Liberalism in Austria

This article gives an overview of liberalism in Austria. It is limited to liberal parties with substantial support, mainly proved by having had a representation in parliament. The sign ⇒ denotes another party in that scheme. For inclusion in this scheme it isn't necessary so that parties labeled themselves as a liberal party.

Background

In the Austrian Empire a national liberal current evolved in the nineteenth century. When the national question became more important in Austrian politics, the current evolved in nationalist direction and so disappeared as a liberal current. Later attempts to reorganize liberalism were unsuccessful. The traditional association with Pan-Germanism was inherited from Austria-Hungary into the Austrian Republic. The Freedom Party of Austria was founded in 1955, but was even in the beginning a problematic movement including both liberals (especially economic liberals) and German nationialists, including some former Nazis. The attraction of the party to some of its voters lay in its opposition to both the catholic clericalism of the Austrian People's Party and to the Marxism of the Social Democratic Party of Austria.

History

Liberal politicians gained control over the Freedom Party during the years from 1980 to 1986, when it was led by Norbert Steger. However, its participation in a coalition under socialist Chancellor Fred Sinowatz brought it to the verge of extinction, which allowed Jörg Haider to take control of the party in 1986. With the support of the remaining Pan-Germans (the appeal of whose own views has an equally small appeal to the Austrian electorate today), he transformed it into a right-wing populist, frequently immigration-sceptic party. The Freedom Party was subsequently expelled from the Liberal International, and the remaining liberals seceded to found the Liberal Forum (Liberales Forum, member LI, ELDR) in 1993.

However, when the Liberal Forum lost its seats in parliament in 1999 and became a micro-party, liberalism effectively ceased to exist as a political force in Austria. Economic liberalism is now probably best represented by some factions of the conservative Austrian People's Party, while the Austrian Green Party holds the most liberal views on social issues.

Other small parties on the liberal spectrum include the Democrats and the Social Liberals.

From Constitutional Party until German Progressive Party

*1861: Liberals from various parliamentary factions united in the Constitutional Party ("Verfassungspartei")
*1873: A radical faction formed the ⇒ Progressive Club, a right-wing faction formed the conservative Constitutionalist Landlordism ("Verfassungstreue Grossgrundbesitz")
*1881: The Constitutional Party merged with the ⇒ Progressive Club into the United Left ("Vereinigte Linke")
*1885: The United Left fell apart in the liberal German Austrian Club ("Deutsch-Österreichischer Klub") and the nationalist German Club (Deutscher Klub)
*1888: The party merged with the moderate parts of the German Club into the United German Left ("Verenigte Deutsche Linke")
*1891: The "Constitutionalist Landlordism" merged into the party
*1897: The party fell apart into the Constitutionalist Landlordism and the German Progressive Party ("Deutsche Fortschrittspartei")
*1911: The party merged into the nationalist German National League (Deutscher Nationalverband), liberal forces ceased to exits

Progressive Club

*1873: A radical faction of the ⇒ Constitutional Party formed the Progressive Club ("Fortschrittsklub")
*1881: The party merged into the ⇒ United Left

Liberals in the diaspora

*1949: After the formation of the pan-Germanic nationalist Federation of Independents, liberals became active as a minority force in this party. After the merger into the Freedom Party of Austria this situation continued.

Liberal Forum

*1993: Liberal dissidents inside the nationalist Freedom Party of Austria ("Freiheitliche Partei Österreichs"), which was between 1980 and 1986 more or less a liberal controlled party, formed the Liberal Forum ("Liberales Forum")

Liberal leaders

*Anton von Schmerling
*Norbert Steger
*Heide Schmidt

Liberal thinkers

In the Contributions to liberal theory the following Austrian thinkers are included:

*Carl Menger (1840 – 1921)
*Ludwig Edler von Mises (1881-1973)
*Joseph Schumpeter (1883 – 1950)
*Friedrich von Hayek (1899-1992)
*Karl Raimund Popper (1902-1994)

ee also

* History of Austria
* Politics of Austria
* List of political parties in Austria
* Austrian School
* Liberalism in Germany

References

* [http://www.liberale.at/front_single/front_content.php?idcat=6&lang=2&contenido=2fcde812a9891a9652600227db7de092 Liberalism in Austria | Homepage of Liberal Forum] (in German)