union, which have been forced to work together by the new election rules despite the fact that they mostly hate each other.
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Great Britain, circa 1877
Jacobites: Supporters of the House of Stuart and divine right monarchy, which by this time had transformed from pure absolutism to support for the Swedish system, in which the monarch appointed the Prime Minister and Cabinet and, while the Parliament had the power to pass laws, the monarch held the power of veto. If successful in the '77 election, the result would have been the Fourth Restoration, making the King of Bavaria the King of Great Britain.
Hanoverians: Supporters of the House of Hanover and parliamentary monarchy. After their parliamentary system of the Second Glorious Revolution (1831-1843) and the enfranchisement of the middle-class and limitation of the power of the Lords failed to satisfy the people and resulted in their overthrow, they shifted their support to that of a full-blooded constitutional monarchy. Their Third Glorious Revolution would have made the Duke of Hanover into the King of the British.
Duncanites: Supporters of the House of Duncan and popular imperialism, this faction was discredited in the 1877 election, having just seen their Second Empire fall apart after the death of Emperor Michael (who reigned from 1843 until his death in 1871). Despite their reduced presence, they made a go for the '77 election, supporting Raphael Duncan and harkening back to the original glories of Emperor Gabriel, the Connecticut-born Lower Canadian war hero who had saved the Second Commonwealth from itself in the 1790's. However the only change to their proposed system of government for a proposed Third Imperium was for Raphael Duncan to be made President-for-Life, but otherwise exercise all of the permanent Head of State powers as the previous Emperor of the British.
Levellers: Modern radicals proudly wearing the pejorative label meant to evoke the worst revolutionary excesses of the Second Commonwealth before Colonel Duncan was made Chieftain of the British Peoples and then Emperor of the British. They intended for the Third Commonwealth to be built firmly on the principles of radical egalitarianism and national economy, continuing the economic reforms that Emperor Michael's Second Imperium had been flirting with until his death earlier in the decade.
Platonists: Moderate proponents for a Third Commonwealth, they looked to the American Commonwealth as the example of the balance between authority and democracy necessary for a well-ordered society, taking their inspiration from Plato's Commonwealth.
Capitalists: Descending from the Capital Clubs of the late 18th century, these representatives of those made wealthy by the industrial revolution claimed in the '77 election to a thoroughly commonweal history of reformist views dating back to Adam Smith, but were tarred with their association with the Second Imperium, the Second Glorious Revolution, the Third Restoration, the First Imperium, and the Second Commonwealth. In the courts of absolutist monarchs and popular emperors, and as the hunted opposition of the zealous Levellers of the Second Commonwealth, they had long outlived any ideological orientation and simply become a court faction of whatever ruling regime, one providing the support of the industrialists and merchants in exchange for political considerations for the same.
Jacobites: Supporters of the House of Stuart and divine right monarchy, which by this time had transformed from pure absolutism to support for the Swedish system, in which the monarch appointed the Prime Minister and Cabinet and, while the Parliament had the power to pass laws, the monarch held the power of veto. If successful in the '77 election, the result would have been the Fourth Restoration, making the King of Bavaria the King of Great Britain.
Hanoverians: Supporters of the House of Hanover and parliamentary monarchy. After their parliamentary system of the Second Glorious Revolution (1831-1843) and the enfranchisement of the middle-class and limitation of the power of the Lords failed to satisfy the people and resulted in their overthrow, they shifted their support to that of a full-blooded constitutional monarchy. Their Third Glorious Revolution would have made the Duke of Hanover into the King of the British.
Duncanites: Supporters of the House of Duncan and popular imperialism, this faction was discredited in the 1877 election, having just seen their Second Empire fall apart after the death of Emperor Michael (who reigned from 1843 until his death in 1871). Despite their reduced presence, they made a go for the '77 election, supporting Raphael Duncan and harkening back to the original glories of Emperor Gabriel, the Connecticut-born Lower Canadian war hero who had saved the Second Commonwealth from itself in the 1790's. However the only change to their proposed system of government for a proposed Third Imperium was for Raphael Duncan to be made President-for-Life, but otherwise exercise all of the permanent Head of State powers as the previous Emperor of the British.
Levellers: Modern radicals proudly wearing the pejorative label meant to evoke the worst revolutionary excesses of the Second Commonwealth before Colonel Duncan was made Chieftain of the British Peoples and then Emperor of the British. They intended for the Third Commonwealth to be built firmly on the principles of radical egalitarianism and national economy, continuing the economic reforms that Emperor Michael's Second Imperium had been flirting with until his death earlier in the decade.
