Social-Democratic Party of Niploma
This article refers to a party in Niploma
| |
| Established | 2006 |
| Address | 21st Yale Way, Failegn |
| Political ideology | Social-Democracy |
| Colours | Red or Orange |
| Party leader | Odhrán Torin |
| Party president | Kanya Lawson |
| Motto | New Niploma. New Politics. |
The Social-Democratic Party of Niploma (Social Democrats/ SDP) is the principal left-of-centre political party in Niploma. Understanding the SDP as the official continuation of the Socialist Internationalist Party the SDP has only once been out of Government in Niploma's history. The Social Democrat predecessors were seen to be a democratic socialist party and had an image of the party of the revolution due to the Socialist Resistance (which began the Socialist Internationalist Party) leading the revolution and winning the civil war. The Social Democrats have, however, moved more towards the centre of the political platform. It is understood that the Social Democrats stand for social democracy whilst some critics have claimed neo liberals have gained a foothold in the party. The party still retains dominance of left-wing politics yet is loosing ground to the Niplomian Labour Party - that has inherited dissatified socialists from the Social Democrats.
The party, due to leading the recent election, supplies 292 Deputies (of 800) in the Democratic House (lower house) alongside 94 Senators (of 200) in the Senate (upper house) thus granting the Social Democrats the position of largest party and controlling 36.5% and 47% of the Democratic House and Senate respectivly. The party leads the New Niploma Coalition (an informal governing alliance) and supplies a plurality of the Cabinet alongside Odhran Torin as the Prime Minister.
Contents
History
Early Days
Prominent trade unions and pressure groups such as The Worker's Board of Representation and the Confederation for Socialism advanced the labour movement in Niploma throughout the 19th century. However, under royalist rule, no labour party gained political representation. With such difficulties the labour movement turned violent and began strikes and riots in several cities - such as Rhorn and Failegn. This mass movement became the stimulus behind the civil war.
The Civil War caused the labour movement to support the Socialist Resistance (SR) (authortarians and exterior communists supported the Niplomian Communist Army whilst upper-class men supported the Royalists). Trade unionists and political activists played a serious role in ensuring the SR was admired by the public. The SR won the civil war in 1936 and created the Social Democratic Republic of Niploma.The SR went on to rule until 1958 as a Provisional Government. In 1958 a democratic election was held and the SR stood under 'Socialist Internationalist Party'. SIP won 670 of 750 seats in one of few 'hyper-majorities' in the Democratic House - Niploma's lower chamber.
Socialist Internationalist Party
SIP continued to govern alone for 57 years returning Alsandair Healey, Fitzgerald, Hughes, Moore, Robert and Torin as Prime Ministers. The general theme of government mixed liberal values alongside socialist economics.Such themes were changed by Adrain Robert in the 1990's whom shifted the party's outlook to a more central and social-democratic approach. Such a move ended the traditional democratic socialist approach of the party. The unconvential move - which was foward thinking for the time - caused SIP to lose a minority of it's left-wing support base to the Communists and, later, to Labour. Odhran Torin took over the party in the late 1990's and created the People's Coalition.
People's Coalition
The People's Coalition was created by Odhran Torin to ensure control of the Democratic House. The Coalition brought together SIP with the Ecological Foundation Party (now Greens) and absorbed numerous small parties.
The Coalition pushed enviromental spending higher and continued, yet slowed down the pace of, Robert's economics. Tax's were heavily dropped (to about 65% from 80% on average) and many nationalised businesses were floated and sold. The economy began to thrive under Torin who pushed GDP even further. The Coalition soon fell prey to criticism. Numerous SIP-party-members criticised the economical policies of the party and some went as far as to change membership to Labour - who have sinced claimed to be the main socialist party.
The Coalition caused trouble as Torin became more and more known for simply dismissing the other parties ideas. This caused the split which created the following parties out of the Coaliton:
- Social-Democratic Party - official continuation of SIP
- Green Party of Niploma
- Liberal-Gaelic Alliance
Social-Democrats
In 2006 the short lived People's Coalition collapsed and SIP moved all funds and papers to the newly created Social-Democratic Party. Torin apologised 'for the turmoil' yet believed 'SDP and our allies have the strongest set of policies'. None the less, the SDP lost the election to long-term-rivals the Libertarian Reform Party (LRP) who formed a broad Coalition. The LRP soon inherited a strong economy and took the benefit for it. Recent critics of the LRP have noted the work of Torin (and Robert before) who are beginning to receive praise for their work. Niploma's economy has expanded and grown and when the LRP's Coalition crashed in the summer of 2006 the SDP chose to keep Torin as leader of the SDP in light of his recent approval. Furthermore, the SDP are expected to win a strong bloc of seats in the election and has promised a 'New Niploma with New Politics' - a phrase which now forms the SDP's motto. The Social Democrats have mixed support from trade unions with roughly half supporting the Social Democrats and the remaining half split between the Official Communist Worker's party and Labour, with the latter receiving more.
Ideology & Politics
The Social-Democrats believe in social democracy and declares it's key decleration of principle as 'freedom, social justice and solidarity'. Economically the party believes in a regulated free market (social market economy), belief in the nationalisation of key industries - especially those providing power and basic resources and the advocation of fair trade over free trade - a trade mark of most left-of-centre parties today. Traditionally the party has favoured a 'nanny state' which can look after you via the principles of positive liberalism. Thus the party favours and supports higher yet progressive taxes which, according to Odhran Torin, can be used to 'benefit the many from the state sponsored help of the few'. The party has long favoured a liberal approach to social matters (legalisation of some drugs and prostitution) but in recent years the party has favoured boosting law & order to stop the 'mass boom in criminality across Niploma'. The party is a strong supporter of multiculturalism and has no qualms with immigration. Equally, the party supports racial and social equality and accepts all humans as equal and free. To tie in with public appreciation the party has begun to favour some aspects of green politics yet fails to determin itself as green. However, the party has declared support for cutting CO2 levels so as to stop the 'onslaught of global warming'. The party has no religious affiliation (yet supports minority rights) and its foreign policy is internationalist thus meaning it supports involvement in the international community. The party is a strong supported of the United Nations yet, due to varying public viewpoints, is ready to hold a refferendum on the United Nations of which, it has said, it will campaign in. The party has strong support and near affiliation with the Bhumerick People's Party and supports autonomy for Bhumerick and self-determination in relation to Bhumerick's independence. Recently the party has begun to favour Bhumerick becoming a 'Niplomian Dependancy' where as Niploma would give Bhumerick independence, control it's foreign policy and militaristicly defend it in return for Bhumerick citizens declaring loyalty to Niploma and offering military support - and emergency economic support - when needed.
