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The Political Disintegration of Czechoslovakia

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The Political Disintegration of Czechoslovakia THE POLITICAL DISINTEGRATION CZECHOSLOVAKIA Patricia Anne Richards Corrigan B.A..~imon Fraser University, 1 992 THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTERS OF ARTS In the Depaqment of Political Science O Patricia AM^ Richards Corrigan. 1997 SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY August 1997 .U rp@ts rend Thls work may not be rrprducpd In whole or In part. by photocopy or othrr means. without prmlssion of thc author. APPROVAL Name: Patricia Anne Richards Corrigan Degree: Master of Arts Project Title: The ~ollticdDisintegration of Czechoslovakia Examining Committee And& Gerolymatos External Examiner Department of History, SFU National Library Biblioth6que nationale 1 of Canada du Canada Acquisitions and Acquisitions et Bibliographic Services seArVices bibliographiques 395 Wellington Street 395. rue Wellington . OltawaON KlAON4 OttawaON KlAON4 s Canada . ~a~da The author has granted a non- L'auteur a accorde une lice~cenon exclusive licence allowing the exclusive permettant a la National Library of Canada to Bibliotheque nationale du Canada de reproduce, loan, distribute or sell reproduire, preter, distribuer ou copies of thls thesis in microform, vendre des copies de cette these sous paper or electronic formats.- la forme de microfiche/film, de reproduction sur papier ou sur format a electronique. * The author retains ownership of the L'auteur conserve la propriete du copyright in ths thesis. Neither the droit d'auteur qui protege cette these. thesis nor substantial extracts from it Ni la these ni des extraits substantiels may be printed or otherwise de celle-ci ne doivent &re imprimes reproduced wi&out the author's ou autrement reproduits sans son autori sation. ABSTRACT This thesis examines the political disintegration of the former state of ~zechdslovakiaon 1 January 1993. The break-up of the state into two new'independent Republics ended seven decades of attempts to satisfy the nationalist aspiration of the Czech and Slovak peoples in a common state. The study will focus on the major historical, political, and economic hctors responsible for the centrifugal tendencies which undermiiied the integrative process in Czechoslovakia's brief, but turbulent history. Each of the state's reconflguring and restructuring phases, from its inception in 1918, prompted new concerns of the balance of power and the role of the two nationalities -- Czechs and Slovaks-- within the common state. The persistence with which the Slovaks pursued their nationalist aims is a telling instance of the vitality of twentieth century nationalism. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The author would like to express thanks to special people who gave advice, assistance, and encouragement throughout this project. First, to Professor Lenard J. Cohen, who as First Supervisor was 'tops.' It will be a long while before, indeed, if ever, that I shall forget our editing this thesis across from each other at your dining room table. And my thanks to Terri, for her great lunches. - To Professor Alex Moens. my Second Supervisor, thank you for your support and encouragement in my undergraduate as well as graduate years. To Professor Andre ~eroljrfnatos,thank you'for your compliments on this thesis and for your careful and probing questions at my efense To the department staff who wee so helpful in handling all the administration requirements. a special thanks. Finally, to Milorad (Mil)Manojlovic, a fellow colleague. for hi& moral support in these last months and fof listening to my fears and foibles. Donald Melbourne Gillies who continues to sustain me in Me, and in memory of Robert Poole ~lchards who, in his lifetime, fostered me. 4 Contents Tables Prejace Chapter One: Studying Integration: A Survey of Theorits mdConcepta Introduction 4 Integration: Definitions. Theories Studies of Federalism: Major Issues and Approaches The Consociational Alternative Theoretical Approaches to Nationalism and Ethnicity Exploring Nationalism: Some Contending Classical Approaches Recent Approaches to Ethno-Nationalism Secessionist Theory: an Emerging Sub-Field Chapter Surnmry Chapter Two: The FhtRepublic: 1918-1938 The Czech Experience The Slovak Experience The Path to Statehood . Statehood Achieved , Inter- War Czechoslouakia Institutional Framework and its Weaknesses The Petka and the Slovak People's Party Policy Maklng in Inter-War Czechoslovakia State Crisis and Collapse: The Munich Agreement f 938 The Wartime Experiences of the Two Nations Chapler Summay Chapter Three: Politid Integration and the Communist State - 1948-1989 58. hst-War Renewal 1943 1948 A Pre-Communist Interregnum - 1945-1948 Slovak Self-Assertion The Communist Coup d'etat The Czechoslovak People's