Workers' Party (Akashi)
Workers' Party 労働党 𐌼𐌹𐌸𐌰𐍂𐌱𐌰𐌹𐌳𐌾𐌰𐌼 𐌳𐌰𐌹𐌻ᚴ𐌾𐍉 | |
|---|---|
| File:La Jeune Europe-PCE.svg | |
| Abbreviation | WP |
| Founded | 1942 |
| Dissolved | 1967 |
| Merged into | Communist Party |
| Ideology | |
| Political position | Far-left |
| National affiliation | Crimson bloc |
| Colours | Red |
The Workers' Party (Miranian: 労働党 Rōdōtō; Gothic: 𐌼𐌹𐌸𐌰𐍂𐌱𐌰𐌹𐌳𐌾𐌰𐌼 𐌳𐌰𐌹𐌻ᚴ𐌾𐍉 Miþarbaidjam Dailkjō) was a communist political party in Akashi.
It was established in 1942 as an authoritarian socialist breakaway from the Communist Party. The antagonism between the two parties gradually declined over the years, and they were reunited in 1967.
History
The WP was created in 1942 as an authoritarian socialist breakaway from the Communist Party.
Throughout the 1950s, the rivalry between the two parties proved a serious weakness for them both, causing vote-splitting on the Akashian left as internal turmoil and rivalries prevented them from forming a positive relationship with the Socialist Party and thus uniting to challenge the Yurika Ehara government.
Tension between the WP and CP began to dissipate in the 1960s as the CP began its march out of the political wilderness and the WP leadership recognised the futility of its previous approach.
In the 1960 presidential election, the CP, WP, and SP jointly endorsed a United Left candidate, who finished second with what was then the best opposition performance against Yurikara.
The WP took part in the United Opposition electoral alliance of 1962, which ended in animosity but earned the party 11 seats, its best post-war performance. Despite the collapse of the United Left, the CP–WP rapprochement continued with a single presidential candidate in 1965 and a unity list in 1966, before the two parties voted to reunite in 1967.
Notably, by this point the WP had largely shed its authoritarian element and had concentrated on its workerist identity. Even so, the merger was done in such a way as to double as a purge of authoritarians, consolidating the reunited CP's turn towards left communism.
Platform
The WP was a communist and workerist party.
Much of its initial split with the CP was driven by issues of tactics and strategy. At the start, the WP was an authoritarian socialist party, scorning the CP's popular front strategy. However, its lengthy isolation ultimately wore down the authoritarian faction and brought in a new generation of leadership that abandoned this aspect.
Election results
National Assembly
| Election | Party list | Seats | +/– | Status | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PR votes | % | ||||
| 1942 | 42.267 | 2,4% | 0 / 200
|
|
No seats |
| 1946 | 56.603 | 2,7% | 0 / 200
|
|
No seats |
| 1950 | 71.630 | 3,0% | 6 / 200
|
 6
|
Opposition |
| 1954 | 84.010 | 2,9% | 6 / 200
|
|
Opposition |
| 1958 | 91.988 | 2,8% | 5 / 200
|
 1
|
Opposition |
| 19621 | 1.227.100 | 32,5% | 11 / 200
|
6
|
Opposition |
| 19662 | 204.937 | 5,0% | 10 / 200
|
1
|
Opposition (1966–1967) |
1 Result for the whole United Opposition, consisting of the Socialist Party, Liberal Party, National Democratic Party, Communist Party, WP, and Social Credit Party.
2 Result for the CP–WP unity list.
Presidency
| Election | Candidate | First round | Second round | Result | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes | % | Votes | % | |||
| 1945 | No candidate | |||||
| 1950 | Seishirō Tsunoi | 155.016 | 6,5% | Lost | ||
| 1955 | Shinpei Rokuda | 212.343 | 7,3% | Lost | ||
| 19601 | Yoshinaka Hashi | 722.838 | 20,4% | Lost | ||
| 19652 | Orika Sano | 333.421 | 8,4% | Lost | ||
1 United Left candidate, jointly endorsed with Communist Party and Socialist Party.
2 Jointly endorsed with Socialist Party.
