The Party of Democratic Kampuchea was a continuation party of the Communist Party of Kampuchea and the political wing of the Khmer Rouge as they once again became insurgents.
This was to be the second to last incarnation of what was originally the Kampuchean Peoples Revolutionary Party.
Prelude to the Party of Democratic Kampuchea
Un 1951 the Kampuchean Peoples Revolutionary Party, otherwise knowns as the Peoples Revolutionary Party of Kampuchea was formed as an independent entity from the Indochinese Communist Party.
The part would change its name to the Workers Party of Kampuchea in 1960 and on to the Communist Party of Kampuchea at the behest of China 6 years later.
This party would form the government of Democratic Kampuchea from 1975 through 1979. After the fall of the government the Peoples Revolutionary Party of Kampuchea was refunded. This phoenix party would govern the newly formed Peoples Republic of Kampuchea. This meant that from 1979 to 1982 there were two communist movements both claiming legitimate governance of Cambodia.
Formation of the Party of Democratic Kampuchea
In December of 1981 the Communist Party of Kampuchea was dissolved, despite the fact that just forgetting force, which would be named the National Army of Democratic Kampuchea was still fighting.
Needing a political wing to their army the Party of Democratic Kampuchea which was formed in 1982. The party would duly take part in the Coalition Government of Democratic Kampuchea. This group would continue the political and armed struggle against the legitimate Peoples Republic of Kampuchea.
Ideology and leadership of the Party of Democratic Kampuchea
According to the leadership of the Party of Democratic Kampuchea/Khmer Rouge their ideology was ot be “form of” social democracy. In actuality little about their ideology was to change with their being regular purges against those deemed too capitalist, as well as many other vestiges of a Maoist party.
To read if the Khmer Rouge were Maoist click here.
The reality for the change in the party actually stemmed from the realization that the party had to officially at least make a break from Marxism-Leninism, as well as the brutality of Democratic Kampuchea. In this respects the changes were merely cosmetic.
Officially the party was led by Pol Pot until he “stepped down” in 1985 to be replaced by the more socially acceptable Khieu Samphan. In actuality Pol Pot retained actual control of the party, with little changing in it structure sine the days of the Cercle Marxiste.
After the party was dissolved in the early 90’s to be replaced by the Cambodian National Unity Party. This would be the last iteration of the Khmer Rouge politically as they fled into the last Khmer Rouge state in Anlong Veng.