Platonists: Moderate proponents for a Third Commonwealth, they looked to the American Commonwealth as the example of the balance between authority and democracy necessary for a well-ordered society, taking their inspiration from Plato's Commonwealth.
Capitalists: Descending from the Capital Clubs of the late 18th century, these representatives of those made wealthy by the industrial revolution claimed in the '77 election to a thoroughly commonweal history of reformist views dating back to Adam Smith, but were tarred with their association with the Second Imperium, the Second Glorious Revolution, the Third Restoration, the First Imperium, and the Second Commonwealth. In the courts of absolutist monarchs and popular emperors, and as the hunted opposition of the zealous Levellers of the Second Commonwealth, they had long outlived any ideological orientation and simply become a court faction of whatever ruling regime, one providing the support of the industrialists and merchants in exchange for political considerations for the same.
King Helü of Wu
Banned
Republic Of China: The Third Republic.
30th May 2009.
It has been 20 years since the students withdrew peacefully from the Tiananmen Square on 30 May 1989, being persuaded by the Premier Zhao Ziyang, after a majority vote led by Feng Congde.
After the withdraw, the party did not dare to make massive arrests and crackdowns, fearing that the students may take to the streets again.
Since Zhao was not removed, certain reforms came under way. Elections and the loosening of party grip on the government happened in (first) village (then) prefecture (county) level. Massive fund increase on education and the social sectors served to make the people see that the party was changing for the better.
One of the interesting developments were the segmentation of the provinces and re-installation of Commandery (Jun). This was to reduce the chance of local nationalism after democratization. Commandery level elections were held the same year as Hong Kong returned.
In 2001, after the return of Hong Kong and Macau, cross-strait talks lead to the return of Taiwan as a "independent and co-equal" partner in the newly re-instigated Republic of China (Third Republic), and got its own Army and own UN seat separate from Beijing's, the country was nominally unified. Full democracy was achieved as national-level elections were held in the same year and the last remnants of censorship lifted.
The new ROC flag. Though I personally prefer another flag, this one is the only plausible flag in this scenario.
========================================================
As of 2009, the political parties are:
The Kuomintang (on mainland)
The party won the national election of 2001 by promising everything that the CPC could not offer. Their inabilities to solve real life problems has lead to their defeat on the elections of 2005 at national level and in 2009 at the local levels as well. It now fears that it may become a permanent opposition party.
The Communist Party Of China
This party acts nothing like the name suggests. Instead, they won the previous two national elections only because the people knew that they run the economy better.
The Communist Party Of China (Maoist)
A party that really terrified all other parties in China due to their unexpected victory in 2005 and their strong culture-revolution like election strategy. The party was not a strong as people think it to be, and its strongest based were not peasants but army veterans and old state factory workers waiting for more pensions.
The Democratic Progressive Party (on Mainland)
A party for local nationalism and local autonomy with a Hokkien, a Cantonese, and even a Uighur branch. The party was allowed only recently in 2007 local elections, as the CPC-dominated central government preferred to face one single pro-autonomic party than many other.
The Peasants' Party
The party really supported by the peasants disillusioned by the KMT.
The Great Han Party
Democratization was not perfect. Ethnic riots in non-Han-Chinese regions has raised the prospect among the Han Chinese in those regions' that local independence and their being expelled or slaughtered by the rebellious non-Han. A collective sense of being betrayed has led to the victory of the GHD, an ultra-nationalist Han party in many of those regions.
Tibetans For Real Autonomy
After several elections, this party, the only one blessed by Dalai Lama who came back from exile in 2003, triumphed in the Tibetan localities. The party remained the only party not being annexed by the Democratic Progressive Party in minority regions.
30th May 2009.
It has been 20 years since the students withdrew peacefully from the Tiananmen Square on 30 May 1989, being persuaded by the Premier Zhao Ziyang, after a majority vote led by Feng Congde.
After the withdraw, the party did not dare to make massive arrests and crackdowns, fearing that the students may take to the streets again.
Since Zhao was not removed, certain reforms came under way. Elections and the loosening of party grip on the government happened in (first) village (then) prefecture (county) level. Massive fund increase on education and the social sectors served to make the people see that the party was changing for the better.
One of the interesting developments were the segmentation of the provinces and re-installation of Commandery (Jun). This was to reduce the chance of local nationalism after democratization. Commandery level elections were held the same year as Hong Kong returned.
