- Czech National Social Party
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Czech National Social Party
Česká strana národně sociální
Founded 1898 Ideology Liberal nationalism, Progressivism, Democracy, Center-left International affiliation unknown European affiliation unknown European Parliament Group None Official colours 3 colours of Czechoslovakia: Red, Blue and white Website Czech National Social Party Politics of the Czech Republic
Political parties
ElectionsCzech National Social Party (Czech: Česká strana národně sociální) was a civic nationalist political party established in 1898 within the Young Czech Party (National Liberal Party) as a nominally socialist group with a stress on achieving Czech independence from Austria–Hungary (as opposed to the international revolution of the Social Democratic Party, which was the largest Czech socialist group at that time).
Despite the similar name, the CNSP was not affiliated with the German Nazi Party. However, the first party platform of the German Nazi Party was in many cases an almost verbatim copy of the Czech one.[1]
Contents
History
Leadership of the Czech National Social Party was soon assumed by Václav Klofáč. An important role was played by Jiří Stříbrný and Emil Franke as well. The party platform rested on the recalled social traditions of Hussitism and Taboritism, but it was also a programme of "collectivizing by means of development, surmounting of class struggle by national discipline, moral rebirth and democracy as the conditions of socialism, a powerful popular army, etc."
In 1918 the party changed its name from Czech National Social Party to the Czech Socialist Party, in 1919 to Czechoslovak Socialist Party and then in 1926 to the Czechoslovak National Socialist Party. Edvard Beneš took actual party leadership, although nominally it was his ally Václav Klofáč. Jiří Stříbrný and his supporters were expelled for disagreement with Václav Klofáč and Edvard Beneš. Later they cooperated with fascist movement and National Democratic Party.
From 1921, the party was part of most Czechoslovak government coalitions. Its newspaper was the České slovo. In 1938, a part of the Czech membership entered into the Party of National Unity led by Rudolf Beran, while few of its Slovak members joined the Hlinka Slovak People's Party led by Josef Tiso.
Under German occupation, the Czechoslovak National Socialist Party functioned in exile and most of its members were active in the resistance movement. After 1945, the party resurfaced, under the leadership of Petr Zenkl, as one of the parties in the National Front. When Czechoslovakia became a Communist nation in 1948, the party was again renamed the Czechoslovak Socialist Party, and supporters of genuine democracy were expelled for alleged fascist sympathies.
After the return to democracy in 1989, the National Front was abolished. The party renamed itself the Liberal National Social Party (Liberální strana národně sociální), but failed to gather any significant support and was reduced to minor party status. This led in 1995 to a merger with the Free Democrats, to form the Free Democrats - Liberal National Social Party. After failing in the 1996 elections, the party split and was renamed again in 1997 to the Czech National Social Party.
Having had no political success for years and crippled by financial debts, the party has almost disappeared.
Name Changes
Name Year Czech National Social Party (Czech: Česká strana národně sociální) 1898 - 1918 Czech Socialist Party (Czech: Česká strana socialistická) 1918 - 1919 Czechoslovak Socialist Party (Czech: Československá strana socialistická) 1919 - 1926 Czechoslovak National Socialist Party (Czech: Československá strana národně socialistická) 1926 - 1948 Czechoslovak Socialist Party (Czech: Československá strana socialistická) 1948 - 1993 Liberal National Social Party (Czech: Liberální strana národně sociální) 1993 - 1995 Free Democrats - Liberal National Social Party (Czech: Svobodní demokraté - Liberální strana národně sociální) 1995 - 1997 Czech National Social Party (Czech: Česká strana národně sociální) From 1997 Election results
- 1920 National Assembly: 8.1 % - 27 seats
- 1925 National Assembly: 8.6 % - 28 seats
- 1929 National Assembly: 10.4 % - 32 seats
- 1935 National Assembly: 9.2 % - 28 seats
- 1946 National Assembly: 18.3% (23.7%) - 55 seats
since 1990
- 1990 Czech National Council: 2.7 % - no seat
- 1992 Czech National Council: (as a part of Liberal-Social Union 6.5% - 16 seats)
- 1996 Chamber of Deputies: (with Free Democrats 2.1 % - no seat)
- 1996 Senate: no seat
- 1998 Chamber of Deputies: 0.3 % - no seat
- 1998 Senate: no seat
- 2000 Senate: no seat
- 2002 Chamber of Deputies: 0.8 % - no seat
- 2002 Senate: no seat
References
- Karel Hoch: The Political Parties of Czechoslovakia.
- T. Mills Kelly: Without Remorse: Czech National Socialism in Late-Habsburg Austria, (Boulder: East European Monographs, 2006)
- Erik von Kuehnelt-Leddihn: Leftism Revisited, Regnery Gateway, Washington D.C., 1990, pp. 145-146.
- Malá encyklopédia Slovenska, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava 1987
Notes
- ^ Erik von Kuehnelt-Leddihn: Leftism Revisited, Regnery Gateway, Washington D.C., 1990, pp. 145-146
See also
- Timeline of liberal parties in the Czech lands
External links
- Czech National Social Party official site (in Czech)
Categories:- Political parties established in 1898
- Political parties in Austria-Hungary
- Political parties in the Czech Republic
- Political parties in Czechoslovakia
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