History of the party
* The foundation of the party - its establishment - its leader ship - Acknowledgment March 17th 1949 under notification N°789.
* The Acknowledgment was handed to the party founder on 19/3/1949.
* The Founders of the party :
1. Kamal Joumblatt : political leader from a deeply rooted political family – deputy in the Lebanese parliament – licensed in Law.
2. Farid Joubran : Auditor - deputy in the lebanese parliament.
3. Albert Adeeb : owner of the Magazine " Al Adib".
4. Abdallah Alayli : Researcher and writer, graduate of the Azhar University (drafted the charter of the Socialist Progressive Party).
5. Fouad Rizk : Licensed in Law.
6. Georges Hanna : Medical Doctor.
* The foundation of the party was announced on the first of May 1949 and its charter was declared in a press conference held at Kamal Joumblatt’s residence in Beirut .
* In 1950 the party expanded its base from the Founders elite to the popular mass .
*The first of April saw the inauguration of the headquarters of the party in Beirut . Several branches were established in the districts of Zahla , Chouf , Rashaya , Baalbeck , Jubeil and the capital - Beirut .
The party set forth several law projects , the most important are :
- A draft law for the unemployed workers compensation .
- A project law for an agricultural cooperative .
- A medical security system .
- The amendment of the voting law .
- The abolition of class titles .
- The establishment of a vocational council .
* The party held in Beirut the first conference for the Socialist Arab Parties in Lebanon , Syria , Egypt and Iraq in 1951 .
* The party played a fundamental role in the founding of the Socialist Nationalist Front , which forced , by its political movement , the president Bchara El Khoury to resign in 1952 and brought its candidate Kamil Shamoun to presidency . As president , Shamoun went against the Front’s goals and continued with his predecessor’s policies of oppression and corruption . Moreover , Shamoun supported the policies of the imperialist coalitions directed by USA and GB against Arabian Liberation movements , Nasser and the Arab Nationlist trend .
* In 1953 , PSP played a major role in the founding and leading of the " People’s Socialist Front " . The PSF gathered all the progressive and democratic forces opposing Shomoun’s internal policies , and external ones , the latter being aimed against Arab Causes and rejecting Lebanese Arabian roots . The PSP led the historic 1985 uprising against Shamoun on the military , political and mass levels . A large number of party members were killed during that uprising .
* The party led a political campaign that called for the protection of national production and the development and improvement of the worker’s and peasants status . It drew a 12 - point action plan including among others , securing housing , reducing direct taxes , reducing unemployment and encouraging industrial and agricultural production , sharing the profit with the workers , nationalizing the investment and franchising companies , providing social security , respecting labor unions rights and freedom of action .
The party also presented a political and reform program based on 6 principles that included : amendment of the election law , making the electric and water services accessible to all , adaptation of the principle of equality in economic treaties .
* On the Arab regional level , the party supported the Palestinian cause . It also supported the North West African Arab countries struggle against imperialism .
* The party founded the " National Struggle Front " in 1960 . The Front was formed of party deputies , as well as independent deputies .
* The party participated in the government since 1960 during the presidency of Fouad Shehab .
* The party was part of Arab liberation movements , and supported the International Liberation Movements .
* In 1960 , the party formed the Progressive Parties and Lebanese personalities Front that constituted the nucleus of the Lebanese Nationalist Movement .
* Ever since its foundation , the party supported the Palestinian cause and stressed on its being the most important Arab national affairs . It also supported the Palestinian guerrilla warfare against Israel and was always by the side of the Palestinian people .
* The party always stressed that the democratic procedures be followed in social and political struggle . In an attempt to prevent the start of the Lebanese civil war , the PSP presented a comprehensive reformatory program in August of 1975 . The Lebanese authorities did not respond to the program .
* After the Israeli invasion of Lebanon in 1982 , the party confronted the occupation and its collaborators inside the country .
It opened the Beirut - Damascus road , and opened and secured the road to the south for the Lebanese resistance .
