Socialist Question (Seketan)

The Socialist Question is a Seketese political paradox surrounding the left-wing Socialist Party and Seketan post the 1978 Seketese Revolution. It was first described in political scientist Simeon Braja's 2000 book The Socialist Question: Authoritarian rule after the Kjedorates, published soon after the 1999 Seketese election which had resulted in the defeat of the short-lived James Marksonn Conservative government. In his book, Braja poised that despite the fall of Seketan's authoritarian Kjedorate regime in 1978, the unbroken electoral success of the Socialists from 1978-1996, plus their quick parliamentary toppling of Marksonn's government, raised questions about whether they had just become a new Kjeodrate regime.

Today, Braja's theory has been largely disproven by the wider Seketese political science community and the electoral success of opposition parties at the state and national levels. The "question" was widely viewed as resolved after the National Conservatives under Tomas Serdoa won three elections in a row, 2005, 2006, and 2010. Despite the Socialists returning to power between 2014-2021, the victory of the anti-establishment party Our Revolution in 2021 has been viewed by political commentators as finally putting an end to the "question".

Background

Seketan has a long history of authoritarian and single party rule. Like many European nations, it was originally born as a feudal monarchy in the 11th century, eventually becoming a semi-absolute monarchy with a largely toothless legislature by the 18th century. The Kingdom was absorbed into the Nelbec Empire in the late 1800s, with its legislative Hérvynsken earning more powers under the empire, though still remaining largely under the thumb of the Nelbec Emporer. Seketese language and cultural rights were largely respected under the Empire, with the language of day-to-day politics being in Seketese. Minority & non-Nelbec languages and cultures like Fjeskan and Trjebian were suppressed by the imperial system. An Imperial decree in 1902 permitted only the use of Nelbec languages (Alquiyan, Seketese, and Wilsk) in public life. With the outbreak of World War 1 the imperial government cracked down hard on anti-war and anti-government speech to promote the war effort.

The Cross Pattee Alisee, the symbol of the Kjedorate Regime

Riots in the Fjeska sector of Loria

With the Nelbec Empires' defeat in the First World War, the newly independent Republic of Seketan would be the nation's first stint with democracy. After defeating the rebel Sosymet Republic, a parliamentary democracy was established by the victorious Kjedorate Party with the Hérvynsken at the centre. The first Republican government would prove to be short-lived, and shortly after the civil war, a new Federalized Seketes Republic would be established, bringing Wilskland into the fold with a strong presidency and a Federal Assembly, though it mostly existed to echo legislation passed by the Hérvynsken in Seketan. Simmering tensions between Wilsk Nationalists, pro-democracy parties, and the Nelborne War would lead to the eventual restructuring of the federation into a unitary-presidential system, with the Kjedorate Party at the top, known as the Third Seketese Republic. The new government elected its President and Prime Minister through the Kjedorate-controlled National Assembly. With these measures in place, the Kjedorates had near full control over the government, starting their 53-year authoritarian rule over Seketan.

The Kjedorate regime committed many human right abuses during their 53 years against political opposition and non-nelbecs, such as the Fjeskan Genocide, segregation of Trjebians, and the arrest of political opposition leaders. By the 1970s Seketan's economy began to stagnate, and previous ethnic tensions started the Fjeskan conflict, in a period known as Zemasy. By 1978 protests against the Kjedorates expanded into the 1978 Seketese Revolution, and by August free elections were promised for the fall. With this, the Third Republic had fallen and a democratic Fourth Republic had been established.

The Question

Moulette in an interview with Jorgi Raemes

Seketan's first fully democratic election was held on 13 November 1978 and resulted in split parliament between the Socialist Party (SY), Democratic Party (DY), and Kjedorates. The two biggest pro-democracy parties formed a grand coalition (SY and DY) along with the smaller Liberal Party, with Socialist leader Patjik Moulette becoming Prime Minister. The Kjedorate Party formed Chief Opposition for the first time in its history, and it was the first time since 1950 that the Kjedorates were not in power. This coalition though would prove unstable and by 1980 new elections were held, which resulted in a Socialist majority government. This victory is described by Simeon Braja as the start of the Socialist Question, as it kickstarted nearly 17 years of an unbroken Socialist majority government. Braja notes that the Socialist government did not restrict civil rights or consolidate power in nearly the same fashion as the Kjedorate party, however small actions like reforming political financing to favour themselves were aliberal.

In 1996 the Socialist Party under their new leader Jorgi Wethan finally lost re-election to James Marksonn and the National Conservatives, though only by a small margin. Marksonn formed a very small and fragile coalition government, which restricted his ability to make the sweeping reforms many conservatives wanted from him. A key piece in Marksonn's winning strategy was emphasizing his moderate stances, as many voters were afraid that a conservative government meant a return to Kjedorate governance. His coalition's small majority and lack of majority in the State Council made it difficult to pass legislation, and by 1999 his government was very unpopular. In 1998 his coalition partners, the Democratic Party and the Liberal Party