Government Unit 1 Lesson 2 Part 3

Khmer Rouge

Communist regime in Cambodia that brutally seized power in 1975 and controlled the country until 1979

Select the five nations with a multiparty system of government.

France Belgium Denmark Japan Sri Lanka

Which country had a one-party system for seventy-one years?

Mexico

The 2000 elections in .... were significant because the Institutional Revolutionary Party (known as the ) ...... lost the presidency.

Mexico PRI

Select the two statements that agree with Mexican politics.

Mexico's main political party is the Institutional Reconstruction Party. Mexico actually has several small political parties

Most multiparty systems include a few left-wing parties, which hold ..... views, some center parties, which have .... views, and a few right-wing parties, which support ..... views.

liberal moderate conservative

activism

action taken to strengthen or weaken a political ideal

atrocity

an appallingly terrible act

MULTIPARTY POLITICAL SYSTEMS

Multiparty political systems are found in many countries that have parliamentary governments. Most multiparty countries have four or five major parties, and, in addition to these, there may be several minority parties. In most cases, each of these political parties has particular economic or social goals. Multiparty systems vary from country to country. Most multiparty systems consist of a few left-wing parties, which hold liberal views, some center parties, which have moderate views, and a few right-wing parties, which support conservative views. In multiparty countries, one party seldom wins enough seats in the legislature to form a majority. Therefore, two or more of the parties will join forces and form a coalition government to direct the nation's affairs. Often the coalition parties fail to agree on policies and programs because of the differences in their political beliefs; therefore, the government may be weakened and may ultimately fall. Although there are many minority parties in the United States, their influence is generally insignificant. As a result, the American system of government is considered a two-party system. The checks and balances of one party against the other are fairly even. In an election, one party may win some legislative gains, and then the other party may win in the next election. The multiparty system is not as simplified as the two-party system. The multiparty system tends to produce a less stable government than does the two-party system.

ONE-PARTY POLITICAL SYSTEMS

One-party systems, political structures where there is no opposition to the party in power, do not allow for political activism by the common citizen. The people of the country are rarely permitted to give input, and, in most cases, elections are strictly controlled. One-party systems are often associated with dictators, whether they are "good" or "bad." Most dictatorships allow only one party, which totally controls the government. Some dictatorships permit other parties so long as they create no serious threat to the government. Often, when a serious political threat of victory appears, the subordinate party ceases to exist. The potential for abuse is much larger in one-party systems than in other types of governments since, in a one-party system, there is more power in fewer hands. With less accountability to citizens, there is a strong tendency to neglect the needs of the people. Historically, communist countries have had one-party systems in which the country's Communist Party forms the government. In communist countries, no other party is allowed to exist under any circumstances. Membership in the Communist Party is considered a privilege and is granted only after a person meets certain standards. Even from youth, organizations are formed so that the children of the communist country may learn the doctrines of the party. In the days when the Soviet Union was considered a world power, it had a one-party system. History tells us that, although the Communist Party was the only legal political party in the Soviet Union, only about 6 percent of the population belonged to the party. Even though the populace may not have actively supported it, the one-party system nevertheless remained strong due to strict military controls. In communist countries, the Communist Party performs many more functions than are performed by political parties in countries that have multiparty political systems. For this reason, the Communist Party has an elaborate organization for recruiting members and leaders, developing policy, indoctrinating the people, and maintaining discipline. However, a dictatorship, since it is run by virtually one person alone, does not need as elaborate an organization. The danger of both a dictatorship and Communist Party rule is that abuses can be swift and powerful. The past atrocities of leaders such as Idi Amin in Uganda and Pol Pot of the communist Khmer Rouge government in Cambodia provide sufficient evidence as to the torture and horrors of a one-person government gone badly. Communist nations and most other one-party dictatorships do have elections. The elections are held chiefly to generate interest and enthusiasm for the Communist Party. In China, for example, the candidates tell the people how wonderful the party is and what the party has done for them. The party leaders explain what the party has done and plans to do and what it expects of the people. Some non-communist countries also have been governed by a one-party system. For example, the Institutional Revolutionary Party (Partido Revolucionario Institucional, known as the PRI) controlled Mexican politics from 1929 to 2000. It won all the state and national elections by huge majorities. During its 71 years in power, there were many accusations of corruption and rigged elections. Mexico has several smaller political parties, but none of these parties were able to compete effectively. In the 1990s, economic problems and political opposition weakened the PRI. The PRI was forced to govern by reaching agreements with many of the smaller parties and coming to a compromise in many decisions. In 1997, the PRI lost its majority in the Chamber of Deputies, the lower house of Mexico's Congress. The PRI continued to hold the presidency and a majority in the Senate. The 2000 elections marked a turning point in Mexican politics. The PRI lost its majority in the Senate, and the National Action Party ("Partido Accion Nacional," known as the PAN) won a huge victory over the PRI, electing a former corporate executive, Vicente Fox, as president. During his campaign, Fox promised Mexicans full democracy after decades of one-party rule by the PRI.

policy

a governmental course of action

minority party

a smaller party with not as much political clout or election support

dictator

a supreme ruler with absolute power; usually a demanding and harsh ruler

Which type of government best describes the Khmer Rouge of Cambodia?

communist

Most one-party systems are often associated with

dictatorships

Which of the following does the Communist Party do through its party organization? Select all that apply.

recruits members and leaders develops policy indoctrinates the people maintain discipline

Institutional Revolutionary Party

ruling political party in Mexico from 1929 to 2000

The Communist Party was the only legal party in the Soviet Union and approximately .... percent of the people belonged to the party.

six