Sangkum Reastr Niyum
|
People's Socialist Community
Communauté socialiste populaire សង្គមរាស្ត្រនិយម |
|
|---|---|
| Leader | Norodom Sihanouk |
| Founded | 22 March 1955 |
| Dissolved | 18 March 1970 |
| Youth wing | Socialist Youth |
| Ideology |
Khmer nationalism Conservatism Social democracy Royalism Buddhist socialism |
| Political position | Centre |
| Religion | Theravada Buddhism |
The Sangkum Reastr Niyum (Khmer: សង្គមរាស្ត្រនិយម Khmer pronunciation: [saŋkum riəh niʔjum]), literally the "community of the common people";French: Communauté socialiste populaire, usually translated as "People's Socialist Community"; commonly known simply as the Sangkum (Khmer: សង្គម)) was a political organisation set up in 1955 by Prince Norodom Sihanouk of Cambodia. Though it described itself as a 'movement' rather than a political party (members had to abjure membership of any political group), the Sangkum retained control of the government of Cambodia throughout the first administration of Sihanouk, from 1955 to 1970.
The Sangkum came into existence after Sihanouk stepped down from the throne in 1955 in favour of his father Norodom Suramarit, with the intention of concentrating on politics.
The movement was based on four small monarchist, rightist parties, including the 'Victorious North-East' party of Dap Chhuon and the Khmer Renovation party of Lon Nol. Sihanouk broadened this political base into the Sangkum in order to fight the 1955 parliamentary election, the first after independence: despite its apolitical image, the Sangkum effectively functioned as the pro-Sihanouk party. It won an overwhelming victory in the elections: there were subsequently allegations of massive electoral fraud, and of intimidation directed against both the opposing Democratic Party and the socialist Krom Pracheachon.
Despite its name, Sangkum's "Royal-Buddhist socialism" or "Khmer socialism" had little to do with socialism, neither with the Marxist variant nor with Anglo-Saxon "welfare socialism". Lacking a consistent political philosophy, it combined pseudo-socialist slogans with conservative social values, monarchism, nationalism and Theravada Buddhist teachings. It was stated that administrators would be "socialists for the well-being of the people and royalists for the prestige and cohesion of the nation". At the same time, the Sangkum was designed to democraticise the country and to exert political control. Rather than subscribing to a certain ideology, Sangkum was defined by its leader Prince Sihanouk and his personal popularity.
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