New Zealand Democratic Party for Social Credit
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New Zealand Democratic Party for Social Credit | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Party Leader | Chris Leitch |
| Founded | 1985 |
| Preceded by | Social Credit Party |
| Headquarters | P.O. Box 5164 Waikiwi Invercargill |
| Ideology | Social Credit Economic democracy Left-wing nationalism |
| Political position | Left-wing |
| Colours | Green |
| Slogan | "Here For Good" |
| House of Representatives | 0 / 121 |
| Local government in New Zealand | 0 / 1,895 |
| Website | |
| www.democrats.org.nz | |
The New Zealand Democratic Party for Social Credit (shortened to Democrats for Social Credit[1]) is a small leftist political party in New Zealand. Its policies are based on the ideas of social credit. The party has been known as the Social Credit Political League, Social Credit Party, and New Zealand Democratic Party and was part of the Alliance for a time.
The party does not hold any seats in the Parliament of New Zealand. It held one seat from 1966 to 1969. The party won a seat in a 1978 byelection, and held two seats from 1980 to 1987. Democratic Party members also held seats when the party was part of the Alliance.
The party has been known as the Social Credit Party, and Social Credit Political League and was for many years the largest minor party in New Zealand politics, and gained 21% of the total votes in 1981. The party's economic policy is still based on Social Credit theories, while in social matters, the party takes a position similar to progressive liberal parties elsewhere.
Policies
Democrats for Social Credit describes its foremost goal as being the recovery of "economic sovereignty". This will be accomplished, the party says, by "the reform of the present monetary system, which is the major cause of war, poverty, inflation and many other social problems." The reforms promoted by Democrats for Social Credit are based on the ideas of Social Credit. The party emphasises "economic democracy", claiming that control of New Zealand's money supply must be reclaimed from the banks.[citation needed]
Democrats for Social Credit supports taxation reform, including the removal of the Goods and Services Tax (GST), and the imposition of a tax on financial transactions (a Tobin tax). It also supports the introduction of a Universal basic income (see external link below).
Democrats for Social Credit states that "what is physically possible and desirable for the happiness of humanity can always be financially possible."
History
Origins (1954–1990)
Democrats for Social Credit was established as the Social Credit Political League, and contested its first election in 1954 where it gained 11.13% of the vote. Its first Member of Parliament was Vernon Cracknell, who won the seat of Hobson electorate in 1966 but lost it again in 1969. In 1978 party leader Bruce Beetham took the Rangitikei seat and in 1980 Gary Knapp won the East Coast Bays seat. At the 1981 election it received 21% of the vote but due to the first past the post electoral system used at the time it only received two seats.
In 1982 Beetham argued for a simpler name, and it became the Social Credit Party. The party renamed itself the New Zealand Democratic Party in 1985. At the 1987 elections, the party held two seats in parliament – one was East Coast Bays, held by Garry Knapp, and the other was Pakuranga, held by Neil Morrison. The Democratic Party lost both those seats, removing them from parliament. In 1988, Gary Knapp and a group of other Democrats were involved in a protest at parliament, to highlight the Labour Government's about-face on its election promise to hold a referendum on the First Past the Post electoral system.
The Alliance (1990–2002)
The Democrats, finding themselves increasingly pressured by the growth of NewLabour (founded by rebel Labour Party MP Jim Anderton) and the Greens, decided to increase cooperation with compatible parties. This resulted in the Democrats joining NewLabour, the Greens, and Māori-based party Mana Motuhake in forming the Alliance, a broad left-wing coalition group.
In the 1996 election, which was conducted under the new Mixed member proportional representation (MMP) electoral system, the Alliance won thirteen seats. Among the MPs elected were John Wright and Grant Gillon, both members of the Democratic Party.
However, there was considerable dissatisfaction in the Democratic Party over the Alliance's course. Many Democrats believed that their views were not being incorporated into Alliance policy, particularly as regards the core economic doctrine of Social Credit. The Alliance tended towards "orthodox" left-wing economics, and was not prepared to implement the Democratic Party's somewhat unusual economic theories.
By the 1999 election, the Democrats were one of only two remaining parties in the Alliance: the Greens had left the grouping, and the Liberals and NewLabour components dissolved, their members becoming members of the Alliance as a whole rather than of any specific constituent party.
