In the past few years, a number of significant transformations can be observed in various areas of Kazakhstan. It should be borne in mind that such changes in economic and social formations also entail major political reforms. That is why it is impossible not to mention the current party system and political parties of Kazakhstan. Previously, a country directly subordinate to the Soviet Union, it gradually became an independent sovereign state in which one can observe the democratic regime and the development of the institutions of the political system. The emergence of various political parties and social movements in Kazakhstan gave the country a new round of development, where the government stopped using totalitarian methods of governance and significantly reorganized the entire system of political power.
History reference
Before talking about the current stage of formation and development of political parties, attention should be paid to bygone days. Political parties of Kazakhstan at the beginning of the 20th century began to form by 1917. Particular attention should be paid only to a couple of them, which played a very prominent role in the political life of the country.
Party "Alash"
It was Alash that became the first political party of the Republic of Kazakhstan. It began to function in July 1917, after a congress in the city of Orenburg. Her first political demands were the country's national and territorial autonomy, which would still remain part of a democratic Russia. Representatives of the party also demanded freedom of speech, the press, universal suffrage and a radical revision of agrarian reform in favor of the Kazakhs. This party did not last long, since it headed for capitalism, that is, following the path of the West, which did not correspond sharply with the policy of the Bolsheviks who came to power. Despite all this, during its existence, the party enjoyed great popularity, even printed its own newspaper. Its main tenets were secular education, the equality of all citizens of the country, the republican form of government and support for the poor. Party leaders ended their lives very poorly - on the orders of the USSR authorities they were shot back in the 30s.
"Ush zhuz"
Unlike the previous political party of Kazakhstan, this one was socialist. She was the main opposition to Alash and relied on pro-Bolshevik strata of the population. It was this party that at one time helped to gain the Soviet leadership in the country, but after that also did not last long, it was abolished already in 1919. After that, its main characters went directly to the Bolsheviks.
Small parties of the beginning of the XX century
In addition to the two dominant oppositions in public life, there were other political parties and movements in Kazakhstan.
- The Shuro-i-Islamiya party was intended to protect the rights of exclusively the indigenous population of Turkestan. Its ideology was based on the idea of federalism.
- The Ittifok-i-Muslimin party proposed to recreate the autonomous country of Turkestan as part of Russia. This political party of Kazakhstan relied mainly on representatives of the Muslim clergy, but at the same time, democratic principles were clearly manifested in party documents - universal free primary education, a single tax and an 8-hour working day.
- The cadets in spite of all proposed to create a constitutional monarchy, because it was the guarantor of a single and indivisible Russia. They also suggested continuing the resettlement policy.
- The Socialist-Revolutionaries at the beginning of their appearance in Kazakhstan had a certain popularity due to their condemnation of colonial policy. They proposed to distribute all available land into the ownership of the people.
This is exactly what the picture of political parties and movements in Kazakhstan looked like at the moment of its beginning. Unfortunately, after the creation of the USSR, the idea of a political system almost lost its meaning and was little used due to the dominant position of only one party.
Current state of affairs
Modern political parties of Kazakhstan, like almost any other state, are distinguished by the complexity and variety of structural elements on the basis of which they exist and function. Their existence is primarily stipulated in the Constitution, which fully guarantees all rights for parties, movements and other associations, with the exception of those whose activities are aimed at forcibly changing the existing constitutional system, as well as those wishing to incite racial, class, religious or other forms of violence.
Moreover, the state itself does not have the right to directly intervene in the internal affairs of parties or other public associations. That is why we can safely say that the country's policy is aimed at further democratization of all social processes.
Law "On Political Parties of the Republic of Kazakhstan"
A new round in the development of political parties began after the adoption of a new law in 2002. It was he who was supposed to regulate, regulate and streamline the process of building party life in the country. It not only describes the basic rights and guarantees that political parties and movements have in the modern state, but also defines the lower barrier to membership, which is required for the subsequent formation of the party. Initially, it was equated to 50 thousand people, but the limit was cut (equal to only 40 thousand). After the adoption of new legislation, the state obliged all parties existing in the country to re-register officially within six months, which terminated the operation of a number of political organizations. Currently, there are only 6 officially registered political parties in Kazakhstan, which exert their influence on the country's foreign and domestic policy.
Party "Nur Otan"
It is this movement that has been the largest political party in Kazakhstan since the 20th century. "Light of the Fatherland" - this is how its name is translated. It was founded by the current president of the country, Nursultan Nazarbayev, so she has strong pro-presidential roots. Since its founding in 1999, it has become the largest political force in modern Kazakhstan, immediately capturing the majority of seats in parliament.
The ideological policy of this party is primarily aimed at praising the head of state himself and his development course. The doctrine of Elbasy (in the lane with Kazakh "head of state") is as follows:
- gradual strengthening of the country's independence;
- a strong centralized policy that takes a person as a core value;
- unity and supremacy of the law over every person living in the country, regardless of his wealth and status;
- a strong middle class that will become a pillar for the economy and the public;
- preservation of the identity of the population, the preservation of traditions and the development of the Kazakh language;
- multi-vector foreign policy of the country;
- state support for vulnerable segments of the population, ongoing fight against corruption;
- direction on the development of environmentally friendly technologies and energy conservation.
In many ways, this party is considered oppositional, totalitarian and pseudo-democratic, as it preaches a cult of personality of the president. Several times she was accused of rigging the election.
Birlik Party
The political party of Kazakhstan, Birlik, means unity. She began to exist only in 2013. Perhaps that is why it still does not have its own clearly formulated ideology. In the last election she had less than one percent of the vote, so she did not even go to parliament and took the last place. In her letters to the people during this period, the emphasis was exclusively on improving the social and environmental sphere. That is why this party is popularly considered to be ecosocialist.
Party "Ak Zhol"
It is currently considered the opposition to the country's dominant party. Her ideology is based on liberalism, since it was formed on the basis of the social movement "Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan". The motto fully embodies the ideals: independence for the country, absolute democracy, freedom and justice for each segment of the population.
Auyl Party
The party itself and its chairman Ali Bektaev rely on popular democratic politics. She also cannot play a special role in politics, since she could not get into parliament. The Social-Democratic ideology preaches a strong state administration and regulation of all spheres, enhanced support for agriculture and ordinary villagers. However, at the same time, she also wants to quickly introduce political and economic reforms in her daily life that will not only stabilize democracy in the country, but also increase the living standards of citizens of Kazakhstan.
Communist party
It is one of the three parties that were able to get into the country's parliament in the last election. In her ideology lies the principle of the exercise of genuine democracy and universal justice. At the same time, spirituality and freedom should be widespread, but with the prosperity of the economy and scientific and technological progress.
Key policy areas:
- the struggle for further democracy, the building of a People’s Republic, the recognition of all forms of ownership, with the exception of those that exploit man;
- state ownership of the main economic sectors, the departure from the commodity economy, which prevails in the country at the moment, the introduction of the most modern technologies in the industrial sector;
- expansion of social guarantees for the entire population in order to reach the level that existed before the collapse of the USSR;
- the fight against terrorism, international cooperation, liaison with the CIS countries.
