Crossing the floor: One party states have been created when the members of the opposition parties cross the floor in parliament to join the ruling party. The members of opposition parties who cross the floor are always given important government posts. For example in 1964 many prominent DP and KY members including Basil Bataringaya who was a leader of the opposition side in parliament crossed the floor to join the ruling party, UPC. Bataringaya himself was immediately made minister of internal affairs.

Liquidating Opposition Parties: Members of the ruling party can use different methods like killing, exiling, imprisonment and threatening the members of the opposition in order to remain as a single party. For example Ahmed Ahidjo created a one party state in Cameroon through killing leaders of the opposition such as Moumie and Nyobe.

Revolution: A single party can be formed through a war or a revolution whose effects are harmonized in a single movement. Such a movement ultimately gets to power without a serious opposition. Examples are the NRM in Uganda, FRELIMO in Mozambique, MPLA in Angola and PAIGC in Guinea-Bissau.

Incorporating Opposition Parties: Single party state can be created by the merging of the ruling party and other parties together for example in Kenya, KADU party was incorporated into KANU in 1982.
Outlawing the Opposition Parties: In some countries the opposition parties are outlawed and banned completely for example Obote made UPC the only party in Uganda after banning DP in 1969.

Popularity: In a situation where one is too popular and accepted by the majority, it remains as a single party state for example in Tanganyika, TANU party won almost all the seats in parliament during the independence elections. It was therefore declared the only party.

Military coups: In some countries where coups occurred, the soldiers insisted on single party or no party democracy. The reason for this was to create unity among the people. In former Zaire, Mobutu Seseko ruled from 1965 to 1997 through single party.

Socialist ideology: Some leaders used the ideas of socialism to create single party system in their countries. Socialism in principal advocates for the existence of one party system. Tanzania, Mozambique, Libya are the examples.

Referendum: In some countries, people are left to choose between single party and multiparty. The side, which wins, takes over.