* The party joined the International Socialist Organization in 1979 , and was confirmed as member in 1980 . The party president , Walid Joumblatt , headed the office of deputy president of the organization .
* The party established the " Civil Administration " in the Mountain area in 1983 to assist the citizens during the civil war and in the absence of the State . The " Civil Administration " insured the work of social and educational institutions and provided basic services like food provision , water supply , electricity , health care , and the maintenance of the communication network and transportation system.
* The party participated in the reconstruction of the public institutions after the end of the civil war .
* The PSP initiated the program of the return of the displaced , in a conference held in Beit Eddine in 1988 . The State adopted the return program and appointed the president of the party as Minister of the Displaced Affairs .
Program Principles
The socialist Progressive Party aims at building the society on democratic bases where social security, equality, welfare, peace and freedom prevail and in which the human rights , as adopted by the U.N are protected.
Therefore, the party proposed a political, social and economical program as well as law projects through its representatives in the Ministry or through its bloc in the parliament , the Front of National Struggle . Some of these proposals were adopted (The Social Security) and others were adopted but not implemented yet (The illicit enrichment., the establishment of the economic, social Legal Council).
The above mentioned program is constantly reviewed and developed in accordance to the country current situation .
The principle headings of the party program are:
a. Adopting a new election law for parliament members.
b. Achieving the decentralization of the administration and reexamining the administrative partitions . Establishing regional representative councils in the districts and "Mohafazat". Enhancing the role of the municipalities and their jurisdictions and providing them with a minimum degree of independence in order for them to carry out their role as local representative councils .
a. Developing the concept of Rights and Public liberties in the constitutions and the Law to include the citizens’ economic and social rights .
b. To abolish all kinds of discrimination against Women.
c. To draft a democratic law that protects the rights to form parties, associations, syndicates and gives public employees the right to syndicate organization.
d. To reform the prisons and specify situations of provisional detention and abolish Capital Punishment.
e. To protect the freedom of speech and publication and abolish the preconditioned agreement of the security bodies when issuing pamphlets.
f. To draft an advanced law for the Nationality.
PROGRESSIVE YOUTH ORGANIZATION
The PYO
is a youth organization affiliated to the Progressive
Socialist Party.
Currently, PYO has branches in all universities, schools and youth institutions in Lebanon. It has been able, through the hard work of its members in Lebanon, in the region and in the international arena, to assume active roles among international youth organizations.
Objectives:
Inspired by the ideology of the progressive human socialism, PYO has set its objectives as such:
1. To initiate the youth towards the teaching of the ideology.
2. To motivate youth towards a unified action in search for peace, equality and justice.
3. To provide a democratic environment for change to a more human, fair and unified society.
4. To help its members to act as catalysts in the development of societies through active participation within the communities and a structured coordination with other groups.
5. To assist its members in identifying opportunities and meet the challenges through an adequate allocation of capabilities.
Activities:
The PYO organizes a multitude of local, regional and international activities. It aims through these encounters to encourage the vivid interaction among youth towards the strengthening of beliefs in peace, equality and freedom.
Moreover, PYO indulges in activities to raise the awareness of the international youth to the problems that our Lebanese community is enduring the continuous struggle against the Israeli occupation of South Lebanon and Western Bekaa and the repeated aggressions against civilians in addition to the Arab rights to regain the Occupied Territories.
These are centered around the following:
1. Series of summer camps addresses to the youth and which strengthen the feeling of commitment through community work.
2. Series of summer camps for Lebanese-Syrian youth as part of a program of interchange between the two countries.
3. Participation in conferences that aim at strengthening the Arab-European dialogue.
4. Participation in conferences on the Union of Arab Youth.
Membership:
PYO is a member of a multitude of international youth organizations of which:
1. International Socialist Youth, Deputy President
2. Democratic Youth Union, Member
3. Arab-European dialogue, Leading member
4. Arab Youth Union, General Secretary
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