Slovak Socialist Republic
Encyclopedia
From 1969 to 1990, the Slovak Socialist Republic (Slovenská socialistická republika in Slovak
; abbreviated SSR) was the official name of that part of Czechoslovakia
that is Slovakia
today. The name was used from 1 January 1969 until March 1990.
in 1968 liberalisation reforms were halted and then reversed. The only exception was the federalization of the country. The former centralist state of Czechoslovakia was divided in two: the Czech Socialist Republic
and Slovak Socialist Republic by the Constitutional Law of Federation
of 28 October 1968, which came into effect on 1 January 1969. New national parliaments (the Czech National Council
and the Slovak National Council
) were created and the old parliament of Czechoslovakia was renamed the "Federal Assembly" and was divided in two chambers: the House of the People (cz:Sněmovna lidu / sk:Snemovňa ľudu) and the House of Nations (cz:Sněmovna národů / sk:Snemovňa národov). Very complicated rules of voting were put in effect.
Federalization was notional – all the real power was kept by the Communist Party
. The increased number of "parliaments" conveniently provided more positions for party members though their role was just symbolic.
After the fall of socialism
in Czechoslovakia, the word "socialist" was dropped in the names of the two republics, i.e. the Slovak Socialist Republic was renamed Slovak Republic (still part of Czechoslovakia).
The complicated system of parliamentary voting (there were de-facto 5 different bodies each having right of veto
) was kept after the fall of socialism, complicating and delaying political decisions during radical changes in the economy.
Later, in 1993, the Slovak Republic became an independent state and officially took the name Slovakia as a short form – see dissolution of Czechoslovakia.
Slovak language
Slovak , is an Indo-European language that belongs to the West Slavic languages .Slovak is the official language of Slovakia, where it is spoken by 5 million people...
; abbreviated SSR) was the official name of that part of Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
that is Slovakia
Slovakia
The 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...
today. The name was used from 1 January 1969 until March 1990.
History
After the occupation of CzechoslovakiaPrague Spring
The Prague Spring was a period of political liberalization in Czechoslovakia during the era of its domination by the Soviet Union after World War II...
in 1968 liberalisation reforms were halted and then reversed. The only exception was the federalization of the country. The former centralist state of Czechoslovakia was divided in two: the Czech Socialist Republic
Czech Socialist Republic
From 1969 to 1990, the Czech Socialist Republic was the official name of that part of Czechoslovakia that is the Czech Republic today. The name was used from 1 January 1969 to March 1990....
and Slovak Socialist Republic by the Constitutional Law of Federation
Constitutional Law of Federation
The Constitutional Law of Federation was a constitutional law in Czechoslovakia adopted on 27 October 1968 and in force from 1969 – 1992, by which the unitary Czechoslovak state was turned into a federation.-Federation:...
of 28 October 1968, which came into effect on 1 January 1969. New national parliaments (the Czech National Council
Czech National Council
The Czech National Council was the legislative body of the Czech Republic from 1968 to 1992. It was created in 1968 to reflect the fact that Czechoslovakia became a federation. It was legally transformed into the Chamber of deputies according to the Constitution The Czech National Council was the...
and the Slovak National Council
Slovak National Council
The Slovak National Council is the name of different types of supreme bodies in the history of Slovakia. They existed within the Kingdom of Hungary, Czechoslovakia or the Slovak Republic or were bodies of Slovak exiles:...
) were created and the old parliament of Czechoslovakia was renamed the "Federal Assembly" and was divided in two chambers: the House of the People (cz:Sněmovna lidu / sk:Snemovňa ľudu) and the House of Nations (cz:Sněmovna národů / sk:Snemovňa národov). Very complicated rules of voting were put in effect.
Federalization was notional – all the real power was kept by the Communist Party
Communist Party of Czechoslovakia
The Communist Party of Czechoslovakia, in Czech and in Slovak: Komunistická strana Československa was a Communist and Marxist-Leninist political party in Czechoslovakia that existed between 1921 and 1992....
. The increased number of "parliaments" conveniently provided more positions for party members though their role was just symbolic.
After the fall of socialism
Velvet Revolution
The Velvet Revolution or Gentle Revolution was a non-violent revolution in Czechoslovakia that took place from November 17 – December 29, 1989...
in Czechoslovakia, the word "socialist" was dropped in the names of the two republics, i.e. the Slovak Socialist Republic was renamed Slovak Republic (still part of Czechoslovakia).
The complicated system of parliamentary voting (there were de-facto 5 different bodies each having right of veto
Veto
A veto, Latin for "I forbid", is the power of an officer of the state to unilaterally stop an official action, especially enactment of a piece of legislation...
) was kept after the fall of socialism, complicating and delaying political decisions during radical changes in the economy.
Later, in 1993, the Slovak Republic became an independent state and officially took the name Slovakia as a short form – see dissolution of Czechoslovakia.
See also
- Slovaks in Czechoslovakia (1960-1990)Slovaks in Czechoslovakia (1960-1990)The division between Czechs and Slovaks in Czechoslovakia persisted as a key element in the reform movement of the 1960s and the retrenchment of the 1970s, a decade that dealt harshly with the aspirations of both Czechs and Slovaks. Ethnicity still remains integral to the social, political, and...
- Constitutional Law of FederationConstitutional Law of FederationThe Constitutional Law of Federation was a constitutional law in Czechoslovakia adopted on 27 October 1968 and in force from 1969 – 1992, by which the unitary Czechoslovak state was turned into a federation.-Federation:...
- History of CzechoslovakiaHistory of CzechoslovakiaWith the collapse of the Habsburg monarchy at the end of World War I, the independent country of Czechoslovakia was formed, encouraged by, among others, U.S. President Woodrow Wilson...
- Czech Socialist RepublicCzech Socialist RepublicFrom 1969 to 1990, the Czech Socialist Republic was the official name of that part of Czechoslovakia that is the Czech Republic today. The name was used from 1 January 1969 to March 1990....
- Czech and Slovak Federal RepublicCzech and Slovak Federal RepublicCzech and Slovak Federal Republic was the official name of Czechoslovakia from April 1990 until 31 December 1992, when the country was dissolved into the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic.- Adoption of the name :Since 1960, Czechoslovakia's official name had been Czechoslovak Socialist Republic...
- Slovak Republic (1939-1945)Slovak Republic (1939-1945)The Slovak Republic , also known as the First Slovak Republic or the Slovak State , was a fascist state which existed from 14 March 1939 to 8 May 1945 as a puppet state of Nazi Germany. It existed on roughly the same territory as present-day Slovakia...