Democratic-Republican Party (Silofais)
Democratic-Republican Party of Silofais | |
|---|---|
| Chairman | Horatio Eden |
| Founder | Horatio Eden |
| Founded | May 5th, 2017 |
| Dissolved | August 26th, 2017 |
| Succeeded by | Unity and Progress Party |
| Membership | 3 |
| Colors | Blue, black |
| Seats in the Chamber of Delegates | 2 / 15 |
| Seats in the Senate | 0 / 5 |
The Democratic-Republican Party of Silofais was one of the two initial political parties in the Republic of Silofais with representation in the national government, the other being the Silofais People's Party.
The party was founded on the 5th of May, 2017, by then-President Horatio Eden and framed its electoral platform largely in response and opposition to that of the People's Party, the first party to be established in the Republic. It took its name, though not its electoral platform, from its historical American counterpart, the Democratic-Republican Party, which had been founded by U.S. Presidents Thomas Jefferson and James Madison.
The platform of the Democratic-Republican Party was largely based on generic micronational issues. Its economic policy, for instance, was minimal; the party maintained that micronational economics would be prohibitively difficult either to establish or to maintain, citing examples such as the rise and fall of the Micronational Dollar and the Micronational Economic Group. It supported the GUM, citing a lack of reasons to pursue a policy to the contrary; and, though it purported right-winged political leanings, the party also favoured big government in order to stave off government inactivity.
At its political height, the party controlled the Presidency and, in effect, could direct foreign policy and veto legislation which it opposed ideologically; however, its legislative strength - its two seats in the Chamber of Delegates - was dwarfed by its largest political rival, and it had absolutely no representation in the Senate.
History
The Democratic-Republican Party was founded on the 5th of May, 2017, by Silofaisan President Horatio Eden, not long after his election during the Ratification Convention. Delegate Stephen Freayth joined the next day.
President Horatio Eden announced the party's platform in a Silofaisan forum thread dated the 11th of May, 2017.[1]
Following the second Ratification Convention, the party fell into great inactivity and was eventually dissolved upon the formation of the Unity and Progress Party.
Policy positions
President Horatio Eden announced the party's platform on the 11th of May, 2017, detailing the party's positions on aspects of national policy.
Economic policy
The Democratic-Republicans claimed to "not have an economic policy". Noting the failure of micronational economics projects such as the Micronational Dollar and the Micronational Economic Group, the party dismissed micronational economics as largely unable "to either serve a purpose or even last particularly long". It maintained that, as a party, it is "loathe to conclude that economic policies of any real substantial kind would be of a tangible benefit to the Silofaisan public".[2]
Foreign policy
The party was a proponent of the idea of Silofaisan membership of the Grand Unified Micronational.
The party also set out a three question test for whether relations with another micronational power would be approved by a Democratic-Republican government:
- Whether "the other nation is one with which Silofais shares some cultural or historic connection";
- Whether "the other nation, or nationals thereof, is one which Silofais has collaborated in the past";
- Whether "there is some other tangible benefit to us engaging in diplomatic relations with them".[3]
Constitutional law policy
The party was one of Strict constructivism; it supported the idea that the Constitution "should be viewed and interpreted as the original constitutional framers intended". They opposed the appointment to the Supreme Court of any nominee who would "view judicial power as the ability to make law rather than scrutinize the government within the framework of the Silofaisan Constitution".
Domestic policy
The party supported a referendum on a future national flag for the nation, as well as future national symbols. It contended that the Council of State should select symbols for executive departments of the state.
Also, despite the party's claims to being a generally right wing party, it supported big government for the purpose of ensuring micronational activity.