Czech National Social Party
Česká strana národně sociální |
|
---|---|
Abbreviation | ČSNS |
Leader | Michal Klusáček |
Founder | Václav Klofáč |
Founded | 4 April 1898 |
Split from | Czechoslavonic Social Democratic Workers' Party |
Headquarters | Kotorská 18, Prague |
Newspaper | České slovo (1898-1998) |
Ideology | Socialist nationalism Conservative socialism Civic nationalism Social liberalism Euroscepticism |
Political position | Centre |
International affiliation | None |
Colours |
White, Red, Blue, Gold |
Chamber of Deputies |
0 / 200
|
Senate |
0 / 81
|
European Parliament |
0 / 21
|
Regional councils |
0 / 675
|
Local councils |
9 / 62,300
|
Website | |
www |
|
Czech National Social Party (Czech: Česká strana národně sociální, ČSNS) is 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). It gradually evolved into a social liberal party. Its best-known member was Edvard Beneš, a co-founder of Czechoslovakia and the country's second President.
Despite the similar name, the ČSNS was not affiliated with the German Nazi Party and was never antisemitic; the Nazis formally suppressed the party and persecuted party members. Party representatives in majority supported Israeli Sionism and highly supported German Jewish refugees in the 1930's.
Leadership of the Czech National Social Party was soon assumed by Václav Klofáč. 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.