Comunist period in czechoslovakia

COMUNIST PERIOD IN CZECHOSLOVAKIA

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

- INTRODUCTION………………………………………………………………… p. 3 - 1. PERIOD OF “STANILIZATION”…………………………………………. pp. 4-5 - 2. THE REFORM MOVEMENT………………………………………………… p. 6 - 3. THE PRAGUE SPRING………………………………………………………p.7 - 4. INTERVENTION…………………………………………………………….pp.7-8 - 5. NORMALIZATION……………………………………………………………..p.8 - PERSONALOPINION……………………………………………………………p.9 - BIBLIOGRAPHY……………………………………………………………….. p.10

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INTRODUCTION

Just after the Second World War the power of Czechoslovakia went to the hands of the Communist Party. This fact had many consequences. For example, the first wave of nationwide nationalization of the industry and other areas of the economy took place. And at the same time, about two million of people were expelled from the country and their property was confiscated.After the coup d’etat on 25th February 1948 the Communist Party seized complete power. The Communist totalitarian regime started at that moment and lasted until the Velvet Revolution of 1989. There was a second wave of nationalization and about 95% of all privately owned companies became property of the state. Also, there were political trials and executions and the economy went constantly down in thefollowing years. Another important consequence was the suppression of the basic human rights. During the 1960s, some changes were made. That decade was a time of greater political and cultural freedom. The Communist Party wanted to guarantee people’s basic rights and reduce the amount of political persecution in the country. These changes culminated in the spring of 1968, which is known as“Prague Spring”. However, the growing of political freedoms was seen as a threat by the Soviet Union, and the 21st August 1968 Czechoslovakia was invaded. From 1968 to 1985 approximately was a period of “normalization”. During these years any sign of disapproval of the regime was persecuted. Therefore, opposition to the regime became limited to isolate acts of protest, such as the suicide of Jan Palach, astudent of Charles University, who lit himself on fire in January 1969.

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1. PERIOD OF “STANILIZATION”.

The Third Republic came into being in April 1945. Less than three years after that, Czechoslovakia was dominated by the socialists. Some measures were taken. For example, it was introduced bureaucratic centralism. At that time, the ideological principles of Marxism-Leninism andsocialist realism pervaded cultural and intellectual life. . The entire education system was submitted to state control. The economy was committed to comprehensive central planning and the private ownership was eliminated. In a few words, Czechoslovakia became a satellite of the Soviet Union. The National Assembly approved a new constitution on May 1948. It contained many liberal and democraticprovisions because it was prepared between 1945 and 1948 by a special committee. However, actually the Communists were in complete control. This Constitution introduced some changes: - The nationalization of all commercial and industrial enterprises which have more than 50 employees. - The private ownership of land was limited to 50 hectares. - Just the petit bourgeoisie and the peasantry were permittedto carry on the remnants of private enterprise and independent farming and only as a temporary concession - The economy was subjected to a succession of five-year plans. - The intention to collectivize the agriculture Czechoslovak interests were subordinated to the interests of the Soviet Union. There were large-scale arrests of communists with an international background, i.e., communists arrestpeople with a wartime connection with the West. Following the Soviet example, Czechoslovakia began focusing on the rapid development of heavy industry. The industrial sector was reorganized with an emphasis on metallurgy, heavy machinery, and coal mining. Industrial growth in Czechoslovakia required substantial additional labour. Czechoslovaks were...