The Socialist Party of Vermont was a political party in the Second Vermont Republic, formed after the 1998 election. It was formed to support President Dean in the House of Representatives, and generally followed a democratic socialist ideology. It was outlawed by the Kingdom of New England falling the fall of the Second Vermont Republic. During its brief existence, it was led in the Vermont General Assembly by Bernie Sanders.
History[]
The party was formed following the 1998 election. During the election, no political parties participated, with candidates generally standing on pro or anti-Dean lines. This proved the major partisan divide during the life of the Second Vermont Republic. In the local council elections of 1998, a large number of pro-Dean candidates won election, prompting calls for a united socialist party to support Dean.
Following the election, 79 members of the Vermont House of Representatives agreed to form the Socialist Party of Vermont, in order to support Governor Dean during the debate on the Nationalisation Bill. This gave them a majority in the 150 member House of Representatives.
During its brief existence, the Socialist Party supported economic and social reforms; it proposed a controversial Land Reform Bill, allowing the government to redistribute land in Vermont to assist the poor. It also sponsored reforms to the health and education systems.
In the 1999 election, the Socialist Party suffered a large swing against it, due to discontent with the Dean administration. This discontent played a major part in the fall of the Second Vermont Republic.
After the fall of Montpelier, the Socialist Party of Vermont was outlawed in New England.
Platform[]
The Socialist Party of Vermont resembled the early pro-administration faction of the United States, which later crystalised into the Federalist Party. The Socialist Party was formed to support Governor Dean's administration; therefore, its ideology was somewhat loose, with anarchists, social liberals and communists all included within. It was generally a left-leaning party, and supported greater social and economic equality. The largest faction within were socialists, who ensured that the party followed a democratic socialist doctrine.