Introduction
The Peace and Freedom Party was established from the civil rights and antiwar drives in the 1960s. It aimed towards achieving socialism, feminism, racial equality, democracy, internationalism, and ecology (Tarr & Benenson, n.d.). In a capitalist society, it represents both the owners of capital and those without wealth. Additionally, it stands for the working population. The party was formed in California in 1967, and by 1968 it had achieved its first ballot access. In 1968 the party acted as the California affiliate for national Peace and Freedom Party. In the elections of 1972 and 1976, it supported presidential candidates by being affiliated with the People’s Party.
Party platform
The Peace and Freedom Party stood for socialism. They advocated for agricultural and industrial production concerning human needs. Additionally, they wanted the unification of labor and abolition of imperial capitalism. The party supported the better working conditions for the workers by regulating their working hours (miniaturevouche43, 2015). Moreover, they wanted safety laws enacted to protect the working population. They even had a procedure to protect the right of immigrant workers. Subsequently, the party’s agenda was to push for a universal income with ensured social benefits. In its antiwar plan, it envisioned creating peace globally. In this regard it looked at disarmament, eliminating all government secret agencies, abolish weapon trading and deals and stop subverting foreign governments. Additionally, they wanted space weapons removed. Considering people’s privacy, they sought drone to be discouraged.
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The party is an advocate for women’s rights. They believed in ending repressive sex responsibilities in society. They encouraged equal legal rights for people to raise their children and provision of higher standards in children’s care (miniaturevouche43, 2015). It includes fortifying prenatal care. The party was also keen on stopping forced abortions and gender-based violence. In the quest to end racism and national oppression, the party recommended ending social discrimination and having laws to prosecute those who mistreated prisoners. The party also identified that the people in society had different sexual orientations. The party promoted equal rights among people without discrimination on sexual orientation grounds. Therefore they supported legal rights for gay marriages, transgender, bisexuals, and homosexuals. In its agenda for equality, the party considered equal legal rights for people living with disabilities. They wanted them to get equal access to education, housing, recreation, and transportation rights. The Peace and Freedom Party also sought the protection of Native Americans. It supposed the recognition of indigenous tribes and allowing them to fish and hunt without harassment by authorities. These processes go in line with the constitutional obligations on equality under the just rule of law. It allows individuals to enjoy fundamental rights with noninterference, also known as the constitution of liberty.
Peace and Freedom Party had the citizen’s wellbeing in its plan. The party was evident in protecting the ecosystem, better healthcare, equal voting rights, and reducing the tax burden in society (miniaturevouche43, 2015). Their agenda was to develop public spaces by regulating the use of pesticides, industrial wastes, and herbicides. They additionally aimed at creating guidelines on the consumption of genetically modified food. They targeted developing an agricultural system that was food sufficient, meeting human need, and eliminating animal husbandry. It also involved prohibiting terminator seeds chemically induced farmed products. The party believes in people’s welfare on housing. It looked at establishing rent and eviction laws that had to be updated and evaluated regularly. It encompassed having a collective bargaining agreement to facilitate cheaper homes and underscore public financing. They also believed in high-quality healthcare for everyone. In this effort they advocated for free immunization, finding on medical research and drug abuse treatment. The party also pushed for fair elections and voting rights. The wanted equal voting rights given to the non-English speakers, homeless, and all races. The party was keen on the reduction of the tax burden. It pushed for the amendment of Proposition 13 to involve elimination of property taxes and increase registration charges on luxury automobiles. It also comprised allocating higher taxes on unearned income, restoring renters tax credit and taxing enterprise activities concerning churches.
The party supported several presidential candidates in the electoral process. These included Benjamin Spock in 1972, Sonia Johnson in 1984, and Leonard Peltier in 2004 (miniaturevouche43, 2015). For the vice president candidature, it had Benjamin Spock in 1976, Asiba Tupahache in 1992 and Mathew Edward Gonzalez in 2008. The party has gained achievements such as having Roseanne as a presidential candidate in 2012. The candidate was able to appear on the ballot in three states and was able to get to the sixth position (Davis, 2015). Another presidential nominee by the name Nader came third in 2008. The party by 1968 had raised issues such as voting rights, elimination of racism laws, and gays oppression. The party has gained presence, thus dominating the state of California.
Historical impact.
The existence of the Peace and Freedom Party has had a significant influence on society. It enabled the people to vote for something they fully support in times where the government did not give what the people wanted (Garneri, 2016). The party additionally created awareness on the possible solutions to the problems people faced. For instance, black lives matter campaign. Moreover, the campaigns on “Act now” were able to stop the bombing in Syria. Creating awareness enables the public to get informed and shape how they perceive the happenings in society. The party has been able to educate the public on various social injustices, therefore, triggering the public to act accordingly. The party has strongly advocated for the restoration and protection of the environment. This has molded the thinking of duty bearers in enacting laws. Additionally, their belief in equality has brought respect for people of all races, gender, and sexual orientation. This was by defending the liberties granted by the bill of rights.
