being australian, this is not going to mean a lot to you, but i support the Australian Labor Party.

broadly, this is a left wing party, originally formed a century ago by the union movement. they are on the left in australia, although not as far left as they used to be, more centre-left. they recently won government, and the reputation of australia rocketed internationally.

australia has, like many places, a two party system with the two parties dominant in federal and local governments. there are a few fringe parties and single issue parties but they have little real political power (the Greens are perhaps the exception in the current political climate)

the political "left" in australia is, i think, not quite what it is in america. australia is generally a less conservative society. i would probably be considered far left by most americans.

to put it in perspective, the conservative party in australia was originally heavily supported and kept in power by the feminist movement in the 40s and 50s. the conservative party is called the Liberal Party.

Not a bad choice, am I to assume that the socialist party or parties are all very far from any power in Australia?

__________________
Trust me, I'm a socialist!

There's power in a factory,power in the land, power in the hand of the worker. But it all amounts to nothing if together we don't stand, there is power in a union.
The union forever defending our rights, down with the blackleg, workers unite. To our brothers and our sisters in many far off lands, there is power in a union.
Money speaks for money, the devil for his own. - Billy Bragg

Libertarian

Social or Right Libertarian?

__________________
An' it harm none, do as ye' will.


Never argue with an idiot. He'll just drag you down to his level of intelligence and beat you with experience.

I've heard those terms dedined so many different ways by so many people I'm hesitatnt to answer.

__________________
Jarlaxle
----------------------------------------------------
I know that I will never be politically correct
And I don't give a damn about my lack of ettiquette
--Jim Steinman

That was a Good election you had. It's nice to see Labour values persist in some parts of the world.

__________________
Viva Fidel

If there ever was in the history of humanity an enemy who was truly universal, an enemy whose acts and moves trouble the entire world, threaten the entire world, attack the entire world in any way or another, that real and really universal enemy is precisely Yankee imperialism

They talk about the failure of socialism but where is the success of capitalism in Africa, Asia and Latin America?

leviathon435;

Not a bad choice, am I to assume that the socialist party or parties are all very far from any power in Australia?


very very far. we have the Greens who did relatively well in the last election, winning 7% of the vote and 5 seats (out of a total of 230. our parliament is quite differently arranged to yours though)

we also have the occasional independent who manages to get into parliament, but that is rare and they are as likely to be right as left. one left wing independent also won a seat last election, but he has a large personal (almost cult) following.

the democratic socialists, democrats (who in australia are a small socialist party) and a few other left wing minor parties COMBINED polled only about 1-2% of the vote.

there are a few small right wing parties and right wing independents, and they did about as well as the left. overall there are 14 seats occupied by minor parties. the rest are labor or liberal.

going back 10 years or so, the democrats held about 12 seats, and weilded considerable power. the party imploded following one spectacularly unpopular policy decision followed by destructive infighting. as a force, they are probably spent, replaced by the greens.

it was a fantastic election. listening to Howard concede defeat was the best thing i have heard for 11 years. and now labor is in power federally and in every single state and territory.

It was an election result that brought a rare smile regarding politics to my face. I only wish in Britain we still had a real Labour party like you. Our Labour become more like tories every day.

__________________
Viva Fidel

If there ever was in the history of humanity an enemy who was truly universal, an enemy whose acts and moves trouble the entire world, threaten the entire world, attack the entire world in any way or another, that real and really universal enemy is precisely Yankee imperialism

They talk about the failure of socialism but where is the success of capitalism in Africa, Asia and Latin America?

Yes, but I still remain hopefull that the flag will darken from palest pink to deepest red sometime in the future, but it's not looking good. In my constituency we have a good true-labour politician, Alan Simpson, but he's leaving at the next election, to be replaced by a woman who identifies herself as socialist and adresses us as comrade but is about as red as the "red" sea.

__________________
Trust me, I'm a socialist!

There's power in a factory,power in the land, power in the hand of the worker. But it all amounts to nothing if together we don't stand, there is power in a union.
The union forever defending our rights, down with the blackleg, workers unite. To our brothers and our sisters in many far off lands, there is power in a union.
Money speaks for money, the devil for his own. - Billy Bragg