2 Austria: domestic change through European integration (original) (raw)
I. Introduction: ambivalence as 'Leitmotiv' Austria's attitude towards the (West-) European integration process soon after 1945 has been ambivalent at best. 1 The Second Republic was designed as a democratic system, based on political pluralism and party competition. However, its political culture and its real character (Realverfassung), because of its strong corporatist elements, developed into the typical features of the specific 'Austrian model'. The first steps towards postwar recovery and reintegration into the international community were largely shaped by participation in the European Recovery Programme. The amazing economic success of t he first decades after the occupation by the four Allies (until 1955) helped to create a stable socio-political environment. In contrast to the harsh conflicts of the interwar period the emergence of a consensus-oriented society was a major task resulting in a pact between parties, chambers, employers and trade unions called the social partnership. 2 In its international orientation membership in the United Nations (1955) and in the Council of Europe (1956) was achieved shortly after the State Treaty in May 1955 was signed and the Constitutional Law on permanent neutrality as the condition for regaining independence was adopted. Together with the socioeconomic success story these factors formed the basis of a so far unknown strong popular identification with the 'Austrian Nation'. 3 While it kept a rigid attitude on military aspects of permanent neutrality, Austrian politicians showed a more flexible stance in interpreting neutrality with regard to economic and ideological dimensions. Austria not only signed a customs and price agreement with the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) in 1956 in the frame of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), but also entered into negotiations with the European Economic Community (EEC) 1
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