6. Political Parties

Some “democracies” have existed, and still do exist, where the citizens can vote but only for one party (e.g., the Soviet Union, the Third Reich, contemporary North Korea); or “illiberal democracies” where multiple parties exist but the state ensures that the same party always wins (e.g. modern Russia, Cuba, Singapore). The state in Hegemony is a liberal democracy with several political parties. Political parties are groups whose members share common opinions about political issues such as social rights, economic systems, and law, and these parties campaign to try and persuade the population to vote them into government. Parties emerged in the 1800s and generally reflected attitudes towards tradition and authority:

Conservative (right-wing) parties seek to change society slowly and in small ways, or not at all. Examples of the latter include reactionaries who seek a return to a previous era they imagine as “better”, while examples of the former include modern conservative parties in European countries, which have abandoned reactionary policies and accept social change (e.g., equal rights for minorities) but try to manage change slowly and gradually. Right-wing parties generally favor a small government with limited power to redistribute wealth, economic freedom, and traditional social values. They are often associated with the upper class. Parties of the far-right (e.g., fas- cists) are generally hostile to modernity and all other parties, including con- servatives, and advocate violent policies to enforce an exclusionary society.

Liberal (centrist) parties seek to change some aspects of society by in- troducing more political and social freedom. They generally favor medi- um-sized government with some ability to redistribute wealth, policies which promote economic freedom, and are generally in favor of progressive social values (e.g., equal gender rights, same sex marriage, separation of church and state) over traditional social values. They are often associated with the middle class.

Socialist (left-wing) parties seek to significantly change society. They generally favor a large government with substantial powers to redistribute wealth, a controlled economy managed by the government instead of pri- vate enterprise and dismantling the discriminatory and unfair elements of society. They are usually associated with the working class. Parties of the far-left (e.g., communists) usually advocate for a complete socio-econom- ic restructuring of the social order which, according to them, would make these societies truly democratic.

The relationship between parties and economic classes is not always clear. Upper-class people can support some working-class values, and working-class people can support some conservative policies. Parties can form alliances with each other on certain issues, and they can plot to block other parties’ policy pro- posals.