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Dictionary definition: Liberal Democratic Party
- Article from:
- A Dictionary of Contemporary World History
- Author:
Copyright© A Dictionary of Contemporary World History 2004, originally published by Oxford University Press 2004. (Hide copyright information)
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Liberal Democratic Party (
LDP
)
(Japan) Japan's most established party of government was formed in 1955 as a congeries of centre and conservative groupings with the encouragement of business interests. In many respects, anxiety concerning the electoral potential of the newly united
Socialist Party
rather than any other common purpose created Japan's conservative consensus, but despite such beginnings the LDP was able to remain Japan's party in power for most of the postwar period.
One important consequence of the circumstances surrounding its birth has been that the LDP has resembled more an alliance of factions than a disciplined political party. Indeed, factionalism became a distinctive ...