The Czech Constitutionalist Progressive Party () was a Czech political party in

Austria-Hungary Austria-Hungary, also referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Dual Monarchy or the Habsburg Monarchy, was a multi-national constitutional monarchy in Central Europe#Before World War I, Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. A military ...

. The party was established in April 1909 by a merger of the Czech Radical Progressive Party and the Czech Constitutionalist Radical Party. The first leader of the party was Antonín Hajn, former leader of the Radical Progressives. The party spokesman was Lev Borský.

Program

The party was a radical upholder of the rights of the

Lands of the Bohemian Crown The Lands of the Bohemian Crown were the states in Central Europe during the Middle Ages, medieval and early modern periods with feudalism, feudal obligations to the List of Bohemian monarchs, Bohemian kings. The crown lands primarily consisted o ...

and supporter of

democratization Democratization, or democratisation, is the structural government transition from an democratic transition, authoritarian government to a more democratic political regime, including substantive political changes moving in a democratic direction ...

and economic reforms. The party ideology was

liberalism Liberalism is a Political philosophy, political and moral philosophy based on the Individual rights, rights of the individual, liberty, consent of the governed, political equality, the right to private property, and equality before the law. ...

, drawing inspiration from the ideas of the

American Revolution The American Revolution (1765–1783) was a colonial rebellion and war of independence in which the Thirteen Colonies broke from British America, British rule to form the United States of America. The revolution culminated in the American ...

and the

liberal democracy Liberal democracy, also called Western-style democracy, or substantive democracy, is a form of government that combines the organization of a democracy with ideas of liberalism, liberal political philosophy. Common elements within a liberal dem ...

the party saw in the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

. In May 1914, the party published a ''"Manifesto to Europe"'' where it proclaimed support to the

Triple Entente The Triple Entente (from French meaning "friendship, understanding, agreement") describes the informal understanding between the Russian Empire, the French Third Republic, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. It was built upon th ...

. During

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, the party was suspended. Many party members joined the Czech resistance in the

Maffia Maffia (''Maffie'' or ''Mafie'' in Czech) was a secret organization acting during World War I. It was founded after the emigration of Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk in 1914 by Czech politician Edvard Beneš, who later became the second president of ...

organization. In February 1918 the party merged into the Czech Constitutional Democracy which was later succeeded by the

Czechoslovak National Democracy The Czechoslovak National Democracy (), called also Czechoslovak National Democratic Party (), was a First Republic right-wing political party in Czechoslovakia. History The party was established in 1918 by a merger of the Free-minded National P ...

.Vincent E McHale (1983) ''Political parties of Europe'', Greenwood Press, p145

Electoral results

References

{{Authority control Political parties in Austria-Hungary Political parties established in 1908 Political parties disestablished in 1918 1908 establishments in Austria-Hungary 1918 disestablishments in Austria-Hungary Defunct political parties in the Czech Republic Radical parties