The drama of dictatorship : martial law and the communist parties of the Philippines

The Drama of Dictatorship uncovers the role played by rival Communist parties in the conflict that culminated in Ferdinand Marcos's declaration of martial law in 1972. Using the voluminous radical literature of the period, (https://www.goodreads.com/search/search?q=Joseph%20Scalice) Joseph Scalice reveals how two parties, the PKP and the CPP, torn apart by the Sino-Soviet dispute, subordinated the explosive mass struggles of the time behind rival elite conspirators. The PKP backed Marcos and the CPP, his bourgeois opponents. The absence of an independent mass movement in defense of democracy made dictatorship possible. The Drama of Dictatorship argues that the martial law regime was not fundamentally the outcome of Marcos's personal quest to remain in power but rather a consensus of the country's ruling elite, confronted with mounting social unrest, that authoritarian forms of rule were necessary to preserve their property and privileges. The bourgeois opponents of Marcos did not defend democracy but, like Marcos, plotted against it.

The Drama of Dictatorshipuncovers the role played by rival Communist parties in theconflict that culminated in Ferdinand Marcos's declaration ofmartial law in 1972. Using the voluminous radicalliterature of the period, Joseph Scalice reveals how two parties,the PKP and the CPP, torn apart by the Sino-Soviet dispute,subordinated the explosive mass struggles of the time behind rivalelite conspirators. The PKP backed Marcos and the CPP, hisbourgeois opponents. The absence of an independent mass movement indefense of democracy made dictatorship possible.

The Drama of Dictatorship argues that the martial lawregime was not fundamentally the outcome of Marcos's personal questto remain in power but rather a consensus of the country's rulingelite, confronted with mounting social unrest, that authoritarianforms of rule were necessary to preserve their property andprivileges. The bourgeois opponents of Marcos did not defenddemocracy but, like Marcos, plotted against it.

"The first attempt in English -- indeed, in any language -- to write the history of how Marcos was able to impose a military dictatorship on the Philippines, arguing that it was the rivalry between the two Stalinist parties -- the PKP and the CPP -- that facilitated and enabled Marcos' consolidation of power"-- Provided by publisher