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Democratic-Republican Party
Leader Ted Scott
Chairperson Pat McLoughlin
Founded November 27, 1858 (1858-11-27)
Headquarters 1401 21st Street, Suite 200,
Bernehim, San Joaquin 95201
Student wing Collegiate Dem-Reps of Sierra
Youth wing Young Dem-Reps of Sierra
Women's wing National Federation of Democratic-Republican Women
LGBT wing Harvey Milk Democratic-Republicans
Overseas wing Global Democratic-Republicans
Membership 22,610,181 (2015)
Ideology Majority:
 • Centrism
 • Liberal democracy
 • Social liberalism
 • Neoliberalism
Factions:
 • Conservatism
 • Progressivism
 • Social democracy
 • Republicanism
Political position Yellow flag waving Center-left to center
International affiliation Liberal International
Liberal Democrats of America
Official colors      Dark cyan
Senate
54 / 125
House of Commons
119 / 276
American Parliament
8 / 65
Website
drps.org

Liberalism in Sierra
Political parties in Sierra
Elections in Sierra
Kingdom of Sierra
Coat of arms of Sierra

This article is part of the series:
Politics and government of the
Kingdom of Sierra


The Democratic-Republican Party (officially abbreviated as DRPS and shortened as Dem-Reps) is a liberal political party in Sierra. It is currently the leading opposition party in the House of Commons and the Senate. The current party leader is Ted Scott (SF), who was held the position since June 21, 2016. It is the largest party in Anglo-America in terms of registered party membership, with more than 21 million members.

The party is the one of the oldest political parties in the world and was founded on November 28, 1858. It opposed the Royalists, and the two parties have dominated national politics. The party grew out of a republican opposition to the Sierran institution of monarchy. It championed agrarian interests, and later incorporated trade unionist and organized labor elements into the party. The Democratic-Republicans first came into power under Ulysses Perry, whose radical republican views and policies significantly curtailed the powers of the monarchy and gentry. His assassination triggered the Sierran Civil War, which ended with the victory of the Royalists and pacified the party's anti-monarchist wing. Following the war, the party's ideology diversified, and included social liberals, socialists, syndicalists, and nativists within its ranks.

At the turn of the century, the party officially abandoned its anti-monarchist platform in 1903. Nonetheless, it retained the "republican" within its name in homage to its roots and continued respect for cultural republicanism. From there, it shifted its focus increasingly towards promoting civil liberties and economic equality, a tradition that has remained steadfast with the party to the present date. It also embraced the Sierran Cultural Revolution, of which the Revolution's formative years were under Democratic-Republican governments.

There has been a total of 16 Democratic-Republican prime ministers, the first being Ulysses Perry, who served from 1867 to 1872 and in 1874 prior to his assassination. The most recent Democratic-Republican prime minister has been Prime Minister Steven Hong who was elected in 2008 and reelected in 2012. Like Perry, his tenure ended with his own assassination as well. Signature policies and legislation developed by the Democratic-Republican Party include a pension plan, universal healthcare, protections of civil rights and voting rights, food stamps, student loans and financial aid programs, anti-discrimination laws, and legalization of same-sex marriages nationwide. Historically a party built on the interests of poor, white farmers, and later unionized working-class citizens, the Democratic-Republican today consists of a broad and diverse coalition composed of social liberals, progressives, and centrists. The modern party has had a reliably loyal base of African Sierrans, Hispanic and Latino Sierrans, Arab Sierrans, the LGBT community, millennials, and single women.

In the 56th Parliament, the Democratic-Republicans holds the second-largest composition in both houses of Parliament as Her Royal Majesty's Official Opposition Party. When it was the governing party, it formed a coalition with the Social Democrats of Sierra and Greens as the Progressives. The party currently holds a minority of governorships and provincial legislatures, although the party has historically dominated such areas for decades. Within the Conference of American States, the Democratic-Republicans form the third-largest Sierran party and is a member of the Liberal Democrats of America.

History[]

1858–1877[]

Ulysses Perry

Ulysses Perry, 3rd Prime Minister of Sierra (1867–72, 1872–74)

The Democratic-Republican Party traces its origins to the United States Democratic-Republican Party and concepts of Jeffersonian democracy. The Democratic-Republicans identified themselves as republicans who opposed the Sierran monarchy, and viewed the 1858 Constitution (which created the monarchial system and replaced the old California Republic) as a temporary arrangement and solution to the country's issues. The party was founded on November 27, on the same day as the foundation of Sierra and their chief rivals, the Royalists. Organizationally, the party struggled to develop a cohesive leadership and voter base in the Kingdom's formative years as its base consisted primarily of yeoman farmers and laborers, some of whom refused to accept the legitimacy of the 1858 Constitution. Consequently, the Democratic-Republicans and similar parties were unable to compete against the Royalists at the elections until about a decade later.

