3 replies to this topic

[Dauth]

OK while on Fallout Studios there are a number of worse things that members can do than learn a little bit about the politics of your state or the states of your neighbours. This is a formal request for short UNBIASED accounts on the history, policies, ideals of the main parties in your country.

Now the demographics of the PA (more importantly whom I trust not to screw around) dictate which states get done when, if we only have 1 person from XYZ then unless that person writes something, xyz will not get an account. PM me or Wiz only PA members can do this.

[Dauth]

Three Major UK Parties

Labour: The Labour party were formed as the "Working man's party" and have been the second most successful party (in terms of time in office) of the last 100 years behind the Conservatives. Labour are typically strong in the inner cities and with working class voters, Labour typically have higher taxes and spend this money as the state providing benefits to a larger amount than another party. Labour last won a General Election in 2005 with Tony Blair as the leader, their current leader is Gordon Brown MP who stood in an uncontested leadership race after Tony Blair stepped down. Labour are the largest Left wing party in the UK.

Liberal Democrats: The Liberal Democrats are considered the third party, very much behind Labour and the Conservatives. The Lib Dems were formed at the union of the Liberal Party and the Social Democratic party. The Liberal Democrats don't have typical heartlands however they have made gains against the two main parties in recent elections. They champion rights and dislike unaccountable organisations. The Liberal Democrats have never won an election, however the Liberal Party under Sir Herbet Henry Asquith in 1908 won the General Election and remained in power throughout the First World War. The current Liberal Democrat leader is Nick Clegg MP. The Liberal Democrats average about 20% of the popula vote however due to the UK electoral system this is not duplicated in the House of Commons.

Conservatives: The Conservatives (Also Tories) are the most successful party in the last 100 years in the UK. The Conservatives are typically strong in rural areas with middle and upper class voters. The Conservatives oppose large state benefits and have lower taxes than other parties. The Conservatives last won a General Election in 1992 under John Major, their current leader is David Cameron MP. The Conservatives are traditionally the right wing party in the UK, however like New Labour they have moved centrally over the last decade.

[Dauth]

The German parties, courtesy of Rayburn

CDU – Christlich Demokratische Union (Christian Democratic Union)
Founded in 1945, the CDU succeeded the Zentrumspartei (Centre Party), a catholic party that existed from 1870 till 1933. The CDU is a conservative party based on Christian values which stands for social market economy and federalism. Their current policies include the implementation of university fees, prolonging the runtimes of nuclear power stations and allowing the Bundeswehr (German Federal Defence Force) to be used for counter-terrorism and emergency aid inside Germany. The foreign policy of the CDU includes a partnership with the United States. Most German Chancellors were CDU members, including Konrad Adenauer, Ludwig Erhard, Helmut Kohl and the acting Chancellor Angela Merkel.

SPD – Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands (Social-Democratic Party of Germany)
The SPD is Germany's oldest party. It started as a leftist workers' party in 1863 and was often criticised for its nearness to socialism at that time. In 1933, the party got banned by the Nazi-regime but it returned as a social-democratic party after the war. Today, their basic principles are freedom, social justice and solidarity and their goal is to strengthen the social market economy to allow a fairer distribution of wealth. Supporting the European Union is an important aspect of the party's foreign policy. Three German Chancellors were members of the SPD: Willy Brandt, Helmut Schmidt and Gerhard Schröder

The CDU and the SPD are both Volksparteien (big tent parties, literally 'People's Parties'). They are also the biggest, most influential parties. German governments are often led by coalitions. A coalition between the CDU and the SPD is called 'Große Koalition' (Grand Coalition). Grand Coalitions on a national level occurred from 1966 till 1969 and from 2005 till today.

FDP – Die Liberalen (Free Democratic Party – The Liberals)
The FDP is a smaller party which was founded in 1949. Their goal is a free market economy which they seek to realise through privatisation, de-regulation and the reduction of bureaucracy. On the domestic front, the party tries to keep state intervention on a low level. The FDP is traditionally against laws that reduce civil freedoms such as bugging operations ('Lauschangriff(e)'). Famous FDP politicians include the former Presidents Theodor Heuss and Walter Scheel as well as the current party leader Guido Westerwelle.

Bündnis 90 – Die Grünen (Alliance 90 – The Greens)
The Greens are an ecological party which was created through a merger in 1993. Sustainable development and renewable energies are the core features of Bündnis 90's ecological policy. They are strictly against nuclear energy. Their social goals include multiculturalism through easy immigration as well as the full recognition of homosexuals. The party is led by Claudia Roth.

Grand Coalitions do not occur very often. Usually, governments are led by a coalition between either the CDU and the FDP or the SPD and the Greens. Other combinations such as SPD/FDP/Greens, called 'Ampelkoalition' ('Traffic Light Coalition' due to the colours of the three parties), are also possible although they only occurred in city- or state-parliaments so far.

Die Linke – The Left
Founded in 2007, The Left is a relatively new party. It is the result of a merger between the PDS (Party of Democratic Socialism, legal successor of the East German Socialist Unity Party) and the WASG – Wahlalternative für Arbeit & Soziale Gerechtigkeit ( Labour & Justice – the Electoral Alternative). Due to its populist appeal, The Left is widely considered a protest party built around socialist ideas. Despite its short lifetime, the popularity of The Left is growing rapidly. The party is represented by Oscar Lafontaine, a former Minister of Finance, who fell out with the SPD leadership in 1999. He left the SPD, joined the newly founded WASG and initiated the merger with the PDS

[Dauth]

The below US information created by The Basilisk

Democratic Party
The Democratic Party is one of the original parties in the United States and one of the oldest parties in the world. It was originally called the "Democratic-Republican Party." It was founded by two past Presidents, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. The Democratic Party was generally seen as the conservative party until the 1960's during the American Civil Rights Movement and what is known in America as the "the Great Switch/Swap." This was time when Democrats in the North were siding more with the Black Power movement and this eventually led to the entire party being known as more liberal. Democrats usually believe in the ability to use the government to help the people and influence public opinion, ranging from economic to social issues.

Noteworthy Democratic Presidents:
Thomas Jefferson
Woodrow Wilson
Franklin D. Roosevelt
John F. Kennedy
Bill Clinton
Barack Obama

Republican Party
The Republican Party is another one of the old parties in the US. It originated as the in Michigan as the primary anti-slavery party in the US during the mid-1800s. It first came to power with Abraham Lincoln and was the more liberal party at its time. The Republican party is now known to be more conservative both socially and economically. This occurred with the "Great Switch" alongside the Democratic Party. The Republican party was the majority in the South and many southerners wanted to continue the segregationist movement. This led to the more conservative platform the party runs on now.

Noteworthy Republican Presidents:
Abraham Lincoln
Ulysses S. Grant
Theodore Roosevelt
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Richard Nixon
Ronald Reagan
George W. Bush