Definition

Adjective: Determined by or characteristic of a system where only a single political party is legally permitted to exist, hold power, or effectively determine governance.

Usage

This adjective is used to describe political systems, states, or governments. It modifies nouns to indicate that the entity is controlled by or exclusively allows one political organization. * The country has a one-party political system. * They lived under a one-party dictatorship for decades. * The constitution established a one-party state.

Examples

• The one-party rule suppressed all forms of political dissent.
• Scholars often analyze the economic policies of one-party regimes.
• Transitioning from a one-party system to a multi-party democracy can be challenging.

Advanced Usage

• The term is often used in political science and historical analysis. It carries a descriptive but frequently critical connotation, implying a lack of political pluralism and competition.
• It can be used in compound adjectives preceding a noun, as shown in the examples. It is not typically used predicatively (e.g., "The state is one-party" is less common than "It is a one-party state").

Variants and Related Words

• Single-party (adjective): A direct synonym for 'one-party'.
• Non-partisan (adjective): Not biased toward or affiliated with any political party. (Note: This describes a different concept of being parties, not party).
• Multi-party (adjective): Involving or allowing several political parties.

Synonyms

• Single-party
• Monoparty

Antonyms

• Multi-party
• Bipartisan (involving two parties)
• Pluralistic

Related Phrases

• One-party state: A sovereign state where only one political party has the right to form the government.
• One-party system: The structure or framework of governance dominated by a single party.

Adjective

1. determined by a single party