DOCSLIB.ORG

The Third Gate: Naturalization Legislation in Central and Eastern

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
The Third Gate: Naturalization Legislation in Central and Eastern ABSTRACT Through citizenship laws, a state defines its population and identifies who belongs and who does not. This notion is intuitive, but how does a state decide who gets to be a member? Moreover, citizenship requirements vary dramatically around the globe. Thus, the central question of my study is this: why is it easier to become a citizen in some countries than in others? Because the current understanding of citizenship issues is based primarily on analyses of the established democracies of the West, I expand the scope of these studies by investigating these issues in the post-communist Central and Eastern Europe. Many of these states are newly independent, allowing me to capture issues of citizenship at a founding moment for emerging democracies. They are addressing questions of nationhood and constitution-building for the first time in decades. Once limited to places of transit migration, these states are now destinations for immigrants. Ethnic tensions, democratization, economic incentives, and newfound mobility are feeding migratory patterns. Yet these states are simply not accustomed to being terminuses for migration. Given their history and their present political and economic situations, they are poorly equipped to deal with these new demands. ii I construct an analytical framework that remedies the lack of theoretical agenda in previous works on citizenship policy and law. My framework is composed of two differing perspectives on the central dynamics of naturalization legislating, one focusing on domestic factors and the other on international ones. My analysis of these approaches is informed by normative understandings of what membership should look like in liberal democracies. My research combines cross-national analysis of data from 27 countries in Eastern and Central Europe with in-depth qualitative case studies of the Czech Republic and Slovakia. I single out these two countries for deeper research because they do not always follow the theoretical predictions. The multi-method approach I use enables me to first gain an understanding of the general patterns of the region before delving into an in-depth examination of particular cases. iii Dedicated to Bradley. iv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I wish to thank my adviser, Goldie Shabad, for her support, encouragement, and critical eye. Her patience and belief in me made this dissertation possible, as did her endless help in correcting grant applications. I also thank Tony Mughan and Michael Neblo as committee members who both jumped in when needed and devoted considerable time into helping my drafts progress. Special thanks go to Clarissa Hayward, Kuba Zielinski, and Natalie Kistner for their early encouragement and thought-provoking discussions. Katja Michalak and Salomé Samii deserve particular praise for their tireless support and for listening to my ramblings as I thought things through. Salomé, in particular, was great at getting me “unstuck.” All of them were cheerleaders at a stage when I needed it most. I am thankful for the generous support of The Mershon Center, Ohio State University’s Office of International Affairs, The Graduate School, and The Department of Political Science. The funding I received from these sources enabled my research trips and provided me with time to write. I am grateful to Andrea Řezničková, Daša Majnušová, Donald Hempson, and Jürgen Landgraf in Prague. Each made my research easier by helping me make contacts and showing me the city, and Donald and Jürgen let me bounce my ideas off v them over delightful Czech beers. Lubomir Lanator in Bratislava performed these tasks equally well, and with tremendous graciousness. I also want to thank my parents, who instilled in me the importance of education and encouraged me to keep at it. Without their guidance, I may never have embarked on this journey. Finally, special thanks to Bradley. You urged me on, gave me encouragement, and occasionally cracked the whip. You made me believe I could not fail as long as I kept at it. You took care of “life” when I was too busy or too anxious to do so myself. From laundry to cooking to cleaning and more, you made sure things did not fall apart. Most of all, you helped me keep things in perspective. I am indebted to you. Thank you. vi VITA October 31, 1976………………………. Born – Cincinnati, Ohio 1994-1995………………………………Attended Sarah Lawrence College 1999……………………………………..B.A. Political Science, University of Cincinnati 2002……………………………………..M.A. Political Science, The Ohio State University 1999-2005……………………………… Graduate Teaching and Research Associate The Ohio State University 2005-2007…………………………….... Lecturer, The Ohio State University PUBLICATIONS 1. Shadley, Anna , “Support for Political Change: Is Self-Interest The Whole Story?” in Kazimierz Slomczynski, ed., Social Structure: Changes and Linkages. The Advanced Phase of the Post-Communist Transition in Poland (Warsaw: IFiS Publishers, 2002). FIELDS OF STUDY Major Field: Political Science vii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Abstract............................................................................................................................ii Dedication........................................................................................................................iv Acknowledgments ........................................................................................................... v Vita .................................................................................................................................vii List of Tables...................................................................................................................xi Chapters: 1. Introduction ......................................................................................................... 1 The Scope of the Study.............................................................................. 4 Research Design ........................................................................................ 8 Multi-method Approach................................................................... 8 Methodology ................................................................................... 10 Dependent Variable......................................................................... 11 Case Selection................................................................................. 12 Sources of Data............................................................................... 17 Overview of the Dissertation.................................................................... 