Liberalism in Austria
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Contributions to liberal theory |
This article gives an overview of liberalism in Austria. It is limited to liberal parties with substantial support, mainly proved by having had a representation in parliament. The sign ⇒ means a reference to another party in that scheme. For inclusion in this scheme it isn't necessary so that parties labeled themselves as a liberal party.
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Introduction
In the Austrian Empire a liberal current evolved in the nineteenth century. When the national question became more important in Austrian politics, the current evolved in nationalist direction and so disappeared as a liberal current. Later attempts to reorganize liberalism were unsuccessful. The tradition of being associated with Pan-Germanism was carried forward from Austria-Hungary into the Austrian Republic. The Freedom Party of Austria was founded in 1955, but was even in the beginning a problematic movement including both liberals (especially economic liberals) and German nationialists, including some former Nazis. The attraction of the party to some of its voters lay in its opposition to both the catholic clericalism of the Austrian People's Party and to the Marxism of the Social Democratic Party of Austria.
Liberal politicians gained control over the Freedom Party during the years from 1980 to 1986, when it was led by Norbert Steger. However, its participation in a coalition under socialist Chancellor Fred Sinowatz brought it to the verge of extinction, which allowed Jörg Haider to take control of the party in 1986. With the support of the remaining Pan-Germans (the appeal of whose own views has an equally small appeal to the Austrian electorate today), he transformed it into a right-wing populist, frequently xenophobic party. The Freedom Party was subsequently expelled from the Liberal International, and the remaining liberals seceded to found the Liberal Forum (Liberales Forum, member LI, ELDR) in 1993.
However, when the Liberal Forum lost its seats in parliament in 1999 and became a micro-party, liberalism effectively ceased to exist as a political force in Austria. Economic liberalism is now probably best represented by some factions of the conservative Austrian People's Party, while the Austrian Green Party holds the most liberal views on social issues.
The timeline
From Constitutional Party until German Progressive Party
- 1861: Liberals from various parliamentary factions united in the Constitutional Party (Verfassungspartei)
- 1873: A radical faction formed the ⇒ Progressive Club, a right-wing faction formed the conservative Constitutionalist Landlordism (Verfassungstreue Grossgrundbesitz)
- 1881: The Constitutional Party merged with the ⇒ Progressive Club into the United Left (Vereinigte Linke)
- 1885: The United Left fell apart in the liberal German Austrian Club (Deutsch-Österreichische Klub) and the nationalist German Club (Deutsche Klub)
- 1888: The party merged with the moderate parts of the German Club into the United German Left (Verenigte Deutsche Linke)
- 1891: The Constitutionalist Landlordism merged into the party
- 1897: The party fell apart into the Constitutionalist Landlordism and the German Progressive Party (Deutsche Fortschrittspartei)
- 1911: The party merged into the nationalist German National League (Deutsche Nationalverband), liberal forces ceased to exits
Progressive Club
- 1873: A radical faction of the ⇒ Constitutional Party formed the Progressive Club (Fortschrittsklub)
- 1881: The party merged into the ⇒ United Left
Liberal Forum
- 1993: Liberal dissidents inside the nationalist Freedom Party of Austria (Freiheitliche Partei Österreichs), which was between 1980 and 1986 more or less a liberal controlled party, formed the Liberal Forum (Liberales Forum)
Liberal leaders
Liberal thinkers
In the Contributions to liberal theory the following Austrian thinkers are included:
- Ludwig von Mises (1881-1973)
- Friedrich Hayek (1899-1992)
- Karl Raimund Popper (1902-1994)
References
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