Limited democracy Czechoslovakia in the years Jan Kuklík

International situation Czechoslovakia in the Soviet sphere of influence Alliance with the Soviet Union Friendship with USA, Great Britain Special relations with France German danger Munich syndrom

Transfer of German population Wild expulsion of Germans National state of Czechs and Slovaks as Slavonic nations Legal position of minorities Confiscation of property Question of citizenship International Control over transfer Differrent position of Hungarians

Post war political system Political parties and National front Only 6 political parties allowed United Trade Unions Mass organization under communist control Limited civic rights and liberites Differencies between Czech lands and Slovakia

Internal situation Communist strategy National front but to play a leading role Limited democracy – peoples democracy Governmental programme – background for national and socialist revolution Economic, social and political changes Postwar policy – first step to seize political power Use mostly political not violent measures Czechoslovak role to socialism

Strategy of Democratic parties Cooperation with Communist as tactic to delay the revolutionary changes Orientation towards the West but also Alliance with USSR Wait for parliamentary elections Wait for change of

Position of Slovakia Autonomy Slovak national council Slovak national front Slovak Communist Party Slovak Democratic Party Different situation in politics, economy Political Trials (Tiso and others) Role of Catholic Church

Changes in Economy Confiscations Nationalization Economy Planning Postwar recontruction Land reform Obligation to work Transfer of population as an economic loss

Post war elections in 1946 Victory of Communist party in Czech lands (more than 40 percent of votes) Victory of Democratic Party in Slovakia Cooperation between Communist and Social Democtratic Parties New Government headed by Klement Gottwald Two Years Plan

International developments Was there a lack of interest of Western democracies in Czechoslovakia? Soviet strategy towards Czechoslovakia Refusal of Marshall Plan

Internal develpoments Communist preparations to seize power Role of Edvard Beneš Home road to socialism or simple duplication of Soviet model Role of inteligentsia Role of University students

February 1948 Constitutional change or coup d´etat Strategy of democratic forces Victory of communist tactics Collaboration Support for the new regime First round of purges What is people´s democracy? – Dictatorship of working class