In 2001, after the return of Hong Kong and Macau, cross-strait talks lead to the return of Taiwan as a "independent and co-equal" partner in the newly re-instigated Republic of China (Third Republic), and got its own Army and own UN seat separate from Beijing's, the country was nominally unified. Full democracy was achieved as national-level elections were held in the same year and the last remnants of censorship lifted.
The new ROC flag. Though I personally prefer another flag, this one is the only plausible flag in this scenario.
========================================================
As of 2009, the political parties are:
The Kuomintang (on mainland)
The party won the national election of 2001 by promising everything that the CPC could not offer. Their inabilities to solve real life problems has lead to their defeat on the elections of 2005 at national level and in 2009 at the local levels as well. It now fears that it may become a permanent opposition party.
The Communist Party Of China
This party acts nothing like the name suggests. Instead, they won the previous two national elections only because the people knew that they run the economy better.
The Communist Party Of China (Maoist)
A party that really terrified all other parties in China due to their unexpected victory in 2005 and their strong culture-revolution like election strategy. The party was not a strong as people think it to be, and its strongest based were not peasants but army veterans and old state factory workers waiting for more pensions.
The Democratic Progressive Party (on Mainland)
A party for local nationalism and local autonomy with a Hokkien, a Cantonese, and even a Uighur branch. The party was allowed only recently in 2007 local elections, as the CPC-dominated central government preferred to face one single pro-autonomic party than many other.
The Peasants' Party
The party really supported by the peasants disillusioned by the KMT.
The Great Han Party
Democratization was not perfect. Ethnic riots in non-Han-Chinese regions has raised the prospect among the Han Chinese in those regions' that local independence and their being expelled or slaughtered by the rebellious non-Han. A collective sense of being betrayed has led to the victory of the GHD, an ultra-nationalist Han party in many of those regions.
Tibetans For Real Autonomy
After several elections, this party, the only one blessed by Dalai Lama who came back from exile in 2003, triumphed in the Tibetan localities. The party remained the only party not being annexed by the Democratic Progressive Party in minority regions.
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King Helü of Wu
Banned
My favorite thread so far. Finally someone realized that the DPRK is unable to reform because a wealthy South has made the North prone to collapse once the country opens up.
Earth Reclamation Government
Formed from a variety of problems that ended up requiring humanity to work together, and from the Collapse of 2050 causing a general disillusionment of ideals like Liberalism and Nationalism, came the Earth Reclaimation Government. The government itself formed out of a desperate need to reclaim territory lost to ecological damage.
The government has become a representative democracy, more from the need to peacefully resolve immense political differences within than the want to, "resume the old Liberal institution." The system itself is organized on a parliamentary system, with the closet analogy perhaps being Germany.
While the populace isn't fond of liberalism on a whole, it is violently opposed to any single leader wielding significant power. Because of this, the executive branch has seven leaders, instead of one, each representing a continent on Earth, and having equal power.
Official Parties
Technocrat Movement: Rather disgusted with the current government structure, they participate in it anyway, knowing it is a concession to avoid violent ideological conflict. They support a command economy run through advanced computers, and somewhat totalitarian security measures, however are against the social policies of the Human Unionists. They represent the center politically, being a vital part of establishing legitimacy for the new government. It primarily gains votes from Southeast Asia and Western North America, which were the areas most impacted by the collapse within the continent of each.
Human Unionists: Supportive of the current setup, being the party responsible for the idea of the current government, they represent the centre-right. Favoring a Corporatist economy, and social measures that, "reduce unnecessary conflict," which translates into totalitarian measures to prevent violent opposition to the state, and social policies to, "restore normalcy". They primarily draw votes from Eastern North America and chunks of Western Europe, with each being the least impacted by the Collapse within their continents.
United Moderate Syndicalists: Representing the left wing of the government, they come from Syndicalist factions willing to tolerate the state, unlike their Anarchist counterparts, being another faction vital to establishing legitimacy for the current government. Despite this, they are quite radical by the government's standards, supporting a decentralized economy based on worker cooperatives and extreme social liberation, with the latter including direct democracy measures. The few statist measures they support deal with measures to restore the ecology, and to help provide the capital to startup cooperatives. They primarily draw votes from South America, and parts of Western Europe, with the latter being the most impacted parts by the Collapse in their area.
Party for a New Republic: Representing the right wing of the government, they support more radical social policies to restore normalcy, and a mixed economy. Despite usually being a minority party, they are important as they represent the 2nd most damaged areas by the collapse. They primarily draw votes from the Middle East, and Eastern Europe.
The Polar Pact: Representing the centre-left, they support a mixture of Syndicalist and Command economics, while socially supporting freer measures, but not direct democracy measures. Another minority party, they gain importance from the regions they represent, being Northern Asia, Europe, and America, which were the most damaged areas by the Collapse that managed to survive at all.