20 2. Membership Rules and Liberal Coherence ....................................................... 22 Liberal Coherence is Irrelevant ............................................................... 27 Liberal Coherence is Possible ................................................................. 36 The Argument from Community................................................... 37 Liberal Nationalism....................................................................... 45 Liberal Egalitarianism ................................................................... 51 Conclusion: Liberal Coherence is Impossible......................................... 55 viii 3. Nationalism and Postnationalism in Naturalization Law ................................ 58 An Overview of the National and Postnational Theses........................ 60 The National Thesis............................................................................. 61 Political Explanations..................................................................... 62 Historical and Cultural Patterns...................................................... 72 Structure, Economics, and Demography ........................................ 78 The Postnational Thesis........................................................................ 84 International Institutions and Organizations .................................. 85 Sending States ................................................................................ 90 Conclusion: Nationalism or Postnationalism?...................................... 92 4. Naturalization Laws in Central and Eastern Europe ..................................... 95 The Setting: Central and Eastern Postcommunist Europe................... 96 Permissiveness and Restrictiveness in Naturalization Law................. 97 The National Thesis in Context.......................................................... 104 Political Explanations.................................................................. 104 Historical and Cultural Patterns................................................... 110 Demographic and Economic Approaches ................................... 123 The Postnational Thesis in Context.................................................... 133 International Institutions and Organizations ............................... 134 Discussion........................................................................................... 137 5. Naturalization Law in the Czech and Slovak Republics: Dual Histories, Dual Responses .......................................................................................................... 139 Migration Background........................................................................ 142 From Mass Exoduses… ............................................................. 142 … To Countries of Immigration................................................. 145 The Future of Immigration to the Region................................... 149 The Requirements
Load more

Recommended publications
  • CULTURAL HERITAGE in MIGRATION Published Within the Project Cultural Heritage in Migration
    CULTURAL HERITAGE IN MIGRATION Published within the project Cultural Heritage in Migration. Models of Consolidation and Institutionalization of the Bulgarian Communities Abroad funded by the Bulgarian National Science Fund © Nikolai Vukov, Lina Gergova, Tanya Matanova, Yana Gergova, editors, 2017 © Institute of Ethnology and Folklore Studies with Ethnographic Museum – BAS, 2017 © Paradigma Publishing House, 2017 ISBN 978-954-326-332-5 BULGARIAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCES INSTITUTE OF ETHNOLOGY AND FOLKLORE STUDIES WITH ETHNOGRAPHIC MUSEUM CULTURAL HERITAGE IN MIGRATION Edited by Nikolai Vukov, Lina Gergova Tanya Matanova, Yana Gergova Paradigma Sofia • 2017 CONTENTS EDITORIAL............................................................................................................................9 PART I: CULTURAL HERITAGE AS A PROCESS DISPLACEMENT – REPLACEMENT. REAL AND INTERNALIZED GEOGRAPHY IN THE PSYCHOLOGY OF MIGRATION............................................21 Slobodan Dan Paich THE RUSSIAN-LIPOVANS IN ITALY: PRESERVING CULTURAL AND RELIGIOUS HERITAGE IN MIGRATION.............................................................41 Nina Vlaskina CLASS AND RELIGION IN THE SHAPING OF TRADITION AMONG THE ISTANBUL-BASED ORTHODOX BULGARIANS...............................55 Magdalena Elchinova REPRESENTATIONS OF ‘COMPATRIOTISM’. THE SLOVAK DIASPORA POLITICS AS A TOOL FOR BUILDING AND CULTIVATING DIASPORA.............72 Natália Blahová FOLKLORE AS HERITAGE: THE EXPERIENCE OF BULGARIANS IN HUNGARY.......................................................................................................................88
    [Show full text]
  • Post-Socialist Diaspora Policies: Is There a Central-European Diaspora Policy Path?1
    Eszter Kovács Post-Socialist Diaspora Policies: Is There a Central-European Diaspora Policy Path?1 Abstract: The paper raises the question whether there is a certain diaspora policy model that is typical for Central European states. Based on the findings, the paper argues that although post-socialist states have very similar paths in relating to and engaging their diaspora communi- ties abroad, these policies are shaped by diverse political contexts, considerations, and expecta- tions, as well as by different experiences in the diaspora – homeland relations. More specifically, the research identifies four points where a detailed qualitative analysis points out differences in these states’ diaspora policies behind the similar structures: the effects of special/benefit/status laws, the politicization of external voting rights, the symbolic aspects of diaspora policy, and the level of awareness of the new (post-2000, labor migrant) diaspora. Diaspora politics, engagement practices, and homeland – diaspora relations have been acquiring increasing attention within diaspora studies. In recent years, there has been a proliferation of theoretical approaches on diaspora policy typologies, both from deduc- tive and from inductive perspectives.2 This paper attempts to contribute to the existing scholarly work on diaspora policy models, by offering critical evaluation on diaspora policy models in the Central European context. The paper raises the question whether there is a certain diaspora policy model or type that is typical for all the Central Euro- pean states. Based on the findings, the paper argues that although post-socialist states have very similar paths in relating to and engaging their diaspora communities abroad, these policies are shaped by diverse political contexts, considerations, and expectations, as well as by different experiences in the diaspora – homeland relations.
