Is the Prague Spring of 1968 an Alternative to the Capitalism of Today? Political Reflections on an Historical Interpretation

Abstract

V komentáři jednoho fi lmového dokumentu televizní stanice BBC o Československu v roce 1968 byla použita frekventovaná zkratka o reformních komunistech vedených Alexandrem Dubčekem, kteří se pokusili nahradit socialismus totalitní socialismem demokratickým a jejichž vážný pokus o reformu musel být rozdrcen pásy sovětských tanků. Historické zkratky jsou nevyhnutelné a v jistém smyslu se bez nich neobejdeme. Celá historie je nutně založena na zkratkách. Pokud se vžijí, fungují jako prostá

Running in Place: “Czeching” out the W/E(a)stern Performative Presidential Geoprostitution

“…As historiographic materials show, Havel, originally a dissident and absurdist playwright, became dependent on Calfa for his ability to precisely structure the negotiated transition (Suk, 1999;Zídek, 2009). Not only Havel but Calfa's predecessor-Czechoslovak communist prime minister Ladislav Adamec (1987)(1988)(1989)-also lacked a clear political vision, which was apparent when he declined to meet and recognize Havel four days after the disruptive demonstrations in November 1989 (Suk, 2003;Rudé právo, 1989).…”

“…Not only Havel but Calfa’s predecessor—Czechoslovak communist prime minister Ladislav Adamec (1987–1989)—also lacked a clear political vision, which was apparent when he declined to meet and recognize Havel four days after the disruptive demonstrations in November 1989 (Suk, 2003; Rudé právo, 1989). Not only could one argue that this highly personalized communist/dissident political symbiosis marked the most important part of the Czechoslovak negotiated “Velvet Revolution” as a political transition (Suk, 2009), but it too helps explain what Desfor Edles (1995, pp. 370–371) saw as a need to replace the rationalist “pact-school” with a more culturalist approach.…”