Anton Pelinka

Das politische System Österreichs

Das politische System Osterreichs grundet sich verfassungsrechtlich auf den „1. Republik“ genannten historischen Abschnitt (1918 bis 1933 bzw. 1934). Die „2. Republik“ unterscheidet sich daher von der 1. Republik nicht durch ein anderes, spezifisches Verfassungsdokument, sondern durch eine andere, spezifische politische Kultur. Die durch eine ausgepragte Parteien- und Verbandestaatlichkeit charakterisierte „Konkordanzdemokratie“ (Lehmburch 1967; Lijphart 1977; Engelmann 2001) ist das Merkmal dieser politischen Kultur, deren Wandel in den 1990er Jahren auch zu einer Debatte uber eine — mogliche — „3. Republik“ gefuhrt hat (Dachs 1991; Luther/Muller 1992; Mantl 1992; Pelinka 1998; Pelinka/Rosenberger 2000; Pelinka/Welan 2001; Plasser/Ulram 2002).

AUSTRIAN EUROSCEPTICISM: THE SHIFT FROM THE LEFT TO THE RIGHT

Austria was a latecomer to the European Union amongst the prosperous European liberal democracies. The reason for this delay was Austria’s permanent neutrality. During the years of the Cold War, Austria preferred to abstain from European Community membership due to its specific geopolitical position. When the coalition of the centre-left SPO and the centre-right OVP decided to apply for EC membership in 1989, most of the opposition came from the left, which considered neutrality and EC membership not to be fully compatible. During the 1990s, this situation changed – the left (notably the Green Party) progressively lost its earlier Euroscepticism, while the right (especially the FPO) increasingly identified itself with Eurosceptic positions. This was underlined by the Austrian response to the ‘sanctions’ imposed on the Austrian government in 2000 by the governments of the 14 other EU member states as a response to the inclusion of the FPO in the government. Moderate voters on both the centre-right and centre- left, as well as supporters of the Greens, retained their ‘Euro-optimistic’ attitudes, in contrast to the rightist voters of the FPO.

Austrian women in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries : cross-disciplinary perspectives

This volume, the first of its kind in English, brings together scholars from different disciplines who address the history of women in Austria, as well as their place in contemporary Austrian society, from a variety of theoretical and methodological perspectives, thus shedding new light on contemporary Austria and in the context of its rich and complicated history.

Koalitionen in Österreich: Keine westeuropäische Normalität

Seit der Wiedererrichtung der Republik 1945 sind in Osterreichs politischem System drei Phasen der Regierungskonstellation auszumachen1: (1) 1945 bis 1966 bildeten die beiden dominanten Grosparteien OVP (Osterreichische Volkspartei) und SPO (Sozialistische Partei Osterreichs, seit 1991 Sozialdemokratische Partei Osterreichs) gemeinsam eine „Grose Koalition“, an der sich bis 1947 auch noch die KPO (Kommunistische Partei Osterreichs) beteiligte (Allparteien- oder Konzentrationsregierung). (2) 1966 bis 1983 regierte zunachst die OVP (bis 1970), dann die SPO allein. In diese Phase der Alleinregierungen fallt auch die Minderheitsregierung der SPO (1970 bis 1971), in der die Regierung sich auf eine parlamentarische Duldungsabsprache mit der FPO (Freiheitliche Partei Osterreichs) stutzen konnte. Die Alleinregierungen bis 1970 und ab 1971 bauten auf den absoluten Mehrheiten der jeweiligen Regierungspartei im Nationalrat. (3) Ab 1983, als Ergebnis des Verlustes der absoluten Mehrheit der SPO, setzte eine zweite Phase koalitionaren Regierens ein — zunachst, bis Ende 1986, als „Kleine Koalition“ (minimum winning coalition) zwischen SPO und FPO, dann bis Januar 2000 als „Grose Koalition“ zwischen SPO und OVP, ab Februar 2000 als minimal winning coalition zwischen FPO und OVP.

