Popular Unity Party - Socialist Party
Encyclopedia
Sameiningarflokkur alþýðu – Sósíalistaflokkurinn (People's Unity Party – Socialist Party), generally referred to as Sósíalistaflokkurinn (Socialist Party) was an Iceland
ic political party which functioned from 1938 to 1968, when the Alþýðubandalagið party was created.
(KFI) and another splinter-group from the Social Democratic Party
on the grounds that a united front was needed against fascism
, according to the guidelines put forth by the Comintern
. The formation of the Socialist Party was a result of the Popular Front
line embraced by ComIntern
, and promoted in Iceland by Einar Olgeirsson of the KFI. However, as it resulted in a split within the larger Social Democratic Party, Comintern did no approve of the merger in its eventual form.
The Socialist Party maintained cordial relations with the Communist Party of the Soviet Union
. In 1939 the chairmanship was taken over by Einar Olgeirsson, after the previous non-communist chairman had left the party in protest against the Winter War
between USSR and Finland.
During the Second World War the influence of the party grew. In the 1942 elections it won over its mother organization, the Social Democrats. The Socialist Party clearly supported the formation of the Icelandic Republic in 1944. During the two first years of independence, the Socialist Party took part in a broad coalition government. The coalition broke down on the issue of the claims of the United States to have a military base in Keflavík
, which the socialists opposed.
In 1956, the Socialist Party took part in the People's Alliance
(Alþýðubandalagið) along with the Egalitarian Society and Hannibal Valdimarsson
. When the People's Alliance was made into a formal political party in 1968, the Socialist Party was merged into it and thus became defunct as an independent entity.
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
ic political party which functioned from 1938 to 1968, when the Alþýðubandalagið party was created.
History
It was formed through the merger of the Communist Party of IcelandCommunist Party of Iceland
The Communist Party of Iceland was a political party in Iceland from 1930 to 1938.-History:In the early 1920s a group of young militants of the Social Democratic Party came into contact with the international communist movement. Their ideology and that of their party leader, was quickly growing...
(KFI) and another splinter-group from the Social Democratic Party
Social Democratic Party (Iceland)
The Social Democratic Party was an Icelandic Political Party based on social-democratic ideas. It was founded in 1916 as the political representation of the trade unions of Iceland....
on the grounds that a united front was needed against fascism
Fascism
Fascism is a radical authoritarian nationalist political ideology. Fascists seek to rejuvenate their nation based on commitment to the national community as an organic entity, in which individuals are bound together in national identity by suprapersonal connections of ancestry, culture, and blood...
, according to the guidelines put forth by the Comintern
Comintern
The Communist International, abbreviated as Comintern, also known as the Third International, was an international communist organization initiated in Moscow during March 1919...
. The formation of the Socialist Party was a result of the Popular Front
Popular front
A popular front is a broad coalition of different political groupings, often made up of leftists and centrists. Being very broad, they can sometimes include centrist and liberal forces as well as socialist and communist groups...
line embraced by ComIntern
Comintern
The Communist International, abbreviated as Comintern, also known as the Third International, was an international communist organization initiated in Moscow during March 1919...
, and promoted in Iceland by Einar Olgeirsson of the KFI. However, as it resulted in a split within the larger Social Democratic Party, Comintern did no approve of the merger in its eventual form.
The Socialist Party maintained cordial relations with the Communist Party of the Soviet Union
Communist Party of the Soviet Union
The Communist Party of the Soviet Union was the only legal, ruling political party in the Soviet Union and one of the largest communist organizations in the world...
. In 1939 the chairmanship was taken over by Einar Olgeirsson, after the previous non-communist chairman had left the party in protest against the Winter War
Winter War
The Winter War was a military conflict between the Soviet Union and Finland. It began with a Soviet offensive on 30 November 1939 – three months after the start of World War II and the Soviet invasion of Poland – and ended on 13 March 1940 with the Moscow Peace Treaty...
between USSR and Finland.
Keflavík
Keflavík is a town in the Reykjanes region in southwest Iceland. In 2009 its population was of 8,169.In 1995 it merged with Njarðvík and Hafnir to form a municipality called Reykjanesbær with a population of 13,971 .- History :...
, which the socialists opposed.
In 1956, the Socialist Party took part in the People's Alliance
People's Alliance (Iceland)
The People's Alliance was an electoral alliance in Iceland from 1956 to 1968 and a political party from 1968 to 1998.-History:In 1916 the Social Democratic Party was formed in Iceland. In 1930 a split surged, thus forming the Communist Party of Iceland , recognised as the Icelandic section of the...
(Alþýðubandalagið) along with the Egalitarian Society and Hannibal Valdimarsson
Hannibal Valdimarsson
Hannibal Valdimarsson was a politician from Iceland. He was a member of Parliament from 1946–1959 for the Social Democratic Party and People's Alliance and then from 1963–1974 for the People's Alliance, as an independent and also the Union of Liberals and Leftists...
. When the People's Alliance was made into a formal political party in 1968, the Socialist Party was merged into it and thus became defunct as an independent entity.