Labour Democratic Party of Patagonia
| Labour Democratic Party | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Leader | Isabel Cartwright |
| Deputy Leader | Carlos Wallace |
| Chairperson | James Araya |
| Secretary-General | Nora Filan |
| Federal Council Leader | Esteban Garcia |
| Founded | 30 June 1935 |
| Merger of |
Agrarian Party Labour Party Social Democratic Party |
| Headquarters | San Idelfonso, Tehuelche |
| Student wing | Student Labor Democrats of Patagonia |
| Youth wing | Young Patagonian Labor Democrats |
| Women's wing | Labor Democratic Women of Patagonia |
| Ideology |
Democratic socialism Social democracy Progressivism American unionism |
| Political position | Center-left to Left wing |
| International affiliation | Socialist International |
| American affiliation | Social Democrats of America |
| Official colors | Maroon |
| Federal Council |
0 / 1 |
| National Assembly |
0 / 1 |
|
Politics of Patagonia Political parties in Patagonia Elections in Patagonia | |
The Labour Democratic Party (Spanish: Partido Laborista Democrático), colloquially known as the Ladder or LabDems is a center-left political party in Patagonia. The party was formed in 1935 as a merger of Agrarian Party, Labour Party, and Social Democratic Party due to its stronger alliance for the labor and agrarian rights of the country. Both agricultural and industrial sectors are neglected by the Liberal Party and Conservative Party. Aside of the Labour Party, the Liberal and Conservative parties are dominated the Patagonian politics at that time. Since its merger, the Labor Democrats became the largest political party of the country and the oldest surviving political party in history. The current leader of the party is the current opposition leader Isabel Cartwright, she is the leader of the party since 2014.
History
Pre-LDP period
Agrarian Party
Agrarian Party was established in March 14, 1892 by some members of the Patagonian Farmer's Union led by Keir Springborn following their dissatisfaction on how the Patagonian government address the issues on agricultural sector. The party aims to support the farmer's rights, cheaper price of the agricultural goods, and land reform. However, their electoral performance in Patagonian legislature is very failed as they don't gain seats in the Parliament. They party had elected two seats in National Assembly during the 1925 election when they had a coalition with the Labour Party and Social Democratic Party. Hendrick Anderson, the party leader at that time was appointed as the Secretary of Agriculture Food, and Land Reform during the premiership of Elvis Heath.
Labour Party
Labour Party was established in June 27, 1908 by various members of Patagonian Worker's Union and Patagonian Trade Congress. There are also student activists joined the party at that time. The party is known for supporting women's suffrage that was opposed by the Liberals and Conservatives at that time as these two major parties believed that women will overpower the men. Labour won 12 seats in the Federal Council and 48 seats in the National Assembly for the first time in 1911 election. The party had always in the crossbench and they continue to criticize the two major parties for neglecting the interest of the working class. They experienced landslide victory for the first time during the 1925 election following the victory of Elvis Heath as prime minister as a result on creating coalition with the Agrarians and Social Democrats. However, they became an opposition during the premiership of Robert Baldwin and his government's coalition with the Liberals.
Social Democratic Party
The Social Democratic Party was established in April 22, 1901 by the left-wing members of the Liberal Party as they opposed the influence of British monarchy in Patagonia and supporting republicanism. They promote the lower taxes and higher salaries for the working class to decrease unemployment. The party had also the same beliefs with the Labour Party and they have cordial relationship in the Parliament because of their similarities in ideological perspectives. The party had won 8 seats in the Federal Council and 25 seats in the National Assembly for the first time in 1908 election. Like the Labour Party, the party had moderate seats in the legislature in the following elections and the first victory of the Social Democrats was in 1925 election. They still have many seats even though the Labour experienced landslide victory in the election. Francois Napier, who was the party leader at that time appointed as Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of Foreign Affairs under the premiership of Elvis Heath.
Early years
The Agrarians, Labours, and Social Democrats had formally merged in 1935 as Labour Democratic Party and the merger was supported by the farmers, industrial workers, and trade unions in the country to strengthen the labor rights in Patagonia. Elvis Heath was the interim leader of the party prior to the leadership elections of the same year. Patricio Chavez, who was the Shadow Secretary of Commerce and Industry at that time became the first elected party leader. He also became the Opposition Leader replacing Heath. The Labour Democrats supported lower tax, pacifism, and multiculturalism. Due to the cultural equality platform of the party, it became attractive to the Asians, Blacks, and Hispanic voters especially to the working class from the aforementioned races. It is also strongly supported the women's suffrage to give women an opportunity to vote.
Patricio Chavez (1937-1944)
Chavez had won the 1937 elections against Robert Baldwin of the Conservatives Party, Gavin Tierney of the Liberals, and Seth Harper of the Country Party. The party formed a coalition with the Co-operatives during Chavez premiership. The LabDems and Coops had collaborated together on signing the laws upon supporting the small businessmen by allowing them to have their own licenses upon creating their own cooperatives without tax through the Business Co-operatives Act 1938.
Frederick Granholm (1944-1952)
First opposition
Steven Douglas period (1956-1961)
Crossbench period
Organization
Platform
Economic policies
- Support the local business in the country.
- Higher salaries for the blue-collar workers.
- Higher taxes for the big companies and lower taxes for the small businesses.
- Protect and expand unions and labor rights.
- Nationalize the healthcare and energy industries.
- Free education for college students in all universities.
Social policies
- Support and expand LGBT rights.
- Fully legalize same-sex marriage.
- Oppose the restrictions on abortion.
- Reduce racial inequality in Patagonia.
- Fully oppose death penalty.
Foreign policy
- Normalizing relations with China.
- Support neutral relations with Landonist countries.
- Support and expand the Conference of American States.
- Oppose offensive military interventions and operations.