Rebel Factions
Anarchists: They possess immense popularity in the areas most impacted by the collapse in Europe and South America, however their ideology is illegal, driving them underground. Supporting completely decentralized Syndicalist economics, and no state at all, they are the radical left of this world.
Nationalists: While dwindling rapidly from the ERG's success, they still appear in areas that feel underrepresented in the current state, although democratic reforms have further undercut this source of support. Of late, really only appear in Oceania, which until recently, had been virtually uninhabitable because of the Collapse.
Formed from a variety of problems that ended up requiring humanity to work together, and from the Collapse of 2050 causing a general disillusionment of ideals like Liberalism and Nationalism, came the Earth Reclaimation Government. The government itself formed out of a desperate need to reclaim territory lost to ecological damage.
The government has become a representative democracy, more from the need to peacefully resolve immense political differences within than the want to, "resume the old Liberal institution." The system itself is organized on a parliamentary system, with the closet analogy perhaps being Germany.
While the populace isn't fond of liberalism on a whole, it is violently opposed to any single leader wielding significant power. Because of this, the executive branch has seven leaders, instead of one, each representing a continent on Earth, and having equal power.
Official Parties
Technocrat Movement: Rather disgusted with the current government structure, they participate in it anyway, knowing it is a concession to avoid violent ideological conflict. They support a command economy run through advanced computers, and somewhat totalitarian security measures, however are against the social policies of the Human Unionists. They represent the center politically, being a vital part of establishing legitimacy for the new government. It primarily gains votes from Southeast Asia and Western North America, which were the areas most impacted by the collapse within the continent of each.
Human Unionists: Supportive of the current setup, being the party responsible for the idea of the current government, they represent the centre-right. Favoring a Corporatist economy, and social measures that, "reduce unnecessary conflict," which translates into totalitarian measures to prevent violent opposition to the state, and social policies to, "restore normalcy". They primarily draw votes from Eastern North America and chunks of Western Europe, with each being the least impacted by the Collapse within their continents.
United Moderate Syndicalists: Representing the left wing of the government, they come from Syndicalist factions willing to tolerate the state, unlike their Anarchist counterparts, being another faction vital to establishing legitimacy for the current government. Despite this, they are quite radical by the government's standards, supporting a decentralized economy based on worker cooperatives and extreme social liberation, with the latter including direct democracy measures. The few statist measures they support deal with measures to restore the ecology, and to help provide the capital to startup cooperatives. They primarily draw votes from South America, and parts of Western Europe, with the latter being the most impacted parts by the Collapse in their area.
Party for a New Republic: Representing the right wing of the government, they support more radical social policies to restore normalcy, and a mixed economy. Despite usually being a minority party, they are important as they represent the 2nd most damaged areas by the collapse. They primarily draw votes from the Middle East, and Eastern Europe.
The Polar Pact: Representing the centre-left, they support a mixture of Syndicalist and Command economics, while socially supporting freer measures, but not direct democracy measures. Another minority party, they gain importance from the regions they represent, being Northern Asia, Europe, and America, which were the most damaged areas by the Collapse that managed to survive at all.
Rebel Factions
Anarchists: They possess immense popularity in the areas most impacted by the collapse in Europe and South America, however their ideology is illegal, driving them underground. Supporting completely decentralized Syndicalist economics, and no state at all, they are the radical left of this world.
Nationalists: While dwindling rapidly from the ERG's success, they still appear in areas that feel underrepresented in the current state, although democratic reforms have further undercut this source of support. Of late, really only appear in Oceania, which until recently, had been virtually uninhabitable because of the Collapse.
Nope. However, my great uncle migrated to Zimbabwe (Then Rhodesia) after WW2, and I spent some time there as a kid. Of course only a couple of my relatives still live there given the troubles of the last decade. I also spent much of my youth in New Zealand, where there are a lot of South Africans, so I have a pretty wide exposure to the region.
Developing a positive outcome for Zim was in fact the original impetus for coming up with this TL, so I'll throw that one out first (Like all the countries in this TL, Zimbabwe has more white people than it did in OTL, though they are still a minority):
Republic of Zimbabwe
A Republic in Southern Africa, Zimbabwe became independent as the Dominion of the British Empire in 1954. Originally named Rhodesia, the name Zimbabwe was adopted in 1978. Since then, 'Rhodesian' has evolved as a popular endonym for White Zimbabweans uneasy with identifying as 'European'.
