8 - Prelude to February

Summary

SOCIAL DEMOCRATS

The tense atmosphere created by the international situation, the Communist campaign over the millionaires' tax and the Slovak crisis forced all Czech parties to reassess their policies. Among Social Democrats this meant, particularly after the agreement signed by the party's leadership with the KSČ, a growing belief that only the removal of Fierlinger and election of a new leadership could give their party a new and distinctive identity. The only credible alternative chairman was Laušman. He could command support throughout the party thanks to his role in the nationalisation of industries, and he seemed more committed to an independent identity for the party than was Fierlinger. At the party's congress in November 1947 Fierlinger refused to resign voluntarily and the issue was taken to a vote. Laušman received 283 votes, Fierlinger 182 and the outsider John only got one. The significance of this change was not immediately obvious as there had been no open division over policies and it could even be presented as a change of personalities only. Moreover, both Fierlinger and Laušman resigned from the government and were replaced by Tymeš, who had supported Laušman, and Jankovcová, a firm Fierlinger supporter.

The greatest obstacle to the formulation of a non-Communist but not anti-Communist policy was the international situation. In practice the Social Democrats had been looking to the East. They were suspicious of ideas of reviving the Second International which had been an ti-Communist and contained pro-Munich elements. They could not ally with German Social Democracy because of its vague position on the expulsion of Germans and its support for the Truman doctrine.