VOLEBNÍ AFÉRA OKRESNÍHO HEJTMANA NIKODÉMA ECKERTA. PŘÍSPĚVEK K POLITICKÝM AKTIVITÁM C. K. STÁTNÍCH ÚŘEDNÍKŮ V 70. LETECH 19. STOLETÍ
ELECTORAL AFFAIR OF DISTRICT CAPTAIN NIKODEM ECKERT. A CONTRIBUTION TO POLITICAL ACTIVITIES OF STATE OFFICIALS IN 1870S

Summary/Abstract: The paper focuses on the role of state officials during elections to the Bohemian State Diet in 1860s and 1870s. With the February Patent and the restoration of Parliament system, a part of citizens gained access to participate in governing the state through their parliamentary representatives. The society was to be protected from violent conflicts. The struggles for power were regulated and restricted to the period of parliamentary elections. Political parties and key players entering the electoral competition tried to use as many instruments possible to increase their chances of winning parliamentary mandates. At the same time, there was a discussion in order to set criteria to evaluate the legitimacy of used instruments. In this aspect, one of key questions was the role of state authorities during elections. A numerous and well-informed apparatus of state administration had a variety of instruments at their disposal that made it possible to influence, directly or indirectly, the outcome of election. To ensure the equal conditions in the political competition, the opposition parties repeatedly asked for the neutrality of state officials since 1860s, which, however, remained ignored for two decades. And not only that. By the end of 1870s, the government alone compelled some state officials to stand as candidates. This was, however, a controversial issue, often bordering on the conflict of interests. Also district captain Nicodem Eckert came to the similar situation, elected for the second time deputy of the Bohemian State Diet at the end of 1870s. During the electoral campaign he imposed no restrictions on himself and efficiently used all instruments that his position as the head of the political authority offered. The time changed, though, after the fall of the Constitution Party. The legitimacy of the Eckert’s election was questioned and, subsequently, one of the biggest election scandals in our lands broke out that contributed to revision of the role of state officials during electoral competition.

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