Workers Party (West Miersa)
Workers Party Partia Robotnicza | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Founded | 1936 |
| Banned | 1955 |
| Headquarters | West Żobrodź, West Miersa |
| Ideology | Democratic socialism Miersan nationalism |
| Political position | Left |
| Colors | Red |
The Workers Party (Miersan: Partia Robotnicza, PR) was a political party in West Miersa that operated from West Miersa's independence from Soravia in 1936 until it got banned in 1955. During the time that it was allowed to operate legally in West Miersa, the Workers Party was, along with the Agrarian Party one of the two opposition parties to the governing Miersan National Party.
History
The Workers' Party was established in 1936 as the former Miersan Governate was in the final stages of being given independence by Soravia as the Miersan Sotirian Republic. Founded by moderate leftists opposed to the Miersan Section of the Workers' International, the Workers' Party was meant to represent West Miersa's "industrial workers."
Under the leadership of Witold Kogutowicz and Tadeusz Lukaszewski, the Workers' Party was the smallest of the major parties, smaller than even the Agrarian Party. Part of the reason was extensive gerrymandering by the Miersan National Party, who feared that the Workers' Party could dominate the cities and lead to a "socialist Miersa." In 1939, the far-left of the party was expelled by Kogutowicz to establish the United Workers' Party, which would be banned in 1942.
After Kogutowicz retired in 1942 from the party leadership, Lukaszewski made Juliusz Derda the parliamentary leader of the Workers' Party, and under Lukaszewski and Derda's leadership, the Workers' Party would grow, until by the 1951 general elections, it became the largest opposition party, surpassing that of the Agrarian Party.
By the 1950s, as East Miersa ceased reparation payments to the west, the West Miersan government became suspicious of the Workers' Party, who under Maurycy Wojdyla, viewed them as being "eastern agents sent to undermine Miersan liberty." Thus, in 1955, the West Miersan government arrested all legislators, voted to expel them, and ban the party outright.
Ideology
The ideology of the Workers' Party was nominally based on democratic socialism, opposing the "radical visions implemented in the eastern voivodeships." However, to ward off suspicion by the West Miersan government, the Workers' Party tended to hew more towards social democracy.
It supported Miersan reunification, with Witold Kogutowicz saying in 1938 that "we [from the Workers' Party] are certain that if we get to power, we will negotiate a peaceful reunification, one that will be to the interests of both east and west."
Election results
Presidential
| Election year | Candidate | Voting | Victory? | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. of votes | % of vote | |||
| 1936 | Witold Kogutowicz | 2,803,550 | 27.8% | 
|
| 1941 | Witold Kogutowicz | 2,155,688 | 21.3% |
|
| 1946 | Tadeusz Lukaszewski | 1,850,944 | 19.4% |
|
| 1951 | Tadeusz Lukaszewski | 1,619,825 | 14.5% |
|
National Assembly
| Election | Parliamentary leader | Candidates | Seats | +/- | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1936 | Tadeusz Lukaszewski | 114/138 | 9 / 138
|
new | Opposition party |
| 1941 | Tadeusz Lukaszewski | 127/138 | 13 / 230
|
 4
|
Opposition party |
| 1946 | Juliusz Derda | 135/138 | 14 / 230
|
1
|
Opposition party |
| 1951 | Juliusz Derda | 138/138 | 18 / 230
|
4
|
Opposition party |