We explain what Prague's coup was and how the Communist Party took the power of Czechoslovakia. In addition, the characteristics of the new government.
What was Prague's blow?
It is known as “Prague coup” The taking of the power of Czechoslovakia by the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia (KSC for its acronym in Slovak), on February 25, 1948. The coup had the direct support of the Soviet Union and was a key event of the origins of the Cold War (1945-1991).
After the coup, the main Czechoslovaco communist leader, Klement Gottwald, took power and took care of chasing the opposition. A new Constitution was proclaimed and the KSC managed to monopolize power. Czechoslovakia became a socialist state, with a communist regime and a uniparty political system known as “popular democracy.”
During the following decades, The Czechoslovaco government was under the direct influence of the government of the Sovietic Union to. In 1968, during the period known as “Spring of Prague”, certain political and economic reforms were attempted to recover autonomy and some civil freedoms. However, the Soviet Union intervened directly to prevent it.
Czechoslovak communism was just defeated through the velvet revolution, in 1989 in the context of general crisis of communism that led to the end of the Cold War and the dissolution of the Soviet Union.
Background of Prague's coup
During World War II, The invasion of Nazi Germany had made Czechoslovakia disappear as a country . At the end of the war, the Czechoslovak territory was under the area of influence of the Soviet Union along with other countries of the center and east of Europe.
Czechoslovakia handled its international relations with support and in alliance with the USSR. In addition, in these countries, at the end of the war, a political system known as “popular democracy” was established that laid the foundations for the socialist government.
In that context, the most important Czechoslovak political forces formed a coalition called National Front, through which they worked to reconstitute the sovereignty of the country. The coalition was dominated by the different socialist parties, although it also integrated non -socialist groups.
The most important were:
- the Czech National Social Party (PNSC),
- The Czechoslovak Communist Party (KSC),
- The Communist Party of Slovakia (KSS),
- The Czech Social Democratic Party (CSSD).
Since 1945, the National Front ruled Czechoslovakia with Eduard Benes as president. For three years, Benes sought to maintain the autonomy of Czechoslovakia and ensure that the Soviet Union did not intervene directly in the affairs of the country. On the other hand, he was able to maintain some political balance between communist groups and non -communists.
KSC's power imbalance
In the 1946 elections, the KSC had obtained 38 % of the votes within the National Front. In this way, he managed to consolidate certain positions of power within the Czechoslovaco democratic system.
President Eduard Benes appointed Klementt Gottwald (the KSC leader) as prime minister and other KSC members obtained positions within the government apparatus. This allowed the Communist Party to control the police, the armed forces and other areas of government linked to propaganda, education and agriculture.
However, in the following years, a popular discontent began to appear with the actions of the police and the policies implemented from the areas of government controlled by the KSC (especially in the areas of agriculture and industry). Before the proximity of the 1948 elections, It was believed that the communists would be weakened .
On the other hand, during those years the international tensions that gave rise to the Cold War were exacerbated. The Soviet Union modified its position and pressed the KSC to finish consolidating its power in the Czechoslovakia government .
Development of Prague's coup
With the support of Stalin, the leader of the KSC, Klement Gottwald, declared a general strike on February 24. Action committees were created throughout the country that, supported by a “workers' militia, ended soon with any democratic resistance.
The next day, Benes had to accept the constitution of a new government dominated by the communists . A few days later, one of the most important non -communist nationalist leaders, Jan Masaryk, died when he fell from a window. This event is linked to the actions of the KSC, although its implication was never proven.
Benes left the presidency in May and June 1948 the liberals were expelled from the Government. Czechoslovakia became a “popular democracy” . The KSC monopolized state power through the National Front, which was also purged with any political dissent.
Consequences of Prague's blow
After the coup d'etat, the KSC took total control of the country and established a uniparty regime known as “popular democracy”, as well as the rest of the countries of the center and east of Europe that integrated the East block during the Cold War.
For years, the speech that was a multiparty government in the hands of the National Front was maintained. However, The KSC pursued the opposition and eliminated political dissidents within the front .
Besides, Many of the elementary freedoms of the civilian population were eliminated such as freedom of expression and religious freedom, and the press was censored. With this blow, Czechoslovakia became a socialist state with a communist regime that lasted until 1989.
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References
- Benz, W., and Graml, H. (1986). “Europe after 1945: the formation of the blocks.” In 20th century. II. Europe after World War II 1945-1982. 21st century editors.
- Van Dijk, R., Gray, WG, Savranskaya, S., Suri, J., & Zhai, Q. (eds.). (2013). “Prague Coup”. Encyclopedia of the Cold War. Routledge.
- Wilczynski, J. (2019). “Prague Coup d'Etat”. In An encyclopedic dictionary of marxism, socialism and commune: Economic, Philosophical, Political and Sociological Theories, Concepts, Institutions and Practices-Classical and Modern, East-West Relations Included. Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co Kg.