    [Show full text]
  • The Demise of the Nation-State: Towards a New Theory of the State Under International Law
    The Demise of the Nation-State: Towards a New Theory of the State Under International Law By James D. Wilets* I. INTRODUCTION It may seem premature to speak of the demise of the nation-state' when the last decade has seen the proliferation of ever-smaller nation-states throughout Eastern Europe and Asia and the demand for secession from national move- ments in countries as diverse as Canada, Yugoslavia, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Rus- sia, Spain and India. Nevertheless, the seemingly contradictory centrifugal forces of nationalism and the centripetal forces of confederation and federation are simply different stages of the same historical process that have been occur- ring since before the 17th century. 2 This historical process has consisted of * Assistant Professor of International Law, Nova Southeastern University, Shepard Broad Law Center; Executive Director, Inter-American Center for Human Rights. J.D., Columbia Univer- sity School of Law, 1987; M.A., Yale University, 1994. Consultant to the National Democratic Institute, 1994; the International Human Rights Law Group, 1992; and the United Nations in its Second Half Century, a project proposed by UN Secretary-General Boutros-Ghali and funded by the Ford Foundation. I would like to thank Sir Michael Howard and Michael Reisman for their valuable comments on the first drafts. I would also like to thank Johnny Burris, Tony Chase, Douglas Donoho, Kevin Brady, Carlo Corsetti, Luis Font, Marietta Galindez, Rhonda Gold, Elizabeth Iglesias, Jose Rodriguez, Stephen Schnably and the entire library staff at the NSU Law Center for their enormously valuable comments, input, assistance and support. Any and all errors in fact are entirely mine.
    [Show full text]
  • Slovak Challengers 2017
    In partnership with Produced by and Table of contents 6 Foreword 8 About 10 Executive summary and key insights 12 Chapter 1: About this report 16 Chapter 2: A helicopter overview 24 Chapter 3: TOP 15 Slovak Scale-ups 34 Chapter 4: Conclusions 36 Chapter 5: Company profiles 46 References Author: Jaroslav Leitmann Co-authors: Michal Laco, Petra Lipnická, Peter Kolesár, Adela Zábražná Graphic design: Studio 436 4 5 Much of what Neulogy does is about connections, the creation of meaningful links between the right people. From bridging Slovak diaspora with communities back home to fostering cooperation between academics and entrepreneurs, our team has a rich portfolio of connections and partnerships formed. As of September this year, we have extended our net- work and joined forces with EIT Digital. After a decade at the epicenter of innovation activities in Slovakia, this partnership marks a significant milestone for Neulogy, as well as the ecosystem that has evolved dramati- cally over the years. One of the most indicative proofs of these transformations are the annual Startup Awards that we have been organizing since 2011. The number and quality of appli- cants increase every year, as does the audience of innovation scouts and supporters. Similarly, this study in itself demonstrates that there is no shortage of world-class innovative companies from Slovakia. As success usually generates more success, we have to take Foreword advantage of these favorable circumstances and assist Slovak innovators to scale their businesses even faster. EIT Digital, being the most extensive European network of investors, can help accelerate the growth of many of these emerging compa- nies.