Contemporary Analysis
The American system functions in a two-party system where the two ruling political parties dominate the elections. These are the Democratic and Republican parties. As third parties are unable to meet the set criteria to access televised presidential debates, it makes it hard for them to sell their ideology and attract following (Boundless, n.d.). In the current world, where the Internet is easily accessible, the Peace and Freedom Party can use the platform to communicate their message. As it is challengeable for the party to get an influential position, they can use their position to put pressure on candidates from major parties on particular societal issues. The party can become a watchdog and a critic on unjust policies made by the government. For instance, they can advocate for environmental policies on conservation and the regulation of genetically modified food. Additionally, they can exert their influence by splitting votes. This means they can deny a particular candidate the chance of getting the seat by dividing the voters. This allows another preferred candidate to win.
The modern society is still faced by inequality. The Peace and Freedom Party platform focused on eliminating disproportion. Currently, the United States is faced with income inequality. It is noted that a quarter of America’s workforce makes less than 10 dollars per hour therefor earning income below the federal poverty level (Amadeo, 2019). This type of low earning laborers includes fast-food workers and cashiers. As per 2012, the highest 10 percent garnered 50 percent of the total income while the top 1 percent gain 20 percent of the income. It indicates an imbalance in income distribution. The rates of American living in poverty continue to increase. Additionally, low earning workers are not entitled to sick days, pensions, or health insurance. It is expected that the public would support the Peace and Freedom Party’s agenda as it was aiming at reducing inequality and seeking the provision of social benefit. Additionally, it purposed to protect immigrant workers. Today immigrants go to the United States to provide cheap labor, and mechanisms are absent to enable them to demand better pay. These issues that America is currently facing seem to have been a radical agenda for the Peace and Freedom Party. The party today would attract massive support today for the manifesto it highlighted.
Political parties today are changing the approaches they used in the past. Traditionally party politics was base on elaborate divisions, which are currently not significant (Huhtanen, 2015). As modern society is fragmented, it calls for political parties to establish new forms of politics. Party politics are becoming polarized, thus contributing to voter volatility. Additionally, technological advancements have facilitated the connection of different ideas among people that were initially dispersed. Therefore political parties can use the Internet to convey their ideology. It allows sharing of political views to geographically isolated populations. Social media has also influenced how politicians communicate during campaigns. Therefore, political parties have to conform to the digital revolution for their relevance. The Internet allows political movements to organize easily as it provides room for online activism. Consequently, the party would initiate issue-based campaigns as people perceive themselves signing up tor the agenda rather than a permanent member of the party. It allows people to campaign for the issue while not identifying with the party.
Conclusion
The Peace and Freedom party outlines the best interest for the public. Its agenda clearly outlined its support on equality for all and protection from discrimination. The society comprises individuals who are different and have various needs. The party recognizes this aspect and can advocate for the rights of women, same-sex marriages, bisexuals, and people living with disabilities. It also identifies the importance of environmental conservation. It is crucial in ensuring future generation are not affected by the results of degrading ecological measures. The party is also a frontrunner in preserving social justice as it supports the movement to condemn social evils. It demonstrates a manifesto that speaks to people; therefore, one is likely to support it.
Reference
Amadeo, K. (2019). The True Cause of Income Inequality in America. Retrieved from https://www.thebalance.com/income-inequality-in-america-3306190
Boundless. Minor Political Parties | Boundless Political Science. Retrieved from https://courses.lumenlearning.com/boundless-politicalscience/chapter/minor-political-parties/
Davis, G. (2015). Peace and Freedom Party Defines Victory By How It Influences Policy -- Not By Elections Won. Retrieved from https://ivn.us/2015/04/03/peace-freedom-party-defines-victory-influences-policy-not-elections-won
Garneri, L. (2016). Peace and Freedom Party. Retrieved from https://prezi.com/b5omgbmso9rs/peace-and-freedom-party/
Huhtanen, T. (2015). Can political parties evolve if the political system does not? Retrieved from https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12290-015-0344-8
miniaturevouche43. (2015). Peace and Freedom Party: History, Facts, and Beliefs. Retrieved from https://www.slideshare.net/miniaturevouche43/peace-and-freedom-party-history-facts-and-beliefs
Tarr, D., & Benenson, B. CQ Press - Peace and Freedom Party (1967–). Retrieved from http://sk.sagepub.com/cqpress/elections-a-to-z-4e/n158.xml
