The demise of Czechoslovakia: A political history
As the tenth anniversary of the creation of separate Czech and Slovak republics approaches, Radio Prague will be taking a look at just how the state of Czechoslovakia ceased to exist. Today we will take a look at the history of Czechoslovakia and the national aspirations of the Czech and Slovak nations within it.
The creation of Czechoslovakia after the end of World War I represented the culmination of the national aspirations of both peoples. Slovaks for the first time the opportunity to develop their national aims within the framework of a common democratic state. Moreover, for the Czechs the new state was the culmination of centuries long aspirations for national independence. Czechoslovakia enjoyed its most peaceful and prosperous years during the inter-war period, when it was the only functioning liberal democracy in Central Europe.
However, the inter-war period did not completely satisfy the national aspirations of both peoples, especially the Slovaks. Following the Munich Agreement of 1938 Czechoslovakia was partitioned into the German controlled protectorate of Bohemia-Moravia, and a Slovak puppet state heavily influenced by Nazi Germany.
After the war, Czechs and Slovaks united again, only to see their country succumb to a communist coup in 1948 and integration into the Soviet sphere of influence, and the communists sought to centralize the state. In the Prague Spring of 1968 attempts to create a new relationship between Czechs and Slovaks were manifested in a new federal constitution. This constitution and the subsequent creation of a new federative state was a genuine attempt by the people and politicians of Czechoslovakia to put past differences behind and concentrate on the continued union of Czech and Slovak people within the framework of a common state. However, the new constitution - which comprised a major part of the reform movement - as a whole was suppressed and subsequently rolled-back during the period of normalization.
In 1989 when the communist regime fell, Czechoslovakia once again moved towards democracy. For the next three years, Czechs and Slovaks tried to define their relationship within the context of the common state. However, their differences proved to be too great and on January 1st, 1993, Czechoslovakia separated into two states - the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
The most remarkable feature of the break-up of Czechoslovakia was the peaceful dissolution of the common state. Czechs and Slovaks were able to separate the country in a civil fashion, but the question arises as to why they were not able to work out their differences within the framework of a common state? Tune in next week when we will look in more detail as to how the state of Czechoslovakia ceased to exist.
