The Independent Party was a political party

Political party

A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...

 in the Kingdom of Hawaii

Kingdom of Hawaii

The Kingdom of Hawaii was established during the years 1795 to 1810 with the subjugation of the smaller independent chiefdoms of Oahu, Maui, Molokai, Lānai, Kauai and Niihau by the chiefdom of Hawaii into one unified government...

 formed with the purpose of providing resources and benefits of a political party to independent politicians

Independent (politician)

In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...

.

Emmaites

Despite the original purpose of the Kuokoa Party former member of the Queen Emma Party

Queen Emma Party

The Queen Emma Party or short name the Queen’s Party or the Emma Party was a political party in the Kingdom of Hawaii. The Queen’s Party was created by supporters of Queen Emma for the Royal Election of 1874. Members were referred to as “Queenites” or “Emmaites”...

 joined as their party declined and, following the elections of 1882, disbanded. Some of these former Emmaites were George W. Pilipo, Joseph K. Nawahi

Joseph Nawahi

Joseph Nāwahī also known as Joseph Kahooluhi Nāwahī and as Joseph Kahooluhi Nāwahīokalaniōpuu was a native Hawaiian legislator, lawyer, newspaper publisher, and painter.-Life:...

, and Albert K. Kunuiakea.

Missionaries

The Missionary Party was a pro-American, pro-business party who developed an unpopular reputation as a rich, White American businessmen. In 1880 and 1882 some Missionaries ran as Kuokoa Party candidates to distance themselves from the stigma of their own party. Interested by this strategy the Missionary Party ran all their candidates as Independents in the elections of 1884 and 1886. A special Missionary group called the Committee of Nine was established to occupy the leadership positions of the Kuokoa Party and favor the Missionary candidates.

Two party system

In 1884 a two-party system

Two-party system

A two-party system is a system where two major political parties dominate voting in nearly all elections at every level of government and, as a result, all or nearly all elected offices are members of one of the two major parties...

 emerged in Hawaii with the consolidation of opposition to the National Party

Hawaiian National Party

Not to be confused with the Hawaiian National Reform PartyThe Hawaiian National Party also known as the Young Hawaiian Party, King's Party or Government Party was a political party in Hawaii under King David Kalākaua, formed to support him in the in the event of a second election held after the...

. The general ideology of the Kuokoa Party was, basically, positions other than that of the ruling National Party for the various reasons of individual Independents. Such an example was opposition to King Kalākaua

Kalakaua

Kalākaua, born David Laamea Kamanakapuu Mahinulani Nalaiaehuokalani Lumialani Kalākaua and sometimes called The Merrie Monarch , was the last reigning king of the Kingdom of Hawaii...

, the range of opposition varied from preferring Queen Emma on the throne, abolishing the monarchy and forming a republic, to annexing Hawaii to the United States.

Bayonet Constitution

Disappointed with the results of the 1886 elections the Missionaries forced the Bayonet Constitution on the government. The new Constitution slanted elections in the favor of the Missionaries and they departed the Kuokoa party. In the elections of 1887, the Missionary Party renaming themselves the Reform Party and ran candidate as their own party.

Native Sons

The departure of the Missionaries left a vacuum in the Kuokoa Party that was eventually filled by the Native Sons of Hawaii. The Native Sons was a pro-monarchy, Pro-Hawaiians political organization that supported the National Reform Party. The Kuokoa Party reflected the positions of the Native Sons and became a secondary party for districts without a National Reform candidates.