In 1867, the Democratic-Republicans gained control over the House for the first time. The party campaigned on a platform promising to restore power to the farming class and to end the "urban elitism" of the Royalists. They opposed the development of the Sierran peerage system, which encouraged and favored the agricultural lands of ennobled families over civilian farms, as well as the imposed protectionist tariffs. The party was led by several fiery orators who amassed popular supports, amongst them including Ulysses Perry, who became the party leader and subsequent Prime Minister of Sierra in the 1867 landslide election.

Perry and his supporters represented a large coalition of yeoman farmers, mechanics, tradesmen, and former prospectors who were troubled and alienated by the advances made by the Royalists and their interests at the expense of the farming class. They adamantly supported the immediate abolition of the monarchy and its associated aristocracy, and were labeled "Radical Democratic-Republicans". The moderates distinguished themselves as party members who supported republicanism, but felt that abolishing the monarchy was not the most important goal of the party. Moderates were more likely to favor gradual reforms done through democratic processes, and were more focused on economic issues which could be achieved through compromise. Perry's leadership and rhetoric inspired other radicals to rise up in ranks, and worked rapidly in Parliament to pass a series of laws known as the Bernheim Acts. The Bernheim Acts were aimed at curbing the amount of land the government could sell to private citizens (most of whom went to ennobled gentry) and to restrict the political activities of the nobility.

The Democratic-Republicans' efforts were repeatedly blocked by the Royalist-controlled Senate, who either delayed legislation or altered it completely to a version the Democratic-Republicans refused to accept. In addition, some legislation were struck down by the Supreme Court through litigation sponsored by Royalist opponents. These political actions infuriated radical Democratic-Republicans and further inflamed tensions between the two main competing parties. After a year of gridlock, Perry decided to soften his rhetoric and agree to some concessions with the Royalists, namely through backing off the monarchy issue while he focused on labor and trade issues. Perry successfully compromised with the Royalists in acquiring subsidies for yeomen farmers in exchange for maintaining Trist-era tariffs on certain farming machinery and industrial products. Meanwhile, Perry continued Sierra's war with the United Commonwealth in the War of Contingency, which started during Trist's first government. He viewed the United Commonwealth as a threat to Sierra's own sovereignty, although rank and file party members were skeptical of Sierra waging war against another republic that sought to regain its breakaway territories.

Interparty relations soured shortly before the war concluded in 1868, partly due to dispute over Perry's terms and involvement in the post-war Christmas Accords negotiations. The Royalists accused Perry of being too soft on the United Commonwealth and complained about him for conceding over half of Sierra's New Mexican and Coloradan territories to Brazoria. They were also wary of the creation of the Deseret as they viewed the Mormons there with suspicion, and possibly subversive to the Sierran monarchy due to the Mormons' loyalty to their emergent church. The Democratic-Republicans lost power in 1872 when the Royalists entered into a coalition with the Styxie-based Federalists, although the displacement was short-lived. The party was able to regain control in 1874, though Perry's government lasted for only a month before the prime minister was assassinated on February 14, 1874 by unknown assailants.

Perry's sudden and circumstantial death aroused suspicions from the Democratic-Republican party leadership and voters that Perry was politically executed by the Royalist sympathizers. Prominent lawmakers including Senator Isaiah Landon believed it was an orchestrated assassination conspired by King Smith I himself, which further damaged inter-party relations and worsened the political situation.

1877–1901[]

1901–1929[]

1928–1945[]

1945–1970[]

1970–2000[]

2000–present[]

Name and symbol[]

Ideology and political positions[]

Economic issues[]

Legal issues[]

Social issues and civil rights[]

Foreign policy issues[]

Platform[]

Overview[]

Economic Policy

Social Policy


Foreign Policy

  • Reaffirm relationships with those in the Pacific, the Americas, and Europe
  • Support for Israel
  • Decrease military presence in the Middle East
  • Promote democracy and refuse to engage in relations with repressive regimes

Organization[]

Structure[]

Membership[]

Voter base[]

Factions[]

Contemporary[]

  • Christian Democratic-Republicans of Sierra
  • Conservative Caucus of Democratic-Republicans
  • Libertarian Caucus of Democratic-Republicans
  • New Democratic-Republicans
  • Progressive Caucus of Democratic-Republicans

Historical[]

Electoral history[]

See also[]

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