Sangkum

The Sangkum Reastr Niyum (Khmer: សង្គមរាស្ត្រនិយម, Sângkôm Réastrnĭyôm [sɑŋkɔm riəhnijɔm], lit. 'Popular Community'; French: Communauté socialiste populaire), usually translated as Popular (or People's) Socialist Community and commonly known simply as the Sangkum (Khmer: សង្គម, Sângkôm [sɑŋkɔm]; lit. 'Society' or 'Community'), was a political organisation set up on 22 March 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. Central to the Sangkum ideology were nationalism, conservatism, preserving the monarchy, and a conservative interpretation of Buddhism.