Single-party state

A single-party state or one-party system is a form of government where only a single political party dominates the government and no opposition parties are allowed. This is generally viewed as similar to dictatorship, and many actual dictatorships represent themselves as one-party states. This is in contrast to one party dominant system in which an opposition is not official prohibited, but it is largely ineffective.

Single-party states often pay lip service to democracy, but without a choice of ruling party, elections in single party states are largely symbolic. Although other political parties are sometimes allowed by the government, these other parties must subordinate themselves to the dominant party and cannot function as an opposition.

In most cases single-party states have arisen from fascist, communist or nationalist ideologies, particularly in the wake of independence from colonial rule.

Examples of present or former single-party states include:

• many African governments after independence, although most have now converted to multi-party government
• many Arab governments such as
  • Iraq and Syria (Ba'ath Party)
  • Libya
• the former Soviet Union and the governments of the countries of the Warsaw Pact at that time, which were ruled by Communist parties.
• China (Communist party)
• Cuba (Communist party)
• Germany under the Nazi Party
• Laos (Communist party)
• North Korea (Communist party)
• Spain under Franco
• Vietnam (Communist party)
• Portugal under Salazar and Marcello Caetano[?]

External links:

• Map of One Party States, 1945-95 (http://users.erols.com/mwhite28/oneparty.htm)
• Single party states in Africa (http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/africa/features/storyofafrica/14chapter11.shtml)