Český politický katolicismus na říšské radě ve Vídni v letech 1907–1914
CZECH POLITICAL CATHOLICISMAT THE VIENNESE IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT, 1907–1914

Summary/Abstract: The system of Czech political parties had emerged at the turn of the 20th century. Since adherents to the Czech Political Catholicism arrived on the scene rather belatedly, it was not easy for them to further their cause. Actually, Bohemian and Moravian representatives of Catholic-Nationalist and Christian-Social parties have not found their way to the Viennese Imperial Parliament en masse until universal suffrage was introduced in 1907. Only then an autonomous Catholic-National faction – consisting of 17 MPs – gathered round M. Hruban, thus laying the foundation for an independent tactics of Czech Political Catholic movement. Unlike other Czech parties, the Catholics championed the policy of the Austrian Government and, consequently, they soon became isolated. They believed they could achieve their goals (political, economic, social and cultural advancement of the Czech nation) through accommodating tactics more easily than through obstruction and opposition. On the other hand, they did not reject opposition policy as such; they only demanded that it should rather be constructive than utterly adverse. While disavowing tactics of radicals, Catholic MPs did not refuse to constitute a joint bloc with other Czech MPs. Their attitudes varied from case to case depending on the immediate benefitacaseathandcouldbringtoCatholicism.Thatwas why they often allied with Slovenian pro-Catholic MPs headed by I. Šusteršič.

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