Democratic Socialist Party of Georgia (Alternatively)
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Democratic Socialist Party of Georgia | |
---|---|
Georgian name | დემოკრატიული სოციალისტური პარტია |
Russian name | Демократическая социалистическая партия |
Chairman | Dmitry Baratashvili |
Deputy Chairman | Nikoloz Rokva |
Founded | 18 February 1967 |
Preceded by | People's Democratic Party of Georgia |
Headquarters | Tbilsi, Georgia |
Newspaper | Progress and Labour |
Membership | 400,000 |
Ideology |
Democratic socialism Left-wing nationalism Centrist Marxism |
Political position | Left-wing |
National affiliation | Bloc of Communists and Socialists |
Official colors | Dark Red |
Constituent Assembly |
52 / 130 |
The Democratic Socialist Party of Georgia (DSPG), previously known as the People's Democratic Party until 1982, is a democratic socialist party in Georgia led by Dmitry Baratashvili and Nikoloz Rokva. It is one of the successor parties of the Social Democratic Labour Party of Georgia, which split in 1933 after ideological differences between internal factions. The party was formed in 1967 as a merger of the Socialist-Revolutionary Party of Georgia and Georgian Socialist-Federalist Revolutionary Party in an attempt to challenge the more hardline Communist Party.
Formation
In 1933, the Democratic Socialist Party was formed as an opposition to the Stalinist hardline form of communism promoted by the Communist Party, by the revolutionary Iakob Tskitishvili. Ideological differences within the Social Democratic Labour Party of Georgia resulted in the party splitting in 1933. From the aftermath emerged the Communist Party and the People's Democratic Party (PDPG). The much smaller and more moderate Socialist-Revolutionary Party and Georgian Socialist-Federalist Revolutionary Party had merged with the PDPG in order to resist the growing dominance of the Communist Party. The 1934 parliamentary election had resulted in the PDPG gaining a majority in the Constituent Assembly. For the next several decades, the PDPG and the Communist Party had battled for control of the Constituent Assembly. The PDPG grew larger than the official Communist Party and managed to win successive elections against the communists. In 1982, the PDPG changed its name to the Democratic Socialist Party to better reflect its official ideological position.
Ideology
The DSPG manifesto states; "independence, self-sustenance, and self-defence, build up more solidly the foundations of an independent national economy capable of insuring the complete independence and prosperity and increasing the country's defence capabilities. Building an independent national economy means building an economy which is free from dependence on others and which stands on its own feet, an economy which serves one's own people and develops on the strength of the resources of one's own country and by the efforts of one's people."
The DSPG was highly critical of the popular front strategy advocated by Joseph Stalin and the Comintern. The DSPG attempted to implement some of the radical policies of the Communist Party as part of a coalition government, but they were resisted by the more centrist factions. Officially, the political position of the DSPG is democratic socialism, and later the party announced centrist marxism as part of its position. For much of its history, the PDPG has resisted much of the radical revolutionary influence, seeking a gradual transition to socialism and opposing a one-party state.
Foreign Policy
The DSPG opposes the existence of supranational organizations. The party wants to keep Georgia a non-aligned and neutral country, in accordance with its principles of self-determination and national sovereignty. Despite this, there are 9 Russian military bases in Georgia. The DSPG adheres to the idea of establishing an "independent foreign policy in the interests of the Georgian people" and rejects "uncritically following any foreign power". The DSPG supports Georgian territorial claims over regions of western Azerbaijan and northern Armenia, which has led to elevated tensions in the region. Many of the DSPG's leading politicians are known to instigate contempt towards Armenians, Azerbaijanis and Turks. The DSPG has historically supported an isolationist foreign policy, opposing any commitments to other countries including treaties and trade agreements—believing Georgia can, instead, be wholly self-reliant. Despite this belief, the party has always been pro-Russia.