    [Show full text]
  • Young Czechs' Perceptions of the Velvet Divorce and The
    YOUNG CZECHS’ PERCEPTIONS OF THE VELVET DIVORCE AND THE MODERN CZECH IDENTITY By BRETT RICHARD CHLOUPEK Bachelor of Science in Geography Bachelor of Science in C.I.S. University of Nebraska Kearney Kearney, NE 2005 Submitted to the Faculty of the Graduate College of the Oklahoma State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE July, 2007 YOUNG CZECHS’ PERCEPTIONS OF THE VELVET DIVORCE AND THE MODERN CZECH IDENTITY Thesis Approved: Reuel Hanks Dr. Reuel Hanks (Chair) Dale Lightfoot Dr. Dale Lightfoot Joel Jenswold Dr. Joel Jenswold Dr. A. Gordon Emslie Dean of the Graduate College ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank my advisor, Dr. Reuel Hanks for encouraging me to pursue this project. His continued support and challenging insights into my work made this thesis a reality. Thanks go to my other committee members, Dr. Dale Lightfoot and Dr. Joel Jenswold for their invaluable advice, unique expertise, and much needed support throughout the writing of my thesis. A great deal of gratitude is due to the faculties of Charles University in Prague, CZ and Masaryk University in Brno, CZ for helping administer student surveys and donating their valuable time. Thank you to Hana and Ludmila Svobodova for taking care of me over the years and being my family away from home in the Moravské Budejovice. Thanks go to Sylvia Mihalik for being my resident expert on all things Slovak and giving me encouragement. Thank you to my grandmother Edith Weber for maintaining ties with our Czech relatives and taking me back to the ‘old country.’ Thanks to all of my extended family for remembering our heritage and keeping some of its traditions.
    [Show full text]
  • Identity, Integration, and Citizenship in Post-Communist Ethnic Kin Policies
    Identity, Integration, and Citizenship in Post-Communist Ethnic Kin Policies Alexandra Sarlo Working Draft 5 February 2015 Since the 1990s, at least 11 post-communist states have created laws granting special recognition to ethnic kin abroad. These “compatriot” policies – to borrow a term commonly used in some of these states to refer to ethnic kin, whether citizens or not – provide legal recognition and some form of benefits to people who can prove their ethnic or national origin from a particular state, or in some cases origin from territory that state once held. This recognition is sometimes referred to as “external quasi-citizenship.”1 The benefits from these policies include some of the civil, economic, and social rights of citizenship such as preferential access to education, less burdensome visa requirements for work or visits than other foreigners receive, or fast-track options for gaining citizenship. They also include programs for the preservation and promotion of languages and cultural practices in ethnic kin communities living abroad. They do not include political rights of citizenship, such as the right to vote or run for office.2 My core perspective on these policies is developed from Brubaker’s notion of “groupness as an event,” that is, that the creation of identity and ethnic or national categories, is a dynamic project.3 Recognition bestowed on populations outside the state’s borders belongs to what Varadarajan conceptualizes as the “domestic abroad,” the extension of the state and its categorization of society into the international arena.4 In the post-communist cases that I examine, compatriot laws are rooted in the notion that 1 Wiebke Sievers, “A Call to Kinship? Citizenship and Migration in the New Member States and the Accession Countries of the EU,” in Rainer Bauböck, et al, eds.
    [Show full text]
  • Nationalism and Ethnic Conflict
    Nationalism and Ethnic Conflict Threats to European Security Stockholm International Peace Research Institute SIPRI is an independent institute for research into problems of peace and conflict, especially those of arms control and disarmament. It was established in 1966 to commemorate Sweden’s 150 years of unbroken peace. The Institute is financed mainly by the Swedish Parliament. The staff, the Governing Board and the Scientific Council are international. The Governing Board and the Scientific Council are not responsible for the views expressed in the publications of the Institute. Governing Board Professor Daniel Tarschys, MP, Chairman (Sweden) Sir Brian Urquhart, Vice Chairman (United Kingdom) Professor Catherine Kelleher (United States) Dr Oscar Arias Sánchez (Costa Rica) Dr Gyula Horn (Hungary) Dr Lothar Rühl (Germany) The Director Director Dr Adam Daniel Rotfeld (Poland) Stockholm International Peace Research Institute Pipers väg 28, S-170 73 Solna, Sweden Cable: SIPRI Telephone: 46 8/655 97 00 Telefax: 46 8/655 97 33 Nationalism and Ethnic Conflict Threats to European Security SIPRI Research Report No. 5 Stephen Iwan Griffiths OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS 1993 Oxford University Press, Walton Street, Oxford OX2 6DP Oxford New York Toronto Delhi Bombay Calcutta Madras Karachi Kuala Lumpur Singapore Hong Kong Tokyo Nairobi Dar es Salaam Cape Town Melbourne Auckland Madrid and associated companies in Berlin Ibadan Oxford is a trade mark of Oxford University Press Published in the United States by Oxford University Press Inc., New York © SIPRI 1993 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior permission of Oxford University Press.
