Authoritarianism comes to Eastern Europe

Kagan, Ch. 27

After WWI In 1920s Austria, Poland, Czechoslovakia,

Yugoslavia, Romania & Bulgaria = parliamentary systems & in 1924 Greece = republic BUT…

all of these areas EXCEPT Czechoslavakia adopt authoritarian state Limited participation of the masses Passive acceptance tolerated; population mustn’t play

very active role in regime Why???

No liberal political tradition; no strong middle class for support; lg. landowners afraid of land reform; ethnic conflicts; growing communist influence among peasants; churches afraid of liberal change

Authoritarian fascist influence of Italy and Germany

Poland Restored after 130 years of being ruled

by its neighbors, nationalism was not sufficient to overcome regional differences

In 1926, Marshal Josef Pilsudski (1867–1935) carried out a coup. increasing anti-Semitism non-Polish minorities discriminated

against

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Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia was fortunate enough to

have a gifted leader in Thomas Masaryk The country worked well until the 30s,

when German nationalists looked to Hitler, and he Annexed the Sudetenland while the world watched

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Hungary After the war, there was a short-lived

Communist Republic under Bela Kun Following the fall of the Communists, an

aristocratic government ruled Admiral Miklos Horthy – regent for Habsurg

monarch, 1920-1944 Count Stephen Bethlen – actual ruler 1920-

1932 General Julius Gömbös – anti-Semite ruled

1932-1936

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Austria Throughout the 20s there was

dissention in Parliament between the Social Democrats and the Christian Socialists

By the 30s, the Christian Socialists had control, until the Nazis annexed Austria in 1938 Engelbert Dollfus chancellor until

assassinated until 1934 Kurt von Schuschnigg, 1934-1938

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Southeastern Europe: Royal Dictatorships Serbs and Croats clashed in Yugoslavia

Violence between ethnic nationalists led to royal dictatorship in 1929 under King Alexander I, a Serb

Royal dictatorships were also established in Romania, Bulgaria, and Greece

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