One-Party State
One-Party State
One-Party State
Within their own countries, dominant parties ruling over one-party states are often referred to simply as the Party. For example, in
reference to the Soviet Union, the Party meant the Communist Party of the Soviet Union; in reference to the pre-1991 Republic of
Zambia, it referred to the United National Independence Party.
One-party states are usually considered to be authoritarian, to the extent that they are occasionally totalitarian. On the other hand,
not all authoritarian or totalitarian states operate upon one-party rule. Some, especially amongst absolute monarchies and military
dictatorships, have no need for a ruling party, and therefore make all political parties illegal.
Xi Jinping
Marxism–Leninism,
First Castroism, 61 years,
Cuba Communist 16 April 1961
Secretary Guevarism, left-wing 65 days
Party of Cuba nationalism
Miguel Díaz-
Canel
People's
Front for Eritrean nationalism, 29 years,
Eritrea Chairperson 24 May 1993
Democracy statism 27 days
and Justice
Isaias Afwerki
Lao
Kaysone
Laos General People's 2 December 46 years,
Phomvihane
Secretary Revolutionary 1975 200 days
Thought
Party
Thongloun
Sisoulith
Leads the
Democratic
North General Workers' 10 October 76 years,
Juche, Songun Front for the
Korea Secretary Party of Korea 1945 253 days
Reunification
of Korea
Kim Jong-un
Sahrawi
Arab Secretary Polisario Sahrawi nationalism, 27 February 46 years,
Democratic General Front social democracy 1976 113 days
Republic
Brahim Ghali
Vietnam General Ho Chi Minh 2 September 76 years,
Secretary Communist Thought, socialist- 1945 291 days
Party of oriented market
Vietnam economy
Nguyễn Phú
Trọng
Turkey (one-
Republican Kemalism 1923 1945 Asia/Europe
party period)
People's Party
Khmer nationalism,
Cambodia National conservatism,
Sangkum Royalism, Statism, 1955 1970 Asia
(Sangkum era) Buddhist socialism,
Economic nationalism
Cameroon
Cameroon People's Big tent, Nationalism,
1975 1990 Africa
Democratic Francophilia
Movement
Pan-Arabism,
Syrian Arab Liberation
Modernization, Pro- 1953 1954 Asia
Republic Movement
Western
Pashtun nationalism,
Republic of National
Pashtunization, Anti-
Revolutionary February 14, 1977[4][5] April 28, 1978 Asia
Afghanistan communism,
Party
Republicanism, Secularism
Nkrumaism, African
Ghana Convention socialism, African
1964 1966 Africa
People's Party nationalism, Pan-
Africanism
Democratic
Party of Guinea
Guinea African nationalism, African
– African 1958 1984 Africa
socialism, Pan-Africanism
Democratic
Rally
African Party
for the
Communism, Marxism–
Guinea-Bissau Independence 1974 1991 Africa
Leninism
of Guinea and
Cape Verde
Indonesia Indonesian
Nationalism, Marhaenism August 17, 1945 November 3, 1945 Asia
National Party
Arab nationalism, Arab
Iraq Iraqi Arab
socialism, Pan-Arabism, 1964 1968 Asia
Socialist Union
Nasserism
Arab
Socialist Ba'ath
Iraq Party (National Saddamist Ba'athism 1968 2003 Asia
Progressive
Front)
Arab nationalism, Arab
Libyan Arab
Libya socialism, Pan-Arabism, 1971 1977 Africa
Socialist Union
Nasserism, Nationalism
People's Anti-
Xinjiang Imperialist Six Great Policies 1935 1942 Asia
Association
United
Zambia National African socialism, African
1972 1990 Africa
Independence nationalism
Party
Afro- African nationalism,
Zanzibar 1964 1977 Africa
Shirazi Party Marxism–Leninism
People's
Democratic
Communism (until 1990),
Party of
Marxism–Leninism (until
Afghanistan December 24, 1980 July 27, 1990 Asia
Afghanistan 1990), Afghan nationalism,
(National
Anti-imperialism
Fatherland
Front)
Party of
Labour of
Democratic Albania October 20, 1944 August 5, 1945 Europe
Government of (National
Albania Liberation
Movement) Communism, Marxism-
Leninism, Hoxhaism, Anti-
Party of revisionism
Democratic August 5, 1945 January 11, 1946 Europe
Labour of
Government of
Albania
Albania
(Democratic