National Republican Party
Formed in 1979 as a merger of the National Party with the small Republic of Rhodesia Party. It is the main party of the Center Right. Its predecessor, the National Party, was itself the heir to the Dominionist movement that sought to achieve full self-government for Zimbabwe. Under Prime Minister Macleod in the 1960s, the National Party pioneered the country's democratization, first expanding the number of seats for which Black voters could vote, and later supporting the abolition of separate list voting entirely. However, the hoped for windfall from gracious black voters did not occur, and like many of the old white parties it struggled in the 1970s and early 1980s before its reorganization of the NRP under Robert Mugabe. The party supports liberal economics and is generally moderate to conservative on social issues. Although the NRP was once seen as 'the party of white farmers', it undertook a comprehensive land reform program in the late 1980s that was internationally praised and moved significant quantities of land into black hands. It has 63 seats in parliament and leads the coalition government.
Liberal Party
An old party from before democratization, the Liberals struggled to make inroads with Black voters until the 1990s, when they were able to start winning support from sections of the black middle class. Liberal on economic and social issues, the party has seen a recent surge of popularity after its role in forcing a judicial investigation of significant corruption under a previous government. The party has 18 seats in parliament and is a member of the coalition government.
Christian Democratic Party
The last member of the coalition government, the CDP was founded as the political arm of the National Council of Churches, an awkward alliance of protestant religious groups that includes dour White Anglicans and charismatic Pentecostal churches with mostly Black flocks. The CDP supports social justice, improved services for the elderly, and socially conservative policies. In the coalition is regularly clashes with the Liberals. It has 18 seats in parliament.
United Labour Party
The ULP is the current manifestation of the old Labour party that dated well back into the colonial period. After cautiously adopting support for full democracy in 1954 the party suffered several splits, but ultimately survived. Although the party's original Black star, Robert Mugabe, left the party to join MacLeod's new National Party in 1964, the party soon raised a new crop of ambitious young black politicians. After 1970 the party was the dominant party in parliament for the better part of 20 years. A center-left party generally willing to compromise with business interests, the party has recently been overshadowed as the main left-wing party by the more radical Social Democrats. The ULP has 30 seats in parliament.
Social Democratic Party
Originally a ULP faction, the party split off in the early 1970s, opposed to the ULP leadership's conciliatory line on economic and political reform, the party generally sat at the fringes of Zimbabwean politics till the mid 1990s, when disaffection with the ULP began to spread among many of the poor. While the ULP remains strongly linked to organized labour, the SDP is more popular among the more numerous unorganized poor and the unemployed. The party has 42 seats in parliament.
African People's Congress
The APC, part of the general trend towards Africanist reaction across Southern Africa, is a minor party in Zimbabwe calling for massive economic redistribution and cultural change. In the mid 1980s they pushed a campaign to rename Salisbury, Harare, but this was unsuccessful. They draw much of their support from the same constituency as the SDP, a well as among radical members of the Black middle class and intelligentsia. The party has 21 seats in parliament.
United Commonwealth of America
Worried about losing the 13 Colonies following the 7 Years War, Great Britain began giving autonomy to it's North American colonies, establishing a local parliament as well as allowing representatives from the colonies to sit in the British parliament. In 1843, the Commonwealth Acts were passed, unifying the British North American colonies into a cohesive political unit as a federal dominion. The Dominion of America continued to gain autonomy, culminating with the signing of the North American Act in 1966, patriating the North American constitution. In 1999, the people voted for the country to become a republic with a slim majority (51.3%) voting "YES" for the institution of a republic. The office of President was created with the President wielding little actual power and is little more than a figure head. The President is voted based on FPTP, with the the candidate obtaining the most votes becoming President. The President must be an independent and not affiliated with any political party or group.
Parties represented in the House of Representatives
Progressive Republican Party
Founded as the Unified Progressive Party, the Progressive Republicans are one of the oldest parties in the Commonwealth, formed as a result of a unification of various liberal and social progressive movements in the late 19th century and is often referred to as the "Grand Old Party" because of it's age and prominence in American politics. A broad catch all centre-left party, they support state intervention in the private sector in order to prevent the formation of monopolies and were instrumental in the breaking up of the enormous monopoly held by Columbian Coal & Steel in the mining and energy sectors in the 19th century as well as the Commonwealth Radio and Television's stranglehold on traditional media outlets (television, radio and newspaper) and telecommunications. They also support a graduated, progressive tax, expansion of the National Medical Insurance Program and other social programs in order to promote social justice while simultaneously pushing for greater market reforms in industry and the abolishing of tariffs designed to protect domestic American industries from foreign competition as well slightly increasing the corporate tax rates and the estate tax rate. However, they also support lowering taxes on small businesses and have passed a fiscal stimulus package specially tailored for small businesses, including tax breaks and state subsidies and grants for struggling small business owners. Recently, they have also begun promoting sustainable energy projects as well as the investment of private and public energy firms into renewable energy sources, promising tax breaks and subsidies for new "Green energy" firms. One result of this has a large expansion in the range and variety of energy efficient consumer electronics.
