Party of Democratic Kampuchea
Encyclopedia
Party of Democratic Kampuchea was a political party
in Cambodia
, formed as a continuation of the Communist Party of Kampuchea
in December 1981. In the mid-1980s it publicly claimed that its ideology was "democratic socialism
," having ostensibly renounced Communism
.
was the armed wing of the party, while the Patriotic and Democratic Front of the Great National Union of Kampuchea
was a mass organization controlled by it.
The General Secretary of the party at the time was Pol Pot
. The party led the deposed Democratic Kampuchea
government. Its followers were generally called Khmer Rouge
.
At the time of the formation of the PDK, the Khmer Rouge forces had been pushed back by the Vietnamese-backed KPRP
government to an area near the Thai border. The PDK began cooperating with other anti-Vietnamese factions, and formed the Coalition Government of Democratic Kampuchea
in 1982.
Although Pol Pot relinquished party leadership to Khieu Samphan
in 1985, he continued to wield considerable influence over the movement.
Ahead of the 1992/1993 elections, the PDK was largely succeeded by the Cambodian National Unity Party
(aka CNUP), which publicly stated its wish to participate in the elections but eventually did not register and vowed to sabotage the election. Subsequently, UNTAC decided not to conduct elections in areas under PDK control. At the time it was estimated that approximately six percent of the population in Cambodia lived in areas under PDK control.
The PDK was declared illegal in July 1994, after which its activities continued under the Cambodian National Unity Party
and the self-proclaimed "Provisional Government of National Union and National Salvation of Cambodia
"
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 Cambodia
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
, formed as a continuation of the Communist Party of Kampuchea
Communist Party of Kampuchea
The Communist Party of Kampuchea, also known as Khmer Communist Party , was a communist party in Cambodia. Its followers were generally known as Khmer Rouge .-Foundation of the party; first divisions:...
in December 1981. In the mid-1980s it publicly claimed that its ideology was "democratic socialism
Democratic socialism
Democratic socialism is a description used by various socialist movements and organizations to emphasize the democratic character of their political orientation...
," having ostensibly renounced Communism
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
.
History
The dissolution of CPK and formation of PDK was, according to the party itself, prompted by the need for broader unity against Vietnam, a unity which an explicit communist line would hamper. The National Army of Democratic KampucheaNational Army of Democratic Kampuchea
The National Army of Democratic Kampuchea was a Cambodian guerrilla force. NADK were the armed forces of the Party of Democratic Kampuchea , operating between 1979 and the late 1990s.-History:...
was the armed wing of the party, while the Patriotic and Democratic Front of the Great National Union of Kampuchea
Patriotic and Democratic Front of the Great National Union of Kampuchea
The Patriotic and Democratic Front of the Great National Union of Kampuchea was a Kampuchean mass organization set up by the Communist Party of Kampuchea on August 21, 1979 after the fall of Democratic Kampuchea to Vietnamese troops and the subsequent proclamation of the People's Republic of...
was a mass organization controlled by it.
The General Secretary of the party at the time was Pol Pot
Pol Pot
Saloth Sar , better known as Pol Pot, , was a Cambodian Maoist revolutionary who led the Khmer Rouge from 1963 until his death in 1998. From 1976 to 1979, he served as the Prime Minister of Democratic Kampuchea....
. The party led the deposed Democratic Kampuchea
Democratic Kampuchea
The Khmer Rouge period refers to the rule of Pol Pot, Nuon Chea, Ieng Sary, Son Sen, Khieu Samphan and the Khmer Rouge Communist party over Cambodia, which the Khmer Rouge renamed as Democratic Kampuchea....
government. Its followers were generally called Khmer Rouge
Khmer Rouge
The Khmer Rouge literally translated as Red Cambodians was the name given to the followers of the Communist Party of Kampuchea, who were the ruling party in Cambodia from 1975 to 1979, led by Pol Pot, Nuon Chea, Ieng Sary, Son Sen and Khieu Samphan...
.
At the time of the formation of the PDK, the Khmer Rouge forces had been pushed back by the Vietnamese-backed KPRP
Cambodian People's Party
The Cambodian People's Party is the current ruling party of Cambodia.This party was formerly known as Kampuchean People's Revolutionary Party...
government to an area near the Thai border. The PDK began cooperating with other anti-Vietnamese factions, and formed the Coalition Government of Democratic Kampuchea
Coalition Government of Democratic Kampuchea
The Coalition Government of Democratic Kampuchea was a coalition government in exile composed of three Cambodian political factions: Prince Norodom Sihanouk's Funcinpec party, the Party of Democratic Kampuchea and the Khmer People's National Liberation Front formed in 1982, broadening the de...
in 1982.
Although Pol Pot relinquished party leadership to Khieu Samphan
Khieu Samphan
Khieu Samphan was the president of the state presidium of Democratic Kampuchea from 1976 until 1979. As such, he served as Cambodia's head of state and was one of the most powerful officials in the Khmer Rouge movement, though Pol Pot was the group's true political leader and held the most...
in 1985, he continued to wield considerable influence over the movement.
Ahead of the 1992/1993 elections, the PDK was largely succeeded by the Cambodian National Unity Party
Cambodian National Unity Party
The Cambodian National Unity Party was a political party set up by the Khmer Rouge on November 30 1992 during the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia to participate in the elections that year. The party was led by Khieu Samphan and Son Sen. It succeeded the Party of Democratic...
(aka CNUP), which publicly stated its wish to participate in the elections but eventually did not register and vowed to sabotage the election. Subsequently, UNTAC decided not to conduct elections in areas under PDK control. At the time it was estimated that approximately six percent of the population in Cambodia lived in areas under PDK control.
The PDK was declared illegal in July 1994, after which its activities continued under the Cambodian National Unity Party
Cambodian National Unity Party
The Cambodian National Unity Party was a political party set up by the Khmer Rouge on November 30 1992 during the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia to participate in the elections that year. The party was led by Khieu Samphan and Son Sen. It succeeded the Party of Democratic...
and the self-proclaimed "Provisional Government of National Union and National Salvation of Cambodia
Provisional Government of National Union and National Salvation of Cambodia
The Provisional Government of National Union and National Salvation of Cambodia was an Internationally unrecognized and ostensibly provisional government set up by the Khmer Rouge on July 11, 1994 in opposition to the established Kingdom of Cambodia...
"