Albania Front) January 11, 1946 December 11, 1990 Europe
People's
People's Communism, Left-wing
Movement for nationalism, Marxism– November 11, 1975 May 30, 1991 Africa
Republic of Angola the Liberation Leninism
of Angola
Communist Communism, Marxism–
Armenia Party of Leninism, democratic December 2, 1920 December 30, 1922 Asia
Armenia centralism, state socialism
Communist Communism, Marxism–
Party of Leninism, democratic April 30, 1920 December 30, 1922 Asia
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan centralism, state socialism
People's
Benin Communism, Marxism–
Revolutionary November 30, 1975 March 1, 1990 Africa
Leninism (nominally)
Party of Benin
Bulgarian
Communist Communism, Marxism–
Party Leninism, democratic September 15, 1946 January 15, 1990 Europe
Bulgaria
(Fatherland centralism, state socialism
Front)
Byelorussia Communist Communism, Marxism– July 31, 1920 December 30, 1922 Europe
Party of Leninism, democratic
Byelorussia centralism, state socialism
Chinese Marxism–Leninism, Mao
Chinese
Communist Zedong Thought, Chinese 1930 1937 Asia
Soviet Republic communism
Party
Communist Marxism–Leninism,
Party of democratic centralism, February 25, 1948 November 30, 1989 Europe
Czechoslovakia state socialism, Husakism
Czechoslovakia
(National Front)
Socialist
Unity Party of Communism, Marxism–
East Germany Germany Leninism, democratic October 7, 1949 March 30, 1950 Europe
(Democratic centralism, state socialism
Bloc)
Socialist
Unity Party of
Germany Communism, Marxism–
East Germany (National Front Leninism, democratic March 30, 1950 December 1, 1989 Europe
of the German centralism, state socialism
Democratic
Republic)
Russian
Communist
Communism, Marxism–
Estonia Party (Central
Leninism, democratic November 29, 1918 June 5, 1919 Europe
Committee of
centralism, state socialism
the Estonian
Sections)
Communist Communism, Marxism–
Estonia Party of Leninism, democratic July 21, 1940 August 9, 1940 Europe
Estonia centralism, state socialism
Commission for
Organizing the
Ethiopia Communism, Marxism–
Party of the September 12, 1984 February 22, 1987 Africa
Leninism
Working People
of Ethiopia
Workers'
Communism, Marxism–
Ethiopia Party of February 22, 1987 April 28, 1991 Africa
Leninism
Ethiopia
Communist Communism, Marxism–
Georgia Party of Leninism, democratic February 25, 1921 December 30, 1922 Asia
Georgia centralism, state socialism
Russian Russian Communism, Marxism– March 8, 1918[8] December 30, 1922 Europe/Asia
Soviet Federative Communist Leninism, democratic
Socialist Republic Party centralism, state socialism
Islamic socialism,
Marxism–Leninism, Pan-
Somali Somalism
Somalia Revolutionary July 1976 January 26, 1991 Africa
Socialist Party Scientific socialism,
Somali nationalism
Communism, Marxism–
All-Union
Leninism, democratic
Union of Soviet Communist December 31, 1925[8] October 13, 1952[8] Europe/Asia
centralism, state socialism,
Socialist Republics Party
Stalinism
Union Communist Communism, Marxism–
of Soviet Socialist Party of the Leninism, democratic October 13, 1952[8] October 9, 1990[9] Europe/Asia
Republics Soviet Union centralism, state socialism
Communism, Marxism–
Communist
Transcaucasia Leninism, democratic March 12, 1922 December 30, 1922 Asia
Part of Armenia
centralism, state socialism
Communist Communism, Marxism–
Transcaucasia Party of Leninism, democratic March 12, 1922 December 30, 1922 Asia
Azerbaijan centralism, state socialism
Communist Communism, Marxism–
Transcaucasia Party of Leninism, democratic March 12, 1922 December 30, 1922 Asia
Georgia centralism, state socialism
Tuvan
Communism, Marxism–
People's Leninism, democratic August 14, 1921 October 11, 1944 Asia
Tuva Revolutionary centralism, state socialism
Party
Communist Communism, Marxism–
Ukraine Party of Leninism, democratic March 10, 1919 December 30, 1922 Europe
Ukraine centralism, state socialism