Austria in the nineteen fifties

Contributors discuss demographic, economic, and cultural trends in Austria in the post-war era, and issues involved in the study of contemporary history. Topical and nontopical essays and book reviews address foreign relations, Austrian industry, youth culture, and the Marshall Plan. Six of the 17 e

Antisemitism in the 1990s: A Symposium

We recently addressed the following statement and questions on the strength and nature of anti-Semitism in the 1990s to a number of Jews and non-Jews throughout the world: Talk of a ‘revival’ or ‘resurgence’ of anti-Semitism is now commonplace. This seems to be the result of developments in the former USSR and in Eastern and Central Europe since 1989, but also of increasing reports of anti-Semitic incidents taking place throughout Western Europe and similar problems emerging in North America, South America, Australia and South Africa. 1) How serious is the recent ‘resurgence’ of anti-Semitism? Is this in any sense a global phenomenon? Is talk of a ‘revival of antisemitism’ justified? 2) What are in your view the most important contemporary manifestations of anti-Semitism? Should anti-Semitism still mainly be seen as a phenomenon of extreme right- and left-wing politics and ideology, or is contemporary anti-Semitism more seriously present in popular culture, within political and social elites, in the school playground? 3) What role, if any, do you think the conflict between Israel and the Arab world is playing in fostering anti-Jewish sentiment? How important is the emergence of Islamic fundamentalism in this context? To what extent is anti-Semitism today taking the guise of anti-Zionism? 4) Finally, if there is indeed an upsurge in antiswemitism, what do you think are its major causes? What part is nationalism, particularly in the Commonwealth of Independent States and in Eastern and Central Europe, playing in causing or exacerbating contemporary anti-Semitism? Do you agree that there was until recently a post-Holocaust taboo on anti-Semitism that has now been lifted?

Austrian social partnership: Stability versus innovation

After 1945 Austria developed a characteristic system of intense cooperation between the traditional ‘camps’ which had been responsible for the destabilisation of the Austrian republic before 1934. The institutionalised network of co‐operation between employers and employees — social partnership ‐ is the most important example of (neo‐J corporatist structures within a Western industrialised society. But it has specific features which do not permit a simple export of the Austrian ‘model’. Social partnership has undoubtedly been successful, but it has a political price in a lack of democratic quality which is the main reason for the problems social partnership has had to face since the later 1970s. There is evidence that social partnership has already started to decline.

Eine „Verwestlichung“ Österreichs? Zum Wandel des politischen Systems durch den EU-Beitritt

Osterreich hat als erstes der vier Beitrittsbewerber in einer Volksabstimmung am 12. Juni 1994 mit uberraschend eindeutiger Mehrheit alle Voraussetzungen fur einen EU-Beitritt 1995 hergestellt.1 Damit ist eine Weichenstellung erfolgt, die einem tiefgreifenden Wandel des politischen Systems entspricht: Osterreich nahert sich dem Westen nicht nur — ausgedruckt in seiner EU-Mitgliedschaft — ausenpolitisch, sondern auch in den mesbaren Merkmalen seines politischen Systems schlechthin.

Austria in the European Union

Since it joined the European Union in 1995 Austria has has experienced dramatic reversals in how it is viewed by other members of the Union. In 1998 it assumed its first presidency and its competent conduct enhanced its reputation. Then Jorg Haider formed a rightwing populist government and the other members of the Union levied sanctions. This volume assesses Austrias first five years in the European Union and also its on going struggle with its past.

Utopie – Opium für Intellektuelle

Der nachvollziehbare Zorn uber die Ausbeutung des Menschen durch den Menschen und uber die daraus resultierende Not ist ein starkes, den Humanismus begleitendes, ja ihn begrundendes Motiv fur politisches Handeln. Politik, verstanden als „Hand Anlegen“ fur die Entrechteten dieser Welt – das ist der Hintergrund der verschiedensten politischen Stromungen, nicht nur aber auch und vor allem dessen, was aus europaischer Perspektive „Neuzeit“ heist.