They are also progressive on social issues, spurring the legalization of same sex marriage as well as the decriminalization of the possession of nearly all drugs with the outright legalization of "soft" drugs such as marijuana and ecstasy currently being proposed. It was also instrumental in establishing women's suffrage which lead to the Commonwealth being one of the first nations in the world to give women the right to vote. They were also key to the holding of the Commonwealth republic referendum in 1999. Following the victory of the "YES" side, they changed their name to the "Progressive Republican Party".
Currently, they hold a majority in the Senate, a large plurality in the House of Representatives and have been in power since 1997. The last time they held power was from 1982 to 1987. They are projected to remain in power after the next federal election with a large majority government said to be unavoidable.
Radical Whig Party
Formed in attempt to create a cohesive party to oppose Progressive Republican policies on businesses, the Radical Whigs have called for the axing many regulations currently placed on the private sector and industries as a whole and cutting public jobs especially in the "bloated and overburdened" state hospitals. As a classical liberal party, they place a lot of emphasis on economic freedom, calling for limited government intervention in the daily affairs of the economy and the retraction of all state subsidies and tariffs. It also pushes for the liberalization of the public health sector with more radical elements longing for the eventual dismantlement of the current federal public healthcare system and making it available on a provincial basis. It is also a fiscally conservative party, opposing nearly all forms of deficit spending and proposes strong austerity measures in times of recession and pushes for budget cuts on federal state programs in order to balance the state budget.
Socially, they think that current progressives are doing too little to advance individual liberties and fight for the decriminalization of the remaining illicit drugs and the relaxing of current regulations on drugs that have been legalized, including increasing the amount of drugs a person could legally possess as well as lowering requirements for drug dispensaries. They also oppose all forms of censorship and fully support unrestricted freedom of speech and are vehemently against current "hate speech" laws. Currently the second largest party in the House of Representatives and the third largest in the Senate and are presently the Official Opposition. However, according to recent polls, they are losing support and are projected to slip to third place in the next federal election. The last Radical Whig to hold the office of Prime Minister was Ronald Davis from 1977 to 1982 and from 1987 to 1993.
Conservative Unionist Party
The Conservative Unionist party was formed in 1910 as a socially conservative alternative to the Radical Whigs. Economically, the Conservatives place themselves between the Progressive Republicans on the left and the Radical Whigs on the right, describing their economic policies as those of the "radical centre". They support some liberalization of the state sector and generally support the Progressive Republicans on international trade and their stance on small businesses, calling the Radical Whig plans to slash subsidies and grants to small businesses "radical" and that they would "grievously harm the small businessman", something the Radical Whigs vigorously deny. However, unlike the two other parties, they support slight increases to the defense budget as well the modernization and expansion of the American military apparatus. In short, they're a mixed bag.
However, it's not their economics that attract voters, but their social stance. As social conservatives, they oppose same-sex marriage and voted to limit it to civil unions, calling for the respect and protection of "traditional marriage". They are also pro-life. With regards to drugs, they support a stricter approach on drugs and want harsh penalties for those caught with large quantities or distributing "hard" drugs along with the recriminalization of the possession of "hard" drugs and lowering the status of "soft" drugs from legalization to merely decriminalization. Currently the third largest party in the House of Representatives and the second largest in the senate. The last Conservative Unionist to hold the office of Prime Minister was Preston Manning from 1993 to 1997. They are projected to regain their position as the Official Opposition in the next federal election.
Socialist Labour Party
The Socialist Labour Party was formed as a result of unification of the Socialist Party, the Revolutionary Party of the Left and other smaller Socialist and leftist parties into a single, cohesive political party, with a moderate left ideology. The more radical elements left to form the much less successful Revolutionary Socialist Party (Which currently has no representation in Parliament). Socialist Labour presents itself as the Socialist alternative to the Progressive Republicans and advocates for workplace democracy and for the strengthening of trade unions and have backed proposals to unite the various disparate labour unions into a giant, federated "super-union" in order to protect workers rights. They are also somewhat protectionist, calling for the increasing of tariffs to defend key American industries and have pushed for legislature to penalize corporations that practice outsourcing, something that the Progressive Republicans are reluctant to do and have been dragging their feet on this issue. They also strongly defend the rights of minorities and human rights in general. There is also a large eco-socialist wing within the party and the party as a whole advocates sustainable development of industry and the economy with more emphasis placed on the environment. They also support an abolishment of the Senate and a move towards a unicameral parliament with a more proportional voting system.