Chinese Marxism–Leninism, Mao
Yan'an Communist Zedong Thought, Chinese 1937 1949 Asia
Party communism
Yemeni Communism, Marxism–
Yemen May 21, 1994 July 7, 1994 Asia
Socialist Party Leninism
League of
Communists of
Yugoslavia
Marxism–Leninism,
(Socialist November 29, 1945 January 22, 1990 Europe
Yugoslavia Titoism, Yugoslavism
Alliance of
Working People
of Yugoslavia)
Americanisation, North
Hawaii Reform Party 1894 1898
Annexationism America
Militarism, Social
conservatism, National
Brazilian conservatism, Brazilian South
1964 1979
military regime ARENA[Note 2] nationalism, Anti- America
communism, National
security
Gabonese
Gabon Democratic Conservatism 1968 1990 Africa
Party
Democratic African nationalism, 1960 1990 Africa
Ivory Coast Party of Côte Conservatism, Populism,
d'Ivoire – Houphouëtism, Pan-
African Africanism
Democratic
Rally
Albanian nationalism,
Greater Albania, Anti-
Albanian
National Front communism, September 14, 1943 November 29, 1943 Europe
Kingdom
Republicanism, Big tent,
Agrarian socialism
Federal State Fatherland
Clerical fascism May 1, 1934 March 13, 1938 Europe
of Austria Front
Union for
Republic Burundian nationalism,
National July 11, 1974 March 13, 1992 Africa
of Burundi Tutsi interests
Progress
Republic Cameroonian
National Union
Big tent September 1, 1966[10] March 24, 1985 Africa
of Cameroon
Imperial
Empire of Rule Shōwa statism 1940 1945 Asia
Japan Assistance
Association
Democratic
Equatorial Party of African nationalism,
1987 1991 Africa
Guinea Equatorial Militarism
Guinea
Patriotic
League
(National Front
Estonia Estonian nationalism,
for the March 9, 1935 July 21, 1940 Europe
Personalism
Implementation
of the
Constitution)
National
Nazi Germany Socialist Nazism July 14, 1933 May 23, 1945 Europe
German
Workers' Party
Protectorate
National
of Bohemia and Nazism March 21, 1939 May 9, 1945 Europe
Partnership
Moravia
Ubicoism, Liberalism,
Progressive South
Guatemala Nationalism, Anti- 1931 1944
Liberal Party America
communism
Black nationalism, Haitian
nationalism, Right-wing
National Central
Haiti populism, Anti- 1957 1985
Unity Party America
communism, Anti-
Americanism
Filipino nationalism,
Republic of Association for National conservatism,
October 14, 1943 August 17, 1945 Asia
the Philippines Service to the Fascism, Pro-Japan,
New Philippines collaborationism
People's
Portugal National Action Corporatism, Integralismo
1970 April 25, 1974 Europe
(formerly Lusitano
National Union)
Togo Party of
African nationalism 1962 1963 Africa
Togolese Unity
Rally of the
African nationalism, Right-
Togo Togolese 1969 1991 Africa
wing populism
People
Voltaic
Democratic
Upper Volta African nationalism, Pan-
Union-African 1960 1966 Africa
Africanism
Democratic
Rally
Yugoslav
Royalism, Yugoslav
Yugoslavia Radical
nationalism, Agrarianism, 1929 1931 Europe
Peasants'
Centralism, Anti-liberalism
Democracy
Popular
Zaire Mobutism, Zairean
Movement of 1970 1990 Africa
nationalism, Authenticité
the Revolution
See also
Ban on factions in the Communist Party of the Soviet Union
Political organisation
Dominant-party system
Political factionalism
Outline of democracy
Multi-party system
Two-party system
List of political party songs
Notes
1. The Republic of China controlled the mainland from 1912 to 1949 and the island of Taiwan since 1945, in which
the ROC currently administers the Free area. This government served China in the United Nations from 1945 to
1971. See Political status of Taiwan and the One-China policy for various viewpoints.
2. Although there was an official democratic opposition, the MDB, ARENA was de facto the only governing party.
References
1. Clark, William Roberts; Golder, Matt; Golder, Sona Nadenichek (23 March 2012). Principles of Comparative
Politics (https://books.google.com/books?id=2KFvJwi8_jwC&pg=PA611). SAGE. ISBN 9781608716791.
