Political Parties in the DR

[cobraboy]

I'd be most appreciative if someone could give me a Cliff Notes version of the various political parties in the DR, their philosophy, and a brief history.

Additionally, is there a link to this current information somewhere? I'm having a confusing time with Dominican politics.

So many colors, so little information...

TIA

CB

[Hillbilly]

Check the CIA and their Country notes at www.cia.gov...you'll be surprised!!

HB

[Dolores]

In recent times politics has become distorted. Politics, rather, than generally an exercise for the common good, has become a very profitable business for its participants. The three leading parties are the PLD, PRD and the PRSC.

See http://www.pld.org.do/
Can't find the updated sites for the other two parties.

For background of politics before the very commercial 90s, see http://www.country-data.com/cgi-bin/query/r-3867

[Mirador]

In the DR it is not illegal to buy and sell votes... so the party/parties with the most money ends up winning all the elections. A 70% poverty rate translates into the willingness of most voters to sell their vote. This means that the vote of a pedler selling bananas on a street intersection is worth the same as the vote of a conscientious citizen. The pedler always invariably sells his vote. Unfortunately, there are more pedlers than conscientious citizens. And majority rules. In the early years of democracy voting was limited to those citizens who owned a home and held a job. Unfortunately, this would leave me out, without voting rights, since I rent (currently six months behind in payments...), plus I'm currently unemployed (scraping the bottom of the barrel to eat, and to post in DR1)...

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