Socially, they are roughly between the Progressive Democrats and Radical Whigs. Currently the second smallest party in the House of Representatives and the smallest party in the senate. No politician from Socialist Labour has ever held the office of Prime Minister. Have experienced a surge in support due to current economic difficulties.
True Christian Party of America
Virulently racist, xenophobic and nationalistic, the True Christian Party is deeply unpopular in the Commonwealth and is consistently last in federal elections, never obtaining more than several hundred votes. The only reason they even have representation in the House is that a Conservative Unionist politician defected to the True Christians following the last federal election. They are projected to lose that seat to the Radical Whigs in the next federal election. Currently, they only hold one seat in the House of Representatives and none in the Senate.
Current composition of the House of Representatives (Since 29/09/2010)
Progressive Republican - 341
Radical Whig - 196
Conservative Unionist - 124
Socialist Labour - 43
True Christian - 1
Current composition of the Senate (Since 11/01/2011)
Progressive Republican - 65
Conservative Unionist - 38
Radical Whig - 15
Socialist Labour - 7
Worried about losing the 13 Colonies following the 7 Years War, Great Britain began giving autonomy to it's North American colonies, establishing a local parliament as well as allowing representatives from the colonies to sit in the British parliament. In 1843, the Commonwealth Acts were passed, unifying the British North American colonies into a cohesive political unit as a federal dominion. The Dominion of America continued to gain autonomy, culminating with the signing of the North American Act in 1966, patriating the North American constitution. In 1999, the people voted for the country to become a republic with a slim majority (51.3%) voting "YES" for the institution of a republic. The office of President was created with the President wielding little actual power and is little more than a figure head. The President is voted based on FPTP, with the the candidate obtaining the most votes becoming President. The President must be an independent and not affiliated with any political party or group.
Parties represented in the House of Representatives
Progressive Republican Party
Founded as the Unified Progressive Party, the Progressive Republicans are one of the oldest parties in the Commonwealth, formed as a result of a unification of various liberal and social progressive movements in the late 19th century and is often referred to as the "Grand Old Party" because of it's age and prominence in American politics. A broad catch all centre-left party, they support state intervention in the private sector in order to prevent the formation of monopolies and were instrumental in the breaking up of the enormous monopoly held by Columbian Coal & Steel in the mining and energy sectors in the 19th century as well as the Commonwealth Radio and Television's stranglehold on traditional media outlets (television, radio and newspaper) and telecommunications. They also support a graduated, progressive tax, expansion of the National Medical Insurance Program and other social programs in order to promote social justice while simultaneously pushing for greater market reforms in industry and the abolishing of tariffs designed to protect domestic American industries from foreign competition as well slightly increasing the corporate tax rates and the estate tax rate. However, they also support lowering taxes on small businesses and have passed a fiscal stimulus package specially tailored for small businesses, including tax breaks and state subsidies and grants for struggling small business owners. Recently, they have also begun promoting sustainable energy projects as well as the investment of private and public energy firms into renewable energy sources, promising tax breaks and subsidies for new "Green energy" firms. One result of this has a large expansion in the range and variety of energy efficient consumer electronics.
They are also progressive on social issues, spurring the legalization of same sex marriage as well as the decriminalization of the possession of nearly all drugs with the outright legalization of "soft" drugs such as marijuana and ecstasy currently being proposed. It was also instrumental in establishing women's suffrage which lead to the Commonwealth being one of the first nations in the world to give women the right to vote. They were also key to the holding of the Commonwealth republic referendum in 1999. Following the victory of the "YES" side, they changed their name to the "Progressive Republican Party".
Currently, they hold a majority in the Senate, a large plurality in the House of Representatives and have been in power since 1997. The last time they held power was from 1982 to 1987. They are projected to remain in power after the next federal election with a large majority government said to be unavoidable.
