The Act on National Minorities in the Eyes of Slovakians Cover Image

A nemzetiségi törvény szlovák szemmel
The Act on National Minorities in the Eyes of Slovakians

Author(s): Barna Ábrahám
Subject(s): Constitutional Law
Published by: Scientia Kiadó
Keywords: Slovak national movement; Slovak demands on autonomy; Slovak politics in 1848—1849; Slovak Memorandum (1861); Slovak perception of art. 1868: XLIV;

Summary/Abstract: As a starting point, the study underlines that one cannot speak about a homogenous Slovak nation and politics in the middle of the 19th century; therefore, it gives an overview of the plebeian-middle-class movement, of its system of values, programme, and documents in 1848—1849, 1861, and in the period of the Compromise negotiations. Afterwards, it presents the nobility of Upper Hungary, with a Slovak mother tongue and ethnic feeling, who, according to its identity in the framework of the states, has belonged to the feudal Natio Hungarica. As the narrower focus of the study, the author takes the Slovak perspective and summarizes the ethnic dimensions of the activity of parliaments in 1861 and from 1865 on. The Slovak national movement could not send its own deputy, the interests of the Slavs of northern Hungary thus being represented by Adolf Dobriansky, born as a Ruthenian; however, the Nationalities Law, Art. 1868: XLIV. could be codified rather due to the mentioned Slovak-speaking nobility, standing behind the party of Ferenc Deák. Finally, we are provided a picture of the rival programmes of different newspapers that divided the Slovak public opinion, and in connection with the law we can read about their first reactions and experiences.

  • Issue Year: III/2020
  • Issue No: 2
  • Page Range: 125-139
  • Page Count: 15
  • Language: Hungarian