    [Show full text]
  • Josette A. Baer, "National Emancipation, Not the Making Of
    NATIONAL EMANCIPATION, NOT THE MAKING OF SLOVAKIA: LUDOVIT STUR’S CONCEPTION OF THE SLOVAK NATION JOSETTE A. BAER Studies in Post-Communism Occasional Paper no. 2 (2003) Centre for Post-Communist Studies St. Francis Xavier University www.stfx.ca/pinstitutes/cpcs ISSN 1711-4284 Abstract Introduction1 In 2003, Slovakia entered the second decade of its In the history of European political thought, Ludovit independent statehood. The dismemberment of the Stur remains an unknown figure who never enjoyed wide Czechoslovak Federation in 1993 was followed by a bumpy scholarly interest like Thomas Garrigue Masaryk,2 the transition to democracy under the government of Vladimir founder of the Czechoslovak state. An interdisciplinary and Meciar. The year 2003 is also the 160th anniversary of the critical study assessing Stur’s philosophical and political Slovak written language. Ludovit Stur’s (1815-1856) ideas in English is still missing. Sutherland’s brief coinage of Slovak literary language in 1843 set the grounds biographical study gives a good account of Stur’s for the national movement. This interdisciplinary essay achievements for the Slovak language.3 Collections of Stur’s concerns the political thought of Stur, the Lutheran vicar and texts edited by Ambrus and a biography authored by Ruttkay ‘father of the Slovak language,’ on the historic background were published in Slovak, another Ruttkay study on Stur was of the pre-1848 Slovak national movement. I shall analyze translated in English, and Forst published a study on Stur’s selected texts of Stur focusing on a) the development of his journalistic activities in Czech.4 After the 1989 regime political thought and b) Romantic Pan-Slavism as the grand break in his thought.
    [Show full text]
  • LARSON-DISSERTATION-2020.Pdf
    THE NEW “OLD COUNTRY” THE KINGDOM OF YUGOSLAVIA AND THE CREATION OF A YUGOSLAV DIASPORA 1914-1951 BY ETHAN LARSON DISSERTATION Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in History in the Graduate College of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2020 Urbana, Illinois Doctoral Committee: Professor Maria Todorova, Chair Professor Peter Fritzsche Professor Diane Koenker Professor Ulf Brunnbauer, University of Regensburg ABSTRACT This dissertation reviews the Kingdom of Yugoslavia’s attempt to instill “Yugoslav” national consciousness in its overseas population of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes, as well as resistance to that same project, collectively referred to as a “Yugoslav diaspora.” Diaspora is treated as constructed phenomenon based on a transnational network between individuals and organizations, both emigrant and otherwise. In examining Yugoslav overseas nation-building, this dissertation is interested in the mechanics of diasporic networks—what catalyzes their formation, what are the roles of international organizations, and how are they influenced by the political context in the host country. The life of Louis Adamic, who was a central figure within this emerging network, provides a framework for this monograph, which begins with his arrival in the United States in 1914 and ends with his death in 1951. Each chapter spans roughly five to ten years. Chapter One (1914-1924) deals with the initial encounter between Yugoslav diplomats and emigrants. Chapter Two (1924-1929) covers the beginnings of Yugoslav overseas nation-building. Chapter Three (1929-1934) covers Yugoslavia’s shift into a royal dictatorship and the corresponding effect on its emigration policy.
