Political Parties of Dakoin

Dakoin is a two-party system with the centre-left Democratic Council and centre-right National Coalition nearly always representing more than 300 seats in Dakoin's Congress. Although third parties do exist, such as the Communist Party, many are ever represented in national government. Several third parties have made breakthroughs into Congress, such as the now defunct Green Party, only to merge with one of the larger parties. Non-Aligned Independents (term to describe independents in Congress) are the only current Congressional opposition to the main two parties.

Party Leaders are always the leaders of the party in the Assembly and, when a majority, the Prime Minister. The Senate Leader is the leader of the party in the Senate.

Democratic Council

The Democratic Council was formed as an organization in 1769 in opposition to the autocratic rule of the monarchy. Outlawed in 1771, the organization survived underground under the leadership of Robert Baker. Baker moved the council towards a revolutionary route and declared, in 1800, that autocratic rule can never be suspended, diluted or weakened - it can only be destroyed through the popular will of the people...this illegitimate government does not respond to our calls to democracy, then it shall face our call to action. Baker passed away on 1802 and was superseded by George Hart who created the Council's own armed militias throughout the country who began the 'Preliminary Revolution' from 1805 to 1820 leading to damage of government infrastructure. By the summer of 1821 Hart had won over unions and widespread support. In the summer Hart orchestrated a national strike, demonstrations and direct attacks on members of government (including the killings of the Minister of the Interior). On August 19th, Henry III capitulated and fled Dakoin leading Hart to construct his Provisional Government. The Provisional Government constructed the Constitution and the first free and fair elections of Dakoin were held in 1822. Congress adopted the constitution and ratified it in 1822. It's sole opposition were the Royalists until 1839 when the National Coalition reacted to the liberal principles of the Council.

From 1850s until the very early 1900s a political consensus was achieved between the Council and the Coalition in support of capitalism and opposition to the Radicals, a party championing egalitarian values of land reform and support a socialist economy. In the early 1900s the views of the Radicals hit the mainstream with 61 Assembly seats in the 1903 election, only to suffer a fatal split. The democratic socialists sat as Non-Aligned Independents (NAIs) whilst the majority revolutionaries continued with the Radical Party only to adopt abstentionism due to opposition to democracy. By 1907 the Radicals adopted a Marxist agenda and merged with the Marxist Party to form the Communist Party. In the 1907 elections 61 'Radical' seats elected 44 Communists and 17 NAIs, with the remaining NAI AMs choosing (by ten votes to seven) to 'pursue a merger with the Democratic Council'. By the 1911 election the Democratic Council absorbed the NAIs in the 'Progressive Alliance Pact'. Under the terms of the Pact the NAIs would only contest 61 Assembly seats, leading the remaining to the rest of the Democratic Council. Once agreed, the NAIs were merged into the Council and the Democratic Council won a huge majority in the Assembly (and Senate) elections of 1911. The Communists only managed 29 seats - yet grew their actual vote in percentage.

From 1911 to 1952 the more liberal wings of the party moved towards social, not classical, liberal thought. The Council declared in its 1952 manifesto that they were the 'Social liberal party, committed to extending freedom'. The party has maintained this position since, even with occasional lurches to the left (social democracy) - as is currently happening under Timothy Atkin.

From 1979 to 1991 the National Coalition controlled Congress and brought in numerous economic reforms, such a shrinking government and flattening and lowering the tax rate. The Democratic Council responded to this with only mild opposition. The election of George Laws (DC) as Prime Minister in 1991 was followed by a drift to the centre ground by the party, with much acceptance of the reforms introduced under the Coalition.

In 1995 the Green Party achieved nine Assembly Members challenging the position for the centre-left, let alone the environmental position in politics. In the 1995 to 1999 Assembly the Greens maintained their independence, regardless of constant voting in line with the Council. In 2003 the Greens fielded their own candidates in the General Election, including Arnold Foley AM as their Presidential candidate (now Secretary of State for the Environment), although proved weaker than their 1995 showing. The Greens maintained this was due to the 'green shift' by the Democratic Council. Still, with only three Assembly Members the Greens were faced with joining the Council, or facing political oblivion as a minority. In April 2006 Foley declared 'an intention of the Green Party to fight for green, progressive politics within the Democratic Council'. Later that months, Laws and Foley sgned an agreement leading to the Greens being merged with the Council.

In 2005 Laws stood down to allow a new leader before the 2007 election. Laws had become popular with some Coalition supporters although met fierce criticism within the party - leading to many Law supporters moving to the Coalition. Timothy Atkin, Chairman of the Progressive Group in the party, was elected leader with a promise to maintain 'a Democratic Council government' but to change 'with the times' to adopt 'my new Progressive Agenda'.