Progressive Coalition & independent again (2002–present)
In 2002, when tensions between the "moderate left" and the "hard left" caused a split in the Alliance, the Democrats followed Jim Anderton's moderate faction and became a part of the Progressive Coalition. In the 2002 elections, Grant Gillon and John Wright were placed third and fourth on the party's list. The Progressives, however, won only enough votes for two seats, thus leaving the two Democrats outside parliament.
Shortly after the election, the Democrats split from the Progressives, re-establishing themselves as an independent party. However, Grant Gillon (the party's leader) and John Wright, both of whom opposed the split, chose not to follow the Democrats, instead remaining with the Progressives. The Progressive Coalition became the Progressive Party after the Democrats left. The Democrats chose Stephnie de Ruyter, who had been fifth on the Progressive list, as their new leader.
In 2005, the party added "for Social Credit" to its name to form its current name. The Democrats contested that year's general election as an independent party and received 0.05% of the party vote. In the 2008 general election, the party again won 0.05% of the party vote.[2]
The party did not apply for broadcasting funding for the 2011 election. During the election, it won 1,432 votes,[3] and was the only party to not attract a party vote in an electorate (Mangere).[4] The party fielded thirty electorate candidates and four list only candidates in the 2014 general election but continued to fail to gain any seats in the 51st New Zealand Parliament.[5]
During the 2017 general election, the Democrats for Social Credit ran 26 candidates: 13 electorate candidates and 13 list only candidates.[6] The Party gained 806 votes on the party vote (0.0%) and failed to win any seats in Parliament.[7]
In June 2018 the party voted to change its name back to Social Credit.[8]
Electoral results
| House of Representatives | ||||
| Election | Candidates nominated (electorate/list) | Seats won | Number of votes | % of popular vote |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | 0 / 120
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| 1990 | 0 / 120
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| 1993 – 1999 | ||||
| 2002 | ||||
| 2005 | 0 / 120
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| 2008 | 0 / 120
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| 2011 | 0 / 120
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| 2014 | 0 / 121
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| 2017 | 0 / 120
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List of presidents
The following is a list of party presidents:
| President | Term |
|---|---|
| Stefan Lipa | 1979–1987 |
| Chris Leitch | 1988–1993 |
| Margaret Cook | 1993–1999 |
| Peter Kane | 1999–2003 |
| John Pemberton | 2003–2005 |
| Neville Aitchison | 2005–2010 |
| David Wilson | 2010–2013 |
| John Pemberton | 2013–2015 |
| Harry Alchin-Smith | 2015–2017 |
| Ewan Cornor | 2017–present |
List of Parliamentary Party Leaders
The following is a list of Parliamentary Party Leaders:
| Leader | Term |
|---|---|
| Bruce Beetham | 1972–1986 |
| Neil Morrison | 1986–1988 |
| Garry Knapp | 1988–1991 |
| John Wright | 1991–2001 |
| Grant Gillon | 2001–2002 |
| Stephnie de Ruyter | 2002–2018 |
| Chris Leitch | 2018–present |
Former Parliamentarians
The following is a list of Former Parliamentarians:
| Former Parliamentarian | Term |
|---|---|
| Garry Knapp | 1985–1987 |
| Neil Morrison | 1985–1987 |
| Grant Gillon | 1996–2002 |
| John Wright | 1996–2002 |
See also
New Zealand portalReferences
- ^ "Register of Political Parties". Electoral Commission. Retrieved 4 January 2017.
- ^ Chief Electoral Office: Official Count Results: Overall status Archived 9 February 2009 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "2011 Election Results – Overall Status". New Zealand Electoral Commission. Retrieved 27 November 2011.
- ^ Matthew Backhouse (27 November 2011). "No votes, no surprise for party leader". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 27 November 2011.
- ^ "DSC-announces-Party-list".
- ^ "Democrats for Social Credit Announce Party List". Democrats for Social Credit. Scoop.co.nz. 1 September 2017. Retrieved 6 October 2017.
- ^ a b c "2017 General Election – Official Result". New Zealand Electoral Commission. Retrieved 7 October 2017.
- ^ "Party Changes Name and Elects New Leader". Democrats for Social Credit. 17 June 2018. Retrieved 10 July 2018.
External links