2. Bozarslan, Hamit (2019). "Afterword: Talaat's Empire: A Backward Country, but a State Well Ahead of Its Time".
End of the Ottomans - The Genocide of 1915 and the Politics of Turkish Nationalism. I. B. Tauris. p. 330.
ISBN 978-1-7867-3604-8.
3. Bozarslan, Hamit (2019). "Afterword: Talaat's Empire: A Backward Country, but a State Well Ahead of Its Time".
End of the Ottomans - The Genocide of 1915 and the Politics of Turkish Nationalism. I. B. Tauris. p. 330.
ISBN 978-1-7867-3604-8.
4. Afghanistan: A Country Study (https://books.google.com/books?id=X0CLyC39MEgC&pg=PA70#v=onepage&q&
f=false)
5. "Afghanistan 1977" (https://web.archive.org/web/20120406234448/https://www.princeton.edu/~pcwcr/reports/afg
han1977.html). Princeton University. Archived from the original (https://www.princeton.edu/~pcwcr/reports/afghan
1977.html) on 6 April 2012.
6. "Presidential Decree on Syria's New Constitution" (http://www.sana.sy/eng/21/2012/02/28/403103.htm). Syrian
Arab News Agency. 28 February 2012. Retrieved 14 March 2012.
7. Chulov, Martin (27 February 2012). "Syrian regime rockets bombard Homs" (https://www.theguardian.com/world/
2012/feb/27/syrian-rockets-bombard-homs). The Guardian. Guardian News and Media. Retrieved 14 March
2012.
8. The Constitution of the Russian Federation: A Contextual Analysis By Jane Henderson (https://books.google.co
m/books?id=gBncBAAAQBAJ&pg=PA1#v=onepage&q&f=false)
9. Ideology And Political System By Kundan Kumar (https://books.google.com/books?id=8mN6O0Hc-LYC&pg=PA
222#v=onepage&q&f=false)
10. The Search for a Cameroonian Model of Democracy or the Search for the Domination of the State Party: 1966-
2006 (https://journals.openedition.org/cea/533)
11. Central African Republic Unions Strike for Democracy 1990-1993 (https://nvdatabase.swarthmore.edu/content/c
entral-african-republic-unions-strike-democracy-1990-1993)
12. Mediterranean Fascism 1919–1945 (https://books.google.com/books?id=e7qwCwAAQBAJ&pg=PA70#v=onepa
ge&q&f=false)
13. China at War: Regions of China, 1937-1945 (https://books.google.com/books?id=zeSeAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA136#v
=onepage&q&f=false)
14. 12th Period - Second Republic of Portugal (http://portugal-info.net/history/second-republic.htm)
15. Fascism and Resistance in Portugal: Communists, Liberals and Military (https://books.google.com/books?id=2sZ
RAQAAIAAJ&pg=PA29&lpg=PA29#v=onepage&q&f=false)
16. Following the appointment of Marcelo Caetano as Prime Minister in 1968, the opposition was allowed to run to
the 1969 Portuguese legislative election, before being banned
17. Law 21/1976, of June 14, on the Right of Political Association. (https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=
es&u=https://www.boe.es/buscar/doc.php%3Fid%3DBOE-A-1976-11502&prev=search)
External links
Map of One Party States, 1945-95 (http://users.erols.com/mwhite28/oneparty.htm)
One-party states in Africa (http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/africa/features/storyofafrica/14chapter11.shtml)
BBC
List of One-Party Regimes (https://web.archive.org/web/20091027093132/http://geocities.com/kfzhouy/Party/One
partye.html)