Slovak Democratization
A history of Slovak democratization.
Contents
First Czechoslovak Republic
Masaryk orchestrated the creation of Czechoslovakia, a state representing the two equal nations of Czechs and Slovaks. The immediate consequence of the consentration of wealth, population, and education towards Prague is that the Czechs were effectively empowered.
Second Czechoslovak Republic
Czechoslovakia began to be partitioned between Germany, Hungary, and Poland in 1938. This period is referred to as the Second Republic.
The first partitioning, the Munich Agreement, mostly fell on Czech lands.
Shortly thereafter, Hungary pressed claims to much of Slovakia and Carpathian Ruthenia; up to and including Bratislava. Ribbentrop proposed a significantly reduced annexation with German guarantee of security. The Slovak representatives at the arbitration of the first Vienna Award, including Tiso, were barred from participating. Ciano and Ribbentrop quickly decided in favor of Hungary.
Slovak State
The First Slovak Republic declared independence in March 1939. This was a German client state throughout its existence. It is sometimes distinguished from the modern Slovak Republic, which claims no relation, by naming it the Slovak State. This state and regime is closely tied to the Tiso presidency.
The day after declaring independence, Hungary and Germany completed the takeover of Czechia. Later that month, Hungary invaded Slovakia and seized still more of Carpathian Ruthenia.
Slovakia participated in the invasion of Poland on September 1, 1939. Thereafter, the Slovak military was reorganized under German command and deployed to the Eastern front.
The KSS was established in the new state.
Third Czechoslovak Republic
Following World War 2, Czechoslovakia was re-created as the Third Republic. The National Front coalition, in which KSČ was dominant, effectively held all seats in government.
Socialist Czechoslovak Republic
Briefly known as the Fourth Czechoslovak Republic, the Socialist Czechoslovak Republic was a Soviet satellite state.
The KSS formally merged with the KSČ, and became a subordinate branch. The Slovak party congresses were held immediately before the Czech ones. There were distinct general secretaries and secretariats, and there were notable Slovak politicians that rose through the KSS including Alexander Dubček (first secretary) and Jozef Lenárt (prime minister).
Non-KSČ ministers of the National Front coalition resigned in February 1948, leaving KSČ in full control. Elections in March and the Ninth-of-May Constitution they produced cemented this.
Under Dubček's reformist 1968 government, generally known as the Prague Spring, Czechoslovakia saw rapid and significant liberalization. This was reversed August, when the Warsaw Pact invaded and began the normalization era.
Czech and Slovak Federative Republic
A student protest began on November 17, 1989, the 50th anniversary of a student protest at Prague University that was violently suppressed by Germany. Attempts to suppress this protest instead drew more people and attention to the protest. Notably, the VPN condemned the suppression and publicized the actions and goals of Civic Forum.
On November 24, Miloš Jakeš resigned as first secretary of the KSČ; Husek resigned as president; and Ignác Janák resigned as first secretary of the KSS. This relatively peaceful transition of power is widely known as the Velvet Revolution, but in Slovakia is sometimes instead named the Gentle Revolution.
The Velvet Divorce saw this state partitioned into the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic.