Neoconservatism in the Czech Republic
Encyclopedia
The Czech Republic
, like other post-communist European states, has had a fairly consistent pro-American foreign policy. This pro-Americanism makes Neoconservatism in Europe more likely in post communist European states. While other states in Europe
have become hostile towards US policy since the 2003 invasion of Iraq the states of Central Europe (termed "new Europe" by Donald Rumsfeld
) joined the American "coalition of the willing" in Iraq
, contributing much-needed international legitimacy. The Bush administration
has praised these states as sharing America's values and remembering the hardships of totalitarian regimes"..
Many of the Czech politicians involved with the Velvet Revolution
and the transition from communism to democracy express similar foreign policy views to American Neoconservatives. There are also many key Czech politicians affiliated to Neoconservative think tanks and organisations. Examples of these organisations include the Prague Security Studies Institute
, an organisation who co-hosted the Neoconservative Democracy and Security International Conference.
Schaller Argues that:
the meeting was described by Jim Lobe as "Neoconservative International".
Czech politicians at the meeting include Dana Baschova, Pavel Bem
, Antonin Berdych, Rudolf Blazek, Jan Bubenik, Oldrich Cerny, Vaclav Havel
and Karel Schwarzenberg
.
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
, like other post-communist European states, has had a fairly consistent pro-American foreign policy. This pro-Americanism makes Neoconservatism in Europe more likely in post communist European states. While other states in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
have become hostile towards US policy since the 2003 invasion of Iraq the states of Central Europe (termed "new Europe" by Donald Rumsfeld
Donald Rumsfeld
Donald Henry Rumsfeld is an American politician and businessman. Rumsfeld served as the 13th Secretary of Defense from 1975 to 1977 under President Gerald Ford, and as the 21st Secretary of Defense from 2001 to 2006 under President George W. Bush. He is both the youngest and the oldest person to...
) joined the American "coalition of the willing" in Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
, contributing much-needed international legitimacy. The Bush administration
George W. Bush administration
The presidency of George W. Bush began on January 20, 2001, when he was inaugurated as the 43rd President of the United States of America. The oldest son of former president George H. W. Bush, George W...
has praised these states as sharing America's values and remembering the hardships of totalitarian regimes"..
Many of the Czech politicians involved with the Velvet Revolution
Velvet Revolution
The Velvet Revolution or Gentle Revolution was a non-violent revolution in Czechoslovakia that took place from November 17 – December 29, 1989...
and the transition from communism to democracy express similar foreign policy views to American Neoconservatives. There are also many key Czech politicians affiliated to Neoconservative think tanks and organisations. Examples of these organisations include the Prague Security Studies Institute
Prague Security Studies Institute
The Prague Security Studies Institute is a non-profit, non-governmental organization established in early 2002 to advance the building of a just, secure, democratic, free-market society in the Czech Republic and other post-communist states. Its co-founder Roger W. Robinson, Jr. is a former...
, an organisation who co-hosted the Neoconservative Democracy and Security International Conference.
Neoconservatism in the Czech Republic
According to Jenni Schaller:- "Neoconservatism, as a straiti of political thought in the United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, has been represented as "distinctly American" and Irving KristolIrving KristolIrving Kristol was an American columnist, journalist, and writer who was dubbed the "godfather of neoconservatism"...
, often considered the "godfather" of neoconservatism, emphatically states "[t]here is nothing like neoconservatism in Europe" (Kristol 2003: 33). Analyst Jeffrey Gedmin writes that the "environment for neoconservatism as such is an inhospitable one" in Europe, especially Germany (Gedmin 2004: 291). The states of Central Europe, in contrast to many of the established continental EU members, represent a rather more pro-American stance. With groups of former dissidents whose political leanings are in part informed by the American anticommunist, pro-democracy policies of the 1970s and 1980s.
Schaller Argues that:
- "After the collapse of the communist regime in late 1989, the new government consisted mainly of former dissidents and some who had not been active dissenters, but had not been active party members either. In comparison with SlovakiaSlovakiaThe Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
, many more Czech dissidents with no previous political or even professional experience were willing to assume not only legislative, but also executive posts (Ucen 1999: 85). Vaclav HavelVáclav HavelVáclav Havel is a Czech playwright, essayist, poet, dissident and politician. He was the tenth and last President of Czechoslovakia and the first President of the Czech Republic . He has written over twenty plays and numerous non-fiction works, translated internationally...
provides the most striking example, but quite a few other politically inexperienced former dissidents took important positions, especially within the first few post-1989 governments. Without exaggerating the influence of former dissidents in the post-communist era, I assume that their presence in the government, cabinet, and extragovernmental research does have an (at least limited) impact on policies, as well as public opinion.
Democracy & Security International Conference
The Democracy & Security International Conference also known as the “Democracy and Security: Core Values and Sound Policies” conference was held in Prague on the 5-6th of June, overlapping the 2007 G8 summit in Heiligendamm. Held in Prague and co-hosted by the Prague Security Studies InstitutePrague Security Studies Institute
The Prague Security Studies Institute is a non-profit, non-governmental organization established in early 2002 to advance the building of a just, secure, democratic, free-market society in the Czech Republic and other post-communist states. Its co-founder Roger W. Robinson, Jr. is a former...
the meeting was described by Jim Lobe as "Neoconservative International".
Czech politicians at the meeting include Dana Baschova, Pavel Bem
Pavel Bém
Pavel Bém is a Czech doctor and politician. Between November 28, 2002 and November 30, 2010 he served as the Mayor of the Capital City of Prague, re-elected 2006...
, Antonin Berdych, Rudolf Blazek, Jan Bubenik, Oldrich Cerny, Vaclav Havel
Václav Havel
Václav Havel is a Czech playwright, essayist, poet, dissident and politician. He was the tenth and last President of Czechoslovakia and the first President of the Czech Republic . He has written over twenty plays and numerous non-fiction works, translated internationally...
and Karel Schwarzenberg
Karel Schwarzenberg
Karel Schwarzenberg or Karel, Prince of Schwarzenberg , 7...
.