LSD Party (Gylias)
LSD Party | |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1968 |
| Ideology | |
| Political position | Left-wing |
| Colours | Pink |
| Website | |
| http://www.lsdp.gls/ | |
The LSD Party (French reformed: Parti LSD), abbreviated LSDP (PLSD), is a Gylian political party, part of the Non-inscrits bloc.
Established in 1968, it is one of Gylias' most famous satirical parties, and the main political vehicle for acid communism. It has made a significant contribution to Gylian political culture and has had a notable impact on popular culture.
History
The LSDP was founded in 1968, in the aftermath of the "anarchaos" protests. It was initially set up as a political formation to campaign in the September referendum on abolishing the state, which was ultimately invalidated. Following the referendum's failure, a factional conflict led to the expulsion of "anarchaotics" from the party and its takeover by lifestylists.
The new party adopted acid communism as its ideology and established a satirical profile, using humour both to enliven campaigns and make serious points. Benefiting from significant media attention, it successfully entered Parliament in the 1969 federal election, becoming the largest non-inscrit party.
One of its notable legislative achievements was proposing the Law on Cabinet Representation of 1971, which was passed with the support of the Darnan Cyras government.
It defied the wretched decade by maintaining its frivolous approach, but also suffered from internal tensions, particularly over participation in government and preserving its character. It was an opponent of the Aén Ďanez government, and it participated in the Filomena Pinheiro government.
During this time, it also made significant inroads in local government, aligning itself with the non-inscrits' broader leftist bloc and forging close cooperation with the Urban Movement and Green Party.
The LSDP's participation in Filomena's cabinet was a landmark at the federal level, confirming its status among non-inscrits, although it also prompted concern about the party being at risk of watering down its image. During the late 1980s, it inspired the foundation of a sister party, Love, Nature, Democracy.
The party benefited from the Non-inscrits' federal breakthrough in the 1990s, winning a temporary increase in support and seats. It occasionally provided outside support to the Mathilde Vieira government in the 1990s and the Toni Vallas government in the 2010s.
Ideology
The LSDP is a satirical party mainly centred around promotion of acid communism and drugs as a means of radical liberation.
It is known for using humour both to enliven campaigns and make serious points. Some of its famous pledges have included creating state-owned "oxygen clinics", dousing the national water supply with LSD, establishing Special Tourist Districts for sex tourism, redistribute voting preferences from each according to their ability, to each according to their need, abolition of taxes, and making sex and drugs and rock and roll the official currency.
The nature of the party's appeal was perhaps best expressed by its first foresitter Hildegard Wirner, who joked at a campaign rally in 1969, "Other parties promise to make everything better — we promise to make everything funnier!"
Symbols
The LSDP uses a shade of pink as its official colour. One of its famous logos shows a hammer and sickle being made out of acid blotters.
Popular support
The LSDP's support is mainly urban, concentrated among university students and various psychedelic subcultures. It also notably benefits from second and later preferences received from supporters of more "mainstream" leftist parties such as the Progressive Alliance.
Regions where the party is notably successful include Mişeyáke, Nezyál (where Amanda Leloup served as Governor in 1970–1978), Sváen (where it supported Anaïs Nin as Governor in 1970–1977), and Herlan (mainly in Narsiad, home to Anca Déuréy University).
In popular culture
The LSDP has enjoyed high visibility since its formation, both in Gylias and abroad. Its success at the ballot box has made it one of the best-known manifestations of harmless eccentricity in politics, and it is thus credited as a significant contributor to Gylias' colourful political culture.
Its success has later inspired the formation of parties with a similar light-hearted bent, such as Love, Nature, Democracy, Pirate Party, and People's Party for a Flourishing Nightlife. It has influenced ARENA's transformation from a post-Futurist formation into an non-ideological joke party based around campy strong leader posturing.