Current Politics

The Democratic Council's current policies are adapted from the 2007 Assembly election manifesto, which was titled the 'Progressive Agenda'. It is widely considered the most social democratic document the party has produced. Commitments and provisions include:

• A national minimum wage, which could be raised by regional government, of $7.00 an hour.
• A new tax system with a progressive income tax (highest level at 35%) with further additions to 'hit the very, very rich', such as inheritance tax to be introduced, loopholes closed in government and non-domiciles taxed.
• Emphasis on education, with full education provided by the state from 'nursery to university'.
• State to provide medical insurance for all, with opt-outs for those who wish to choose their own private providers.
• A 'Ceasefire on the War on Drugs' with police targeting dealers, not users.
• A 'Social Agenda' with a liberal approach to gay marriage and abortion and completely removing Christian influence in schooling.
• An 'internationalist, not nationalist' policy in international relations. Closer relations with Baile, a referendum on membership of the United Nations and a 'national discussion' on The East Pacific government and interaction with such.
• A recognition of the need to face 'our world's greatest threat - Climate Change' with a 60% cut in carbon emissions by 2050 through legally binding yearly targets on business punishable by law.
• A Commission on Housing to be created to report annually on the number of social housing needed to be built for the upcoming year.

The Progressive Agenda represents a massive shift in the party that has not passed without criticism. The entire document is overwhelmingly anti-enterprise with taxes on businessmen, income by progressive means and inheritance taxed. This has been heavily criticised by the economically liberal National Coalition. The 'Dakoin Business Congress' (DBC), a business pressure group which favours the Coalition, has claimed a national minimum wage (to replace the current variable, and low, regional minimum wages) would 'cripple businesses, especially the week and the small. The DBC criticised the whole manifesto claiming that it hits 'business across the board'. Proponents of the manifesto draw on its egalitarian principles. Atkin himself argues that 'it seems to me that it can only be fair to have the very rich put money into the society they took it from'. The Progressive Agenda uses money generated from numerous taxes to create a stronger welfare state. A nationwide healthcare scheme is funded by tax, albeit in the form of private insurance, a new promise of well funded education from 'nursery to university' and a Commission on Housing to report on social housing. Many liberals have praised this from within the party, although many more classically liberal Democratic Council members have criticised this creation of an 'overbearing state' restricting 'much freedom'. However, the party is seen as fully unified on the enviromental protection, the internationalist stance and the social agenda - ideas constantly supported by the party.

Structure

The Democratic Council is led by the Party Leader who is elected by members on a one-member-one-vote. The Party Leader Chairs the National Democratic Council Executive Committee with the remaining thirty members elected by party members in the national Conferance. The NDCEC controls matters of structure, campaigning and policy of the party. Members of NDCEC, like all other members of the party, are usually members of 'Wings' of the party. Each wing has its own political grouping and, in accordance with size, influence within the party. The largest grouping is the 'Liberal Wing' which claims a plurality of members, with the smaller 'Progressive Wing' claiming a 'significant and vocal minority' within the party. A 'Green Wing' excists, although is small, together with the 'Libertarian Wing' and several others.

Membership of the NDCEC by Wings

• Sixteen Liberals (Liberal Wing)
• Twelve Progressives (Progressive Wing)
• Two Greens (Green Wing)
• One Libertarian (Libertarian Wing)

The NDCEC has historically been dominated by Liberal Wing until recent decades. Since Atkin's election as leader, however, the Progressives hold a significant number of seats - yet many would doubt the figure would be so high had a Liberal led the party.

National Coalition

The National Coalition is the prime 'party of the right' in Dakoin. Formed in 1839 following eighteen years of Democratic Council rule, the National Coalition was a collection of conservative, libertarian and royalist groups brought together in an electoral alliance. Led by Gerry Foster, the party formed its first government in 1850 and declared its status as the party of 'the people, of God and of Dakoin'.

Experiencing good results throughout the late 1800s the Coalition worked together with the Council in attempt to weaken the Radicals. Following the merger between the independent Radicals and the Council, Jeremy Turner created a new policy route for the party. Under Turner (who led the party from 1907 to 1930) the party advanced its position as the party of the, as critics declared, 'not only the right, but the righteous' and 'from the people to the businessman and aristocrat'.

Under Turner, Cook (1930 to 1939), Anderson (1939 to 1946) and Moss (1946 to 1956) the National Coalition experienced very good fortunes. The party benefited from the split Democratic Council (who, until 1952, where undecided on which strand of liberalism they followed) and spent these first half of the century advancing Protestant politics. Inspired by Calvin and the Reformers the party understood the Protestant work ethic and took a Protestant stance on ethical issues. Anderson declared in 1943 that the Coalition 'led a united Protestant state, committed to liberty and opportunity' - a statement that the party has now modified into their slogan.

Following these fortunes the party entered a demise under the revived Council from the 1950s to the 1970s. It was in 1979 that Anthony McKibben was elected Prime Minister for the National Coalition. Under McKibben the party moved towards a more libertarian stance and emphasized on it's economic, rather than social, conservatism. McKibben, in line with other New Right leaders, led reforms leading to privatisation, lower taxes and smaller government. His successor, Charles White, took a moderate stance on matter which was retained for several years, taking the party only slowly towards their social conservative heritage. In 1995 McKibben was elected President of Dakoin.

David Reid's election as leader in 2006, prior to the 2007 election, showed another move by the party. Under Reid attention has turned again to social conservatism, yet still staying loyal to the economic conservatism. In the 2007 election campaign Reid argued that the National Council is 'the party for Dakoin, for the economy, for equality of oppurtunity, of not progressivism but, rather, progress' and saw the need of a 'conservative agenda to implement this and more, to return wealth and morality to our divided country'.