alternatehistory.com
The Red - "Our Sasha"
"Our Sasha"
General Secretaries of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia
Klement Gottwald (1945-1953)
Antonín Novotný (1953-1968)
Alexander Dubček (1968-1975) [1]
Ota Šik (1975-1984) [2]
Rudolph Vlček (1984-1988) [3]
Vaclav Kotyk (1988-1990)
Leaders of United Czechslovakia
Vaclav Kotyk (1990-????) [4]
[1] The true "Father of the nation" in the eyes of his adherents, definitely not beloved by all but respected by most. Introduced a series of liberal reforms in the belief he had the tacit consent of Moscow, subtly told them to go fall down a well in the wake of their invasion of Romania before making it clear that Czechslovakia was staying in the Warsaw Pact and that allowing his country a modicum of independence wouldn't be a terrible message for a superpower focused on ensuring stability in Europe or spreading socialism throughout the developing world. Resigned in triumph after negotiating convertibility between the Koruna and most Western currencies, ensuring a large amount of French and West German investment. Increasingly there is a consensus that he may have deliberately got out when the going was good.
[2] 1975 would turn out to be a bad year to be a reform-minded Marxist as the oil-hungry western economies ground to a halt and the investment alongside it. Šik, the mastermind behind the economic prosperity delivered under Dubček's leadership, now found himself having to be something more than a brilliant economist. His ideals of a true "Social Market" were left by the side of the road as he was forced the juggle the demands of a large new middle class and the industrial workers who had always been the backbone of the Communist Party. This involved a large number of wage and pension increases on one hand and greater access to childcare and university on the the other, an endless cycle of spending and flashy policies that keep people convinced that things were getting better with no long-term plan. When the bubble burst Czechoslavkia suddenly found itself on the verge of economic collapse, negotiations over a new trade deal with the EEC fell through and a bailout from the Comecon forced a return to greater press censorship and restrictions on markets trading outside of the domestic economy. When the demonstrations turned violent, Šik privately admitted that he had lost control of the situation and resigned shortly after.
[3] It's probable that Šik could have remained in power for some time had he wished to do so, given the Politburo's apparent unwillingness to inherent the poisoned chalice. The election of Rudolph Vlček raised eyebrows across the Eastern Bloc but in hindsight it seems as if the relative outsider may have been chosen almost at random as a capable technocrat that some people actually liked. The ruddy faced engineer and former coal miner was virtually unknown to most of the Czechoslovakian population though ironically the confusion did help quell the protests against the dire state of the economy. Vlček wasn't a politician, but he understood the working class, and knew that he could trade off certain freedoms for a return to prosperity. This was delivered by the Comecon, whose loans were finally beginning to have a beneficial effect and Vlček used his folksy cham to great effect in informing anyone who would listen that Czechoslovakia was back on the right (left) track. It seemed as if people were forgetting all about the violence of the so-called "Prague Winter"...
[4] ...until a 54 year old with an interesting birthmark had to go and ruin everything.
"The intervention in the Socialist Republic of Romania by the WTO, without prior consultation, was a mistake. Our fraternal alliance exists to defend the sovereignty of socialist states and to maintain peace across Europe, it has caused great distress amongst many that it might not be fit for these admirable purposes. Recent events have damaged the image of our cause in the eyes of the world but not our resolve. The strength of our revolution comes not from our ignorance of past mistakes but our acknowledgement of them. Today, that great work begins anew."
~ Alexander Dubček, August 15th 1968
The criticism of the Warsaw Pact was restrained to say the least though Dubček would later admit that he was a nervous wreck whilst delivering his speech to the massed crowd in Wenceslas Square. He knew what such open condemnation of the Soviet Union might endager not only his position but also his life, nonetheless he had seen an opportunity and he had to take it. Despite his almost grieiving manner, the message drew popular support not just from the audience but from those listening to their radios and watching their televisions later on in the day. A bullet had been dodged and Socialism With A Human Face was there to stay.~ Alexander Dubček, August 15th 1968
General Secretaries of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia
Klement Gottwald (1945-1953)
Antonín Novotný (1953-1968)
Alexander Dubček (1968-1975) [1]
Ota Šik (1975-1984) [2]
Rudolph Vlček (1984-1988) [3]
Vaclav Kotyk (1988-1990)
Leaders of United Czechslovakia
Vaclav Kotyk (1990-????) [4]
[1] The true "Father of the nation" in the eyes of his adherents, definitely not beloved by all but respected by most. Introduced a series of liberal reforms in the belief he had the tacit consent of Moscow, subtly told them to go fall down a well in the wake of their invasion of Romania before making it clear that Czechslovakia was staying in the Warsaw Pact and that allowing his country a modicum of independence wouldn't be a terrible message for a superpower focused on ensuring stability in Europe or spreading socialism throughout the developing world. Resigned in triumph after negotiating convertibility between the Koruna and most Western currencies, ensuring a large amount of French and West German investment. Increasingly there is a consensus that he may have deliberately got out when the going was good.
[2] 1975 would turn out to be a bad year to be a reform-minded Marxist as the oil-hungry western economies ground to a halt and the investment alongside it. Šik, the mastermind behind the economic prosperity delivered under Dubček's leadership, now found himself having to be something more than a brilliant economist. His ideals of a true "Social Market" were left by the side of the road as he was forced the juggle the demands of a large new middle class and the industrial workers who had always been the backbone of the Communist Party. This involved a large number of wage and pension increases on one hand and greater access to childcare and university on the the other, an endless cycle of spending and flashy policies that keep people convinced that things were getting better with no long-term plan. When the bubble burst Czechoslavkia suddenly found itself on the verge of economic collapse, negotiations over a new trade deal with the EEC fell through and a bailout from the Comecon forced a return to greater press censorship and restrictions on markets trading outside of the domestic economy. When the demonstrations turned violent, Šik privately admitted that he had lost control of the situation and resigned shortly after.
[3] It's probable that Šik could have remained in power for some time had he wished to do so, given the Politburo's apparent unwillingness to inherent the poisoned chalice. The election of Rudolph Vlček raised eyebrows across the Eastern Bloc but in hindsight it seems as if the relative outsider may have been chosen almost at random as a capable technocrat that some people actually liked. The ruddy faced engineer and former coal miner was virtually unknown to most of the Czechoslovakian population though ironically the confusion did help quell the protests against the dire state of the economy. Vlček wasn't a politician, but he understood the working class, and knew that he could trade off certain freedoms for a return to prosperity. This was delivered by the Comecon, whose loans were finally beginning to have a beneficial effect and Vlček used his folksy cham to great effect in informing anyone who would listen that Czechoslovakia was back on the right (left) track. It seemed as if people were forgetting all about the violence of the so-called "Prague Winter"...
[4] ...until a 54 year old with an interesting birthmark had to go and ruin everything.
- The Red
- Word Count: 800