    [Show full text]
  • Budapest and Thessaloniki As Slavic Cities (1800-1914): Urban Infrastructures, National Organizations and Ethnic Territories
    Central and Eastern European Online Library E3 Budapest and Thessaloniki as Slavic Cities (1800-1914): Urban Infrastructures, National Organizations and Ethnic Territories <<Budapestand Thessaloniki as Slavic Cities (1800-1 914): Urban Infrastructures, National Organizations and Ethnic Territories), by Alexander Maxwell Source: Ethnologia Balkanica (Ethnologia Balkanica), issue: 09 12005, pages: 43-64, on www.ceeol.com. ETHNOLOGIA BALKANICA, VOL. 9 (2005) Budapest and Thessaloniki as Slavic Cities (1800-1914): Urban Infrastructures, National Organizations and Ethnic Territories Alexander Mmtwell, Reno (Nevada) The rise of nationalism is an essential element in nineteenth-century urban life, since the social and material conditions that give rise to nationalism first appeared in urban areas. This paper explores national movements arising in a city that (1) was dominated by another ethnic group and (2) lay outside the national ethnoterritory. Specifically, I examine Slavic national movements in Thessaloniki and Budapest1. The emergence of Slavic nationalism in these cities demonstrates that urban institutions were more important to emerging national movements than a demographically national environment. The foreign surroundings, however, seem to have affected the ideology and political strategy of early nationalists, encouraging them to seek reconciliation with other national groups. "Nationalism" had spawned several distinct and competing literatures; any author discussing the subject must describe how he or she uses the term. Follow- ing the comparative work of Miroslav Hroch (1985), I am examining the social basis of movements thatjustified their demands with reference to the "nation". But while Hroch is mainly concerned with the emergence of movements seeking political independence, I examine several Slavic patriots who fought for cultural rights, usually limpistic rights, while simultaneously defending the legitimacy of the existing state.
    [Show full text]
  • Federalism As the Next Logical Step to Devolution
    Decentralization and Federalism in Context Federalism as the Next Logical Step to Devolution Alex B. Brillantes Jr., PhD Professor University of the Philippines National College of Public Administration and Governance Notes for Presentation at the Federalism 101: Examining the Economic, Social and Political Viability of Federalism in the Philippines I am grateful to Dean Ronald Mendoza, PhD of ASOG of Ateneo and Dean Joan Largo of the SOLG of the Univesity of San Carlos for the opportunity to be part of this very important forum. To begin with, may I also suggest that apart from economic, social and political viability (as suggested in the Conference’s theme) we will also look at the ADMINISTRATIVE VIABILITY OF Federalism This morning’s paper and today’s CNN and BBC (23 October 2017) featured the continuing conflict in Spain and the Catalonia region: it pertained to the continuing demand for autonomy and independence Also recently we saw news about the demands for KURDS in Iraq and Iran and be part of the Kurdistan What do these and other similar developments mean to us as students and practitioners of governance and public administration? Demand for Autonomy, Home Rule, Self Rule, and even Independence has been seen in many countries in the world today STILL EARLIER, SECESSION AND AUTONOMY AND BALKANIZATION Balkanization A geopolitical term, originally used to describe the process of fragmentation or division of a region or state into smaller regions or states that are often hostile or uncooperative with one another. Also is used to refer to ethnic conflict within multiethnic states.
    [Show full text]
  • Devolution Or Deconstruction Czecho-Slovak Style
    Michigan Journal of International Law Volume 13 Issue 4 1992 Devolution or Deconstruction Czecho-Slovak Style Eric Stein University of Michigan Law School Follow this and additional works at: https://repository.law.umich.edu/mjil Part of the Comparative and Foreign Law Commons, and the Constitutional Law Commons Recommended Citation Eric Stein, Devolution or Deconstruction Czecho-Slovak Style, 13 MICH. J. INT'L L. 786 (1992). Available at: https://repository.law.umich.edu/mjil/vol13/iss4/2 This Essay is brought to you for free and open access by the Michigan Journal of International Law at University of Michigan Law School Scholarship Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Michigan Journal of International Law by an authorized editor of University of Michigan Law School Scholarship Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. DEVOLUTION OR DECONSTRUCTION CZECHO-SLOVAK STYLE Eric Stein * This essay is a part of a broaderstudy entitled "Post-communist Con- stitution-making: Confessions of a Comparatist" which focuses on Czechoslovakia. The present Czech and Slovak Federative Republic is a unique variant offederalism. It is composed of only two component units (shades of Leb- anon, Cyprus, perhaps Belgium), and it is seriously asymmetric: demo- graphically, there are twice as many Czechs and Moravians in the Czech Republic as there are Slovaks in the Slovak Republic; economically, the Czech area has been highly industrialized while Slovak industrialization has come much later and is less diversified; historically, the Czech lands have had a long tradition of politicaland cultural identity even as part of the Austro-HungarianEmpire, while the Slovaks remained under an op- pressive Hungarian dominance for a thousand years until the establish- ment of the Czechoslovak Republic in 1918.
    [Show full text]