The Dissolution of Czechoslovakia (original) (raw)
Related papers
Farewell, Slovakia! Ethnic conflict in Czechoslovakia and its role in the dissolution of the state
Historical Discourses, 2015
The dissolution of Czechoslovakia presents an example of peaceful resolution of ethnic conflict and of good relations among the resulting states. This dissolution seems paradoxical because the majority of the population opposed the split and the relations between Czechs and Slovaks had been generally cordial and characterized by sincere efforts to solve the historical differences that were at source of conflict among the two peoples. Yet, these efforts did not suffice in preventing the split. This article examines the relations between Czechs and Slovaks throughout the existence of the Czechoslovak state, and how the different periods of its history affected these relations. The main focus is accorded to the period following the Velvet Revolution and the fall of the Communist regime in 1989. This episode provided the Czechs and Slovaks with an opportunity for thorough reform and a possible solution to the historical differences. While dissatisfaction over the structure of the state might have justified the emergence of ethnic nationalism, separatist groups initially did not have a major impact. In fact, the main political movements agreed that an authentic federalization of Czechoslovakia would provide an answer to the national questions. Yet, this federalization was never achieved because the debates among the political actors increasingly shifted their focus to nationalist issues. Indeed, the politicians, aiming at securing their power, exploited the unsolved historical differences in order to divert attention from other widely discussed issues. This attitude led to the rise of ethnic nationalism and eventually to the split of the state.
2013
Twenty years after the split of Czechoslovakia, expert analysts from the Czech Republic, Slovakia and the UK shed light on the political geography of this part of Central Europe in an extended three-part Commentary. The end points in the Euro-Atlantic integration processes of the successor states may be similar, argue the authors, but the journeys have been very different. Recent experience would suggest that in terms of EU politics, the Slovaks will be rather passive whilst the Czechs might be a little more troublesome. On the domestic front, the political discourse and competition in both states will largely revolve around the question of competence and corruption.
Czechoslovakia: State Formation and Administrative-Territorial Organization
The paper traces the evolution of administrative-territorial units in Czechoslovakia since the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy and relates them to the process of state formation. Debates on Czechoslovakia's political-administrative organization are resumed, beginning from the Czech lands and Slovakia in the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, to the first Czechoslovak Republic (1918-38), the Communist period (1948-89) and the developments after 1989.
Czechoslovakia: From revolution to reconstruction
International Journal for the Advancement of Counselling, 1992
As one of the countnes an east-central Europe hberated an 1989 from Commumst rule, Czechoslovakia as currently undergoing profound social, polmcal, and economic changes This article presents both the positive outcomes of the "velvet revolutxon" and a variety of problems that the country has to cope wath Of partacular concern are three problem areas the legacy of Commumst rule, the unsettled relationship between Czechs and Slovaks, and the ruined national economy Of the three problem areas, the latter is considered most painful, since it involves layoffs and thus directly affects the laves of mthvlduals and famthes The article revaews admmastratlve lmtmuves undertaken by the government to modermze productaon and minimize unemployment It also focuses on the changing role of helping professionals an Czechoslovakia By reassertmg their true mass,on-assast people rather than manapulate them-helping professionals can promote sagnlficant attitudinal changes an thear society
Czechoslovakism in Slovak history
Slovakia in history, 2011
The concept of ‘Czechoslovakism’ can be regarded as being both an ideology, which holds that the Czechs and the Slovaks comprise one nation, and a political programme designed to result in the unification of both nations in one state. Czechoslovakism as a political programme was first formulated during the First World War by the independence movement abroad, in order to justify the establishment of a Czechoslovak state, comprising the Czech Lands and Slovakia. The idea that the Czechs and Slovaks were twin aspects of a single nation had a far older pedigree, going back to the national revivals of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. Czechoslovakist ideology had its heyday during the First Czechoslovak Republic (1918–1938), when it became the state doctrine, and it was officially abandoned after the Second World War. Czechoslovakism also existed in two versions: the first version held that Czechs and Slovaks jointly comprised a Czechoslovak nation formed from two tribes, Czechs and Slovaks; the second maintained that the Slovaks were actually less developed Czechs. During the First Republic, the theory of a unitary Czechoslovak nation was closely associated with administrative centralism. While there was little Czech opposition to official Czechoslovakism, Slovakia's political elite were split over this issue and the majority opposed their imposition. The purpose of this chapter is to examine the ideological composition of Czechoslovakism, and to give an overview of the role of Czechoslovakism in Slovak history.
States' Disintegration – Myth of Nationalism? The Case of Czechoslovakia
The paper herein is a contribution to the debate on the causes of the disintegration of the Czech and Slovak Federal Republic. It accentuates the development of the Slovak nation prior to November 1989 and accompanying circumstances of this fact that were instrumental in the system transformation after November 1989. Emphasis has also been placed on the key moments of development in 1990-1992, which illustrate a lack of political experience and diversity of transition programmes on the Czech and Slovak political scene, and on the role of specific actors in this process. The basic argument in the text is the idea that in a moment of transition the Slovak nation corresponded to the classification of a fully formed nation; however, this fact alone (independent variable) was not sufficient enough to cause the disintegration of the federal state.
Slovaks in the Czech lands after 1945: Between the state nation, minority and assimilation
Bulletin de l'Institut etnographique, 2019
The study examines migration of Slovaks to the Czech Lands since 1945 till present days. It focuses on migration waves in postwar decades according to results of population censuses, it also describes the numbers and territorial placement of Slovaks in Czechia and it characterizes their social, demographic and educational structure, as well as their activities and change of legal status after the split of Czechoslovakia in 1993. Slovaks are not original, autochthonous inhabitants of the Czech Lands, but they came there long time before the creation of the first Czechoslovak Republic in 1918. Their migration had mainly social and economic motives. Since the early 1990s qualitative changes in character of migration started to emerge, when social reasons were often replaced by familial ones. After the division of Czechoslovakia political motives appeared as well. In 1945-1992 Slovaks lived in the Czech Lands as members of the second state-forming nation of the Czechoslovak Republic. After the creation of the Czech Republic on January 1, 1993, their legal status changed and they became the most numerous minority starting to create a new identity. Thanks to activities of nationally-committed Slovak intelligentsia Slovaks in the Czech Republic started to reflect the benefits of their status of an ethnic minority in democratic society with guaranteed laws for development of their national life.