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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 25 January 2017
The people of Czechoslovakia have gone to the polls four times since the end of the Second World War to elect a national parliament—in 1946, 1948, 1954, and 1960. Although an analysis of the vote in May, 1946, is interesting and important for an understanding of the Czechoslovak situation, such an analysis would be of little value for the elections that were held after the coup d'etat of Prague in February, 1948. The principle of National Front balloting, in practice in 1948 although not codified until 1954, leaves the voter with practically no alternatives. Since the net affirmative vote for the candidates of the National Front is well over 90 per cent of the total vote, a key to understanding the uses of the Czechoslovak parliament must be found elsewhere than in analysis of voting behavior. Therefore, the elected deputies themselves are the subject of this inquiry.
The legal form of the Czechoslovak parliament was not particularly changed by the social and political events of the first postwar years (1945-48).
1 According to the constitutional law No. 27, par. 21, of May 26, 1954, on “elections to the National Assembly.“
2 Kozák, Jan, “Možnost revolu£niho využití parlamentu při přechodu k socialismu a úloha lidových mas,” Přispevky k dějimám KSĆ, No. 1 (Prague: Úrstav Dějin KSC, 1957), p. 32.Google Scholar
3 The Constitutional Decree of the President of the Republic No. 47 of August 25, 1945, established the number of deputies at 300. Details about electoral law, eligibility, and elections to the Provisional National Assembly were laid down by Government Decree No. 48/1945 of the same date.
4 Keesing's Contemporary Archives, Vol. 1946-48, p . 7944 C.
5 Kozák, op. cit., p. 33.
6 Joseph Stalin, Works (1st ed.; Moscow: Foreign Languages Publishing House), I, 147.
7 Rudé právo (Prague), December 16, 1954.
8 Rudé právo, October 21,1954.
9 Keesings Contemporary Archives, Vol. 1946-48, p. 9148 A.
10 Ibid., p. 9445.
11 Ibid.
12 As reprinted in Czechoslovakia, eds. Vratislav Bušek and Nicholas Spulber (New York: Praeger, 1957), p. 88.
13 Election Law No. 26/1954 stipulates that one deputy is to be elected for each constituency of 35,000. On April 9, 1960, the National Assembly amended this law to reduce the number of deputies back to 300. “Increase of population would cause a constantly rising number of deputies, which would be, naturally, in contrast to our conditions.“ Radio Prague, April 9, 1960.
14 The numerical distribution, which was tabulated by the author, Is omitted here because of lack of space.
15 The chairman of the National Assembly receives 8,000 Kč. (Czechoslovak crowns; official rate of exchange is 7 Kč to $1.00), the deputy chairmen each 5,000 Kč, and deputies-at-large each 1,500 Kč per month, plus compensation for trips and the days of the sessions. This is in addition to salaries accruing from their regular positions. Cf. Sbirka zákonů Československé Socialistické Republiky, No. 43, July 13, 1960 (No. 111 of statutory measures). The present rates represent an increase of about 20 per cent compared with the compensations received by the deputies before the indicated date.