Republic - 1948-1960 Stalinist Czechoslovakia Stalinkm versus Czechoslovak Sdalism Economic Crisis * 'Socialism with a Human Face' The Slovak Question' Resurfhces Challenges to the Novotny Regime The Action Program of 1968 Normalization The Federal Solution Chapter Summay Chapter Four: The ~ebkhof Czechodov8k Pldsm Pwlude lo Communist Collapse . The Onset of Decay Legitimacy Eroded Economic Stagnation Erosion of the 'Social Contract' Toward Social Pluralism Gorbachev's Reform Concepts The Impact of Gorbachev Resistance to Change Recanting the Brezhnev Doctrine From Dissent to Opposition Czechoslovakia's Velvet Revolution The Eve of the Velvet Revolution The Velvet Revolution' Slovak Mobilization The Czech and Slovak National Question Friction within the Post-Communist state The June 1990 Elections Chapter Summary Chapter Five: The Disintegration of the State of Czechoslovakia Slide into State Disintegration Implications of the June 1990 Elections Structural Conditions hading to the Disintegration of Czechoslovakia From Um brew Movements to Political Parties The Hyphen War The Rise ofthe Sub-Units -APrelude Lo Sovereignty National Sensitivities and the Federal Structure Shift in the Electorate - Federal State v Sovereign States Explaining Political Polarization: ~litesand Interests fn Conflict Strategy-for Economic Transition The Case for Radical Reform Czechoslovakia's Velvet Dluorce' The Republics P&r Struggle Crystallizes Move toward State dissolution Rkformed by Law b Chapter Summay Chapter Six: Colicluding Remarks Factors Conbibuting to Czechoslovakia's Diwrce U71ya Peacehl Dissolution? Comparative Insights on Integration Epilogue Looking West - The Czech Republic Looking East -The Republic of Slouakia Future Rospects of the Two Republics Selected Bibliography TABLES 3.1 The Growth of GNP as a Percentage of Annual Growth 5.1 Bicameralsim in the National Assembly: Seats by Republic 5.2 Constitutional kferences in the Czech and Slovak Federal Republic, June 1990 5.3 Public Opinionon the Preferred FormofCzech-SlovakRelationship(inPercent) PREFACE This thesis will explore and analyze the factors which contributed to the i>eacehl dissolution of the state of Czechoslovakia on 1 January 1993 into two new successor states - the Czech Republic and the Republic of ~lova!d. The study will focus on the major historical, political, and economic factors responsible for the centrifugal tendencies which undermined the integrqtive process in Czechoslovakia during the state's seventy-four year existence. In its brief history, Czechoslovakia suffered a series of abrupt political reconfigurings and reconstructions: the liberal multi-party state 1918- 1938; the bifurcated rump states under Fascist dictatorship 1938-1945 (occupied Bohemia and Moravia. and the independent state of Slo1 .akia);a communist regime from 1 1945-1989; and flnally the transition period before the so-called 'velvet' divorce 1989- 1993. The evolution of the state through these various phases and regime types make& Czechoslovakia a particularly interesting case study or laboratory in which to assess the factors and processes of integration and dissolution. The study.wil1 attempt to evaluate the political framework of each of the restructuring phases of the Czechoslovak state by concentrating on the factors which either enhanced or impeded the growth of state cohesion. Chapter two will provide a brief history of motivations and interests which led the Czech and Slovak elites to create a slngle political unit for their respective ethnic constituents. Chapter two will also explore political life during the inter-war years Including the political interests which framed the debates over the Slovak 'national question' and the perspective and policies of constituting a unified state as advanced by the central government in Prague. A special concern of the thesis will be the shift in the power structure which occurred during the wartime experience of the Czechs lands as a protectorate, and the Slovak br'sas a state under Nazi tutelage. Chapter three will explore.the radicaf reconflguration of we country as a communist state in w:The political context in which Slovak nationalism manifested itself throughout this periodiWl1 be explored as well as the eoncession to Slovak - I e de-s which culminated id'the federalization of the state after the Prague Spring in 1 1968. Chapter three will also analyze how the extent of Czechoslovak cohesion was influenced by the adoption of a federal solution during the immediate post 1968 - hormalization' policy. Chapter four examines the impact of Soviet inspired PeresboUm on the political framework which existed until 1989. The 'velk' revolution and the rebirth of another renaissance of the Slovak question will be the focus of the immediate' post-communist era. Particular interest will be devoted to the dynamics of the Czech and
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