Radical Whig Party
Formed in attempt to create a cohesive party to oppose Progressive Republican policies on businesses, the Radical Whigs have called for the axing many regulations currently placed on the private sector and industries as a whole and cutting public jobs especially in the "bloated and overburdened" state hospitals. As a classical liberal party, they place a lot of emphasis on economic freedom, calling for limited government intervention in the daily affairs of the economy and the retraction of all state subsidies and tariffs. It also pushes for the liberalization of the public health sector with more radical elements longing for the eventual dismantlement of the current federal public healthcare system and making it available on a provincial basis. It is also a fiscally conservative party, opposing nearly all forms of deficit spending and proposes strong austerity measures in times of recession and pushes for budget cuts on federal state programs in order to balance the state budget.
Socially, they think that current progressives are doing too little to advance individual liberties and fight for the decriminalization of the remaining illicit drugs and the relaxing of current regulations on drugs that have been legalized, including increasing the amount of drugs a person could legally possess as well as lowering requirements for drug dispensaries. They also oppose all forms of censorship and fully support unrestricted freedom of speech and are vehemently against current "hate speech" laws. Currently the second largest party in the House of Representatives and the third largest in the Senate and are presently the Official Opposition. However, according to recent polls, they are losing support and are projected to slip to third place in the next federal election. The last Radical Whig to hold the office of Prime Minister was Ronald Davis from 1977 to 1982 and from 1987 to 1993.
Conservative Unionist Party
The Conservative Unionist party was formed in 1910 as a socially conservative alternative to the Radical Whigs. Economically, the Conservatives place themselves between the Progressive Republicans on the left and the Radical Whigs on the right, describing their economic policies as those of the "radical centre". They support some liberalization of the state sector and generally support the Progressive Republicans on international trade and their stance on small businesses, calling the Radical Whig plans to slash subsidies and grants to small businesses "radical" and that they would "grievously harm the small businessman", something the Radical Whigs vigorously deny. However, unlike the two other parties, they support slight increases to the defense budget as well the modernization and expansion of the American military apparatus. In short, they're a mixed bag.
However, it's not their economics that attract voters, but their social stance. As social conservatives, they oppose same-sex marriage and voted to limit it to civil unions, calling for the respect and protection of "traditional marriage". They are also pro-life. With regards to drugs, they support a stricter approach on drugs and want harsh penalties for those caught with large quantities or distributing "hard" drugs along with the recriminalization of the possession of "hard" drugs and lowering the status of "soft" drugs from legalization to merely decriminalization. Currently the third largest party in the House of Representatives and the second largest in the senate. The last Conservative Unionist to hold the office of Prime Minister was Preston Manning from 1993 to 1997. They are projected to regain their position as the Official Opposition in the next federal election.
Socialist Labour Party
The Socialist Labour Party was formed as a result of unification of the Socialist Party, the Revolutionary Party of the Left and other smaller Socialist and leftist parties into a single, cohesive political party, with a moderate left ideology. The more radical elements left to form the much less successful Revolutionary Socialist Party (Which currently has no representation in Parliament). Socialist Labour presents itself as the Socialist alternative to the Progressive Republicans and advocates for workplace democracy and for the strengthening of trade unions and have backed proposals to unite the various disparate labour unions into a giant, federated "super-union" in order to protect workers rights. They are also somewhat protectionist, calling for the increasing of tariffs to defend key American industries and have pushed for legislature to penalize corporations that practice outsourcing, something that the Progressive Republicans are reluctant to do and have been dragging their feet on this issue. They also strongly defend the rights of minorities and human rights in general. There is also a large eco-socialist wing within the party and the party as a whole advocates sustainable development of industry and the economy with more emphasis placed on the environment. They also support an abolishment of the Senate and a move towards a unicameral parliament with a more proportional voting system.
Socially, they are roughly between the Progressive Democrats and Radical Whigs. Currently the second smallest party in the House of Representatives and the smallest party in the senate. No politician from Socialist Labour has ever held the office of Prime Minister. Have experienced a surge in support due to current economic difficulties.
True Christian Party of America
Virulently racist, xenophobic and nationalistic, the True Christian Party is deeply unpopular in the Commonwealth and is consistently last in federal elections, never obtaining more than several hundred votes. The only reason they even have representation in the House is that a Conservative Unionist politician defected to the True Christians following the last federal election. They are projected to lose that seat to the Radical Whigs in the next federal election. Currently, they only hold one seat in the House of Representatives and none in the Senate.
Current composition of the House of Representatives (Since 29/09/2010)
Progressive Republican - 341
Radical Whig - 196
Conservative Unionist - 124
Socialist Labour - 43
True Christian - 1
Current composition of the Senate (Since 11/01/2011)
Progressive Republican - 65
Conservative Unionist - 38
Radical Whig - 15
Socialist Labour - 7
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