VNITŘNÍ PODOBA KOMUNISTICKÉ STRANY ČESKOSLOVENSKA V OBDOBÍ TZV. NORMALIZACE – POKUS O ZÁKLADNÍ CHARAKTERISTIKU
THE COMMUNIST PARTY OF CZECHOSLOVAKIA (CPC) FROM INSIDE IN THE PERIOD OF THE NORMALIZATION – AN ATTEMPT OF A BRIEF CHARACTERISTICS

Summary/Abstract: A reform movement of the years 1968/1969 significantly disturbed the position of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia as a monopoly holder of the power in the state that determines the economic, political and social life in all of their basic aspects. The CPC stopped, to a great extent, to work as a party of the Bolshevik type, i. e. based on the strictly hierarchical principle, and especially on the lowest level, there was an obvious diversion from the principles of the so-called democratic centralism. An attempt to achieve a more democratic, humane and, last but not least, a more efficient way in governing of the society and of the Communist party alone was terminated by the intervention of Warsaw Pact armies in Czechoslovakia in August 1968 and by subsequent suppression of democratisation efforts that was assisted, under the pressure from Moscow and local conservative elements, also by pro-reform representatives of CPC. At the beginning of 1970s, the system was stabilised and survived, without any major upheavals, until the end of 1980s. The CPC regained and, in some aspects, improved the control over the governing mechanisms in the state. A nomenclature system was restored that enabled the party to control the filling of decisive functions in the state administration, economic sphere and social organisations at all levels either directly by its members, or by persons loyal to the regime. The leaders of the CPC made intensive efforts to influence the members and candidates of the party ideologically, by permanent calls for activation, which included their involvement in various forms of fight against violation of the socialist law and order. The communists were supposed to stand in the first line of fight against such transgressions, yet they often participated in them. An important role was also played by various elements of disciplining the members, especially by party punishments. A seeming immobility of the regime was disturbed in the first half of 1980s by Gorbachev reforms. The normalisation leaders of Czechoslovakia regarded them rightfully as a threat to their positions and, therefore, proceeded only very carefully in their implementation in Czechoslovakia. Generally, the disinterest of people (first of all, workers) in a membership in the CPC, motivated by pragmatic reasons anyway, was growing. And a willingness of party members to engage themselves in favour of the regime was falling down, which was decidedly manifested at the end of 1989.

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