Single-party state

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This article is about single-party political states. For telephone recording laws and notification requirements, see Telephone recording laws#One-party notification states.

A single-party state, one-party state, one-party system or single-party system is a type of state in which a single political party has the right to form the government, usually based on the existing constitution. All other parties are either outlawed or allowed to take only a limited and controlled participation in elections.[citation needed] Sometimes the term de facto single-party state is used to describe a dominant-party system that, unlike the single-party state, allows (at least nominally) democratic multiparty elections, but the existing practices or balance of political power effectively prevent the opposition from winning the elections.


Members of China's Kuomintang shortly after the end of World War II; with the Kuomintang sun flag beside the flag of the Republic of China (now encompassing Taiwan) that has the Kuomintang symbol in the blazon. The Kuomintang was the leading party of a single-party state until the 1980s.

Single-party states are justified for a number of reasons. Most often, proponents of a single-party state argue that the existence of separate parties runs counter to national unity. Others argue that the single party is the vanguard of the people, and therefore its right to rule cannot be legitimately questioned. The Marxist theory states that political parties represents the interests, most of which, in a liberal system, respond to the economic power and are part of the system (the superstructure) where whoever wins there will be no substantial changes. Abolished class distinctions no place for the struggle for multiparty own economic interests. However, an organization that is able to formulate national policies and manage their reins to ensure the development of socialism is necessary. This organization is the only party to be the only existing single social class and the common interest of progress.


Within their own countries, dominant parties ruling over single-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 former People's Republic of Poland it referred to the Polish United Workers' Party.


Single-party states are often, but not always, considered to be authoritarian or totalitarian. However, not all authoritarian or totalitarian states operate based on single-party rule. Some, especially absolute monarchies and certain military dictatorships, have made all political parties illegal.



Countries by their form of government. Current single-party states are marked in brown.


Current single-party states[edit]

The following list includes the countries that are legally constituted as single-party states as of 2013 and the name of the single party in power:

Country Formerly Party Front Single-party state adopted Incumbency due to
 People's Republic of China Single-party state (Part of the Republic of China) Communist Party of China United Front 1949 Chinese Civil War
 North Korea Colony (Part of Korea under Japanese rule) Workers' Party of Korea Democratic Front for the Reunification of the Fatherland 1948 World War II
Korean War
 Cuba Semi-presidential system Communist Party of Cuba 1959 Cuban Revolution
 Laos Constitutional monarchy Lao People's Revolutionary Party Lao Front for National Construction 1975 Laotian Civil War
Semi-presidential system (South Vietnam) 1976 Vietnam War

Former single-party states[edit]

See also[edit]


  1. ^ Cuba: Elections and Events 1991-2001 Latin American Election Statistics Home

External links[edit]