Czech National Social Party
Encyclopedia
Czech 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.
. 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.
Czech language
Czech is a West Slavic language with about 12 million native speakers; it is the majority language in the Czech Republic and spoken by Czechs worldwide. The language was known as Bohemian in English until the late 19th century...
: Česká strana národně sociální) was a civic nationalist
Civic nationalism
Liberal Nationalism is a kind of nationalism identified by political philosophers who believe in a non-xenophobic form of nationalism compatible with liberal values of freedom, tolerance, equality, and individual rights. Ernest Renan and John Stuart Mill are often thought to be early liberal...
political party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
established in 1898 within the Young Czech Party
Young Czech Party
The Young Czech Party was formed in 1874. It initiated the democratization of Czech political parties and led to the establishment of the political base of Czechoslovakia.- Background :...
(National Liberal Party) as a nominally socialist
Socialism
Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
group with a stress on achieving Czech independence from Austria–Hungary (as opposed to the international revolution of the Social Democratic
Social democracy
Social democracy is a political ideology of the center-left on the political spectrum. Social democracy is officially a form of evolutionary reformist socialism. It supports class collaboration as the course to achieve socialism...
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.
History
Leadership of the Czech National Social Party was soon assumed by Václav KlofáčVáclav Klofác
Václav Jaroslav Klofáč was a Czech politician and one of the founders of the Czech National Social Party. He was born in 1868 in Německý Brod...
. An important role was played by Jiří Stříbrný
Jirí Stríbrný
Jiří Stříbrný was a Czech politician. He was one of the "founding fathers" of the Czechoslovak Republic, but became a quite controversial figure later on...
and Emil Franke as well. The party platform rested on the recalled social traditions of Hussitism
Hussite
The Hussites were a Christian movement following the teachings of Czech reformer Jan Hus , who became one of the forerunners of the Protestant Reformation...
and Taboritism
Taborite
The Taborites were members of a religious community considered heretical by the Catholic Church. The Taborites were centered on the Bohemian city of Tábor during the Hussite Wars in the 15th century. The religious reform movement in Bohemia splintered into various religious sects...
, 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
Edvard Beneš
Edvard Beneš was a leader of the Czechoslovak independence movement, Minister of Foreign Affairs and the second President of Czechoslovakia. He was known to be a skilled diplomat.- Youth :...
took actual party leadership, although nominally it was his ally Václav Klofáč. Jiří Stříbrný
Jirí Stríbrný
Jiří Stříbrný was a Czech politician. He was one of the "founding fathers" of the Czechoslovak Republic, but became a quite controversial figure later on...
and his supporters were expelled for disagreement with Václav Klofáč and Edvard Beneš. Later they cooperated with fascist movement
National Fascist Community
The National Fascist Community was a Czechoslovakian Fascist movement led by Radola Gajda, and based on the Fascism of Benito Mussolini.-Formation and ideology:...
and National Democratic Party
National Democratic Party (Czechoslovakia)
The National Democratic Party was a First Republic right-wing political party in Czechoslovakia. It was founded by Karel Kramář in 1919, after the creation of independent Czechoslovakia from the Austria-Hungary Empire...
.
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
Party of National Unity (Czechoslovakia)
The Party of National Unity was a party created on 21 November 1938 in the Czech part of Czechoslovakia after the occupation of large parts of the country by Germany and Hungary as a kind of last attempt to unify forces to save Czechoslovakia from disappearing...
led by Rudolf Beran
Rudolf Beran
Rudolf Beran was a Czechoslovakian politician who served as prime minister of the country before its occupation by Nazi Germany and shortly thereafter, before it was declared a protectorate...
, while few of its Slovak members joined the Hlinka Slovak People's Party
Slovak People's Party
The Slovak People's Party was a Slovak right-wing party and was described as a fascist and...
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
Czech resistance to Nazi occupation
Czech resistance to German Nazi occupation during World War II is a scarcely documented subject, by and large a result of little formal resistance and an effective German policy that deterred acts of resistance or annihilated organizations of resistance...
. After 1945, the party resurfaced, under the leadership of Petr Zenkl
Petr Zenkl
Petr Zenkl, PhD. was a influential Czech politician, government minister, Mayor of Prague, chairman of the Czech National Social Party , deputy Prime Minister of Czechoslovakia and the chairman of exile Council of Free Czechoslovakia .- Biography :Petr Zenkl was born as the eighth son of a small...
, as one of the parties in the National Front
National Front (Czechoslovakia)
The National Front was the coalition of parties which headed the re-established Czechoslovakian government from 1945 to 1948. During the Communist era in Czechoslovakia it was the vehicle for control of all political and social activity by the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia...
. When Czechoslovakia became a Communist
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
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 | 1898 - 1918 |
| Czech Socialist Party | 1918 - 1919 |
| Czechoslovak Socialist Party | 1919 - 1926 |
| Czechoslovak National Socialist Party | 1926 - 1948 |
| Czechoslovak Socialist Party | 1948 - 1993 |
| Liberal National Social Party | 1993 - 1995 |
| Free Democrats - Liberal National Social Party | 1995 - 1997 |
| Czech National Social Party | 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 AssemblyCzechoslovak parliamentary election, 1946Parliamentary elections were held in Czechoslovakia on 26 May 1946. The result was a victory for the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia, which won 93 of the 300 seats. Voter turnout was 93.9%.-Background:...
: 18.3% (23.7%) - 55 seats
since 1990
- 1990 Czech National CouncilCzech legislative election, 1990A Czech legislative election took place on 8 and 9 June 1990.These elections were the first elections after the Velvet Revolution. They took place within the Czechoslovak parliamentary election, 1990, i.e...
: 2.7 % - no seat - 1992 Czech National CouncilCzech legislative election, 1992National Council elections were held in the Czech part of Czechoslovakia on 5 and 6 June 1992, alongside federal elections. The result was a victory for the Civic Democratic Party-Christian Democratic Party alliance, which won 76 of the 200 seats. Voter turnout was 85.0%. When the Czech Republic...
: (as a part of Liberal-Social Union 6.5% - 16 seats) - 1996 Chamber of DeputiesCzech legislative election, 1996Parliamentary elections were held in the Czech Republic on 31 May and 1 June 1996, the first after independence. The result was a victory for the Civic Democratic Party, which won 68 of the 200 seats. Voter turnout was 76.3%.-Results:...
: (with Free Democrats 2.1 % - no seat) - 1996 Senate: no seat
- 1998 Chamber of DeputiesCzech legislative election, 1998Parliamentary elections were held in the Czech Republic on 19 and 20 June 1998. The result was a victory for the Czech Social Democratic Party, which won 74 of the 200 seats. Voter turnout was 73.9%.-Results:...
: 0.3 % - no seat - 1998 Senate: no seat
- 2000 Senate: no seat
- 2002 Chamber of DeputiesCzech legislative election, 2002Parliamentary elections were held in the Czech Republic on 14 and 15 June 2002. The result was a victory for the Czech Social Democratic Party, which won 70 of the 200 seats. Voter turnout was 57.9%.-Results:...
: 0.8 % - no seat - 2002 Senate: no seat