Existuje moravský národ a moravská státnost?
Is There a Moravian Nation and a Moravian Statehood?

Summary/Abstract: For more than twenty years, some parties have been promoting the existence of an autonomous Moravian nation, requesting the establishment of separate land constitution for Moravia, or the reconstruction of the Czech Republic into a federation. From a political perspective, these parties represent a marginal force, however, their ideology has been, to a certain extent, positively perceived by the public. Moravists follow older advocacy of “Moravian rights”. The core of their arguments is to emphasize one thousand years of the tradition of Moravia and Moravians. They claim that inhabitant of Moravia are not Czechs although they live with Czechs in one state. Historical arguments are supported by genetic, linguistic and cultural differences between Czechs and Moravians. In reality, there is nothing like a Moravian nation. There is no uniform Moravian language but only individual Moravian dialects. Inhabitants of Moravia do not differ from those in Bohemia; on the contrary, most Moravians consider themselves Czechs, as was the case of their antecedents who declared themselves as members of the Czech nation to avoid the threat of Germanization in the 19th century. That was the moment they became a nation – before there had been none. Whilst the Moravian nation did not and does not exist, the Moravian statehood did exist; however, it is just a part of history today. The activities of Moravists can be designated as ethnoregionalism; although they are welcome only by a marginal part of the public they should not be disregarded. These activities cannot be considered extremist or separatist; however, they may represent a threat aimed at the division of the uniform Czech nation and further division of the territory. Such scenario is most likely unrealistic and the status quo will be preserved, but the Moravist separatism during WWII should warn us. What will become a reality will be definitely shown in the future.

• Details
• Contents