Klausism Explained

In Czech politics, Klausism refers to the political positions of Václav Klaus, former prime minister and president of the Czech Republic. It was first used by Mirek Topolánek, who designated Klausism as the ideology of the Civic Democratic Party (ODS).[1] [2] [3] This term was also used by former Prague mayor Jan Kasl.[4] Klaus himself does not take issue with the term.[5] The current usage of the term "Klausism" has become distanced from Klaus himself, leading to the phrase "Klausism without Klaus".[5] [6] The term "Klausism" is also frequently used as a label for the neologisms invented by Klaus. Klaus himself used the term "Mental Scheme of ODS", which he allegedly invented by chance. This term was also used by Jan Kasl.[7]

Political positions

Klaus is known for his Euroscepticism, climate change denial, homophobia, and anti-immigration, and support of free-market capitalism.[8] [9] Klaus's stances are often described as liberal conservative combined with national liberalism and Czech nationalism. Jan Pauer described Klaus's political ideology as a combination of the monetarism of Milton Friedman, Thatcherite-type of neoliberalism ("economic libertarianism"), Czech national conservatism, and leadership pragmatism. Klaus described himself as liberal, conservative, and pragmatic.[10]

Bohumil Doležal believes that Klausism is about "fighting against isms", including environmentalism, pro-Europeanism, NGOism, or "homosexualism" (a phrase itself coined by Klaus). It is opposition to perceived trends in Western politics. According to Doležal, Klausism is a fight for "realistic policies that solve problems and do not serve dogmatic ideologies". Doležal stated that Klausism itself became one of these Isms.[11] In 2011, Ekonom Magazine likened Klausism to Gaullism, asserting that the two were very similar. Both ideologies support the strong position of the president, but in the case of Klaus it is informal and balancing at the edge of the Czech constitution.[12]

Klausism without Klaus

Klausism without Klaus was a term coined by Mirek Topolánek following conflicts between Václav Klaus and ODS. Bohumil Doležal likened it to "Socialism with a human face".[11] It is often characterised as support for Klaus's ideas but not Klaus himself.[13] Topolánek wanted to retain the positive elements of Klaus' legacy and leave out the negatives. Klausism without Klaus was represented by Petr Nečas, Miroslava Němcová, and Tomáš Chalupa. Klausism without Klaus supports economic liberalism, political responsibility, a small state, opposition to other ideologies, and the "rule of common sense".[14]

Poděbrady Articles

The term "Mental scheme of ODS" was formulated into the Poděbrady Articles in 1998,[15] proclaiming the four principles that ODS supports, including protection of privacy, a small state, a future without debts, and solidarity of responsibilities.[16]

Parties linked with Klausism

Neologisms

The term Klausism is also used for neologisms coined by Václav Klaus. Klaus is noted for his use of language and often invents new words to describe things he opposes. For example, Klaus invented the word "Havlism", which subsequently entered wider use. Klaus also expressed opposition to "homosexualism". Other widely used Klausisms are Opposition Agreement or Sarajevo assassination.[32]

Criticism

Klausism has many critics. Jiří Pehe called Klausism deviant and its own worst enemy, noting Klausism's opposition to modern isms, a category to which Pehe believes it belongs.[2] Pehe believes that Klausism is not what Klaus says but what he did when he was in power. He considers Klaus to be very politically flexible and ignorant of other opinions.[33] Pehe suggested that Klausism would be doom for ODS.[34] The Czech Green Party leader Ondřej Liška described Klausism as dangerous for democracy. He called Klausism an "ideology of arbitrariness that threatens democracy", comparing it to Communism due to its lack of principles.[35] [36]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Schoulová. Petra. MIrek Topolánek: Nezměníme ideologii, máme klausismus. Hospodářské noviny. 9 March 2017. cs. 16 December 2002. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170312042459/http://ihned.cz/c1-12023170-mirek-topolanek-nezmenime-ideologii-mame-klausismus. 12 March 2017.
  2. Web site: Jiří . Pehe . Homosexualismus a klausismus. Aktuálně.cz . 6 August 2011. 2 April 2017. cs. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170312040456/http://blog.aktualne.cz/blogy/jiri-pehe.php?itemid=13895. 12 March 2017.
  3. Web site: ODS does not need new ideology, it has its Klausism – Topolanek . Access Library . Europe Intelligence Wire . 9 March 2017 . bot: unknown . https://archive.today/20120529202628/www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-9967063_ITM . 29 May 2012 .
  4. Web site: Česká redakce. bbc.co.uk. 9 March 2017. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20151219235235/http://www.bbc.co.uk/czech/interview/021216_klaus.shtml. 19 December 2015.
  5. Web site: Vyprázdněná politika je příležitost pro "havlismus", říká Václav Klaus. iDNES.cz. 9 March 2017. 16 November 2009. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170312043628/http://zpravy.idnes.cz/vyprazdnena-politika-je-prilezitost-pro-havlismus-rika-vaclav-klaus-126-/domaci.aspx?c=A091115_200740_domaci_vel. 12 March 2017.
  6. Web site: Fischer in HN: Klaus's intellectual legacy to affect society . archive.is . 9 March 2017 . 29 May 2012 . bot: unknown . https://archive.today/20120529202629/praguemonitor.com/2011/01/14/fischer-hn-klauss-intellectual-legacy-affect-society . 29 May 2012 .
  7. Web site: Klaus. Václav. Komu překáží myšlenkové schéma ODS? . klaus.cz. 4 April 2017. cs. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170404221027/https://www.klaus.cz/clanky/1203. 4 April 2017.
  8. Web site: Radio Prague – A decade with President Václav Klaus. Radio.cz. 9 March 2017. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20160609211701/http://www.radio.cz/en/section/special/a-decade-with-president-vaclav-klaus. 9 June 2016.
  9. Web site: Karel Hvížďala » Nebojme se Klause, ale klausismu. Aktuálně.cz . 9 March 2017. cs. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170312034501/http://blog.aktualne.cz/blogy/karel-hvizdala.php?itemid=13918. 12 March 2017.
  10. Book: Nagle. John D.. Mahr. Alison. Democracy and democratization : post-communist Europe in comparative perspective. 1999. Sage. London. 978-0-7619-5679-2. 188. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170312041253/https://books.google.cz/books?id=RLRuXV9vjswC&pg=PA188&lpg=PA188&dq=v%C3%A1clav+klaus+conservatism&source=bl&ots=8yjZxNTt09&sig=eu9KigrBpU6ftFQaTrMapX7VbhY&hl=cs&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi9yObx_8nSAhUC1hoKHYTwAhcQ6AEIIzAC#v=onepage&q=v%C3%A1clav%20klaus%20conservatism&f=false. 2017-03-12.
  11. Web site: Doležal. Bohumil. Čas falešných proroků. Lidovky.cz. 2 April 2017. 17 August 2011.
  12. Web site: Břešťan. Robert. Klausismus podle vzoru gaullismus. ekonom.ihned.cz. 2 April 2017. cs. 28 April 2011. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170403015029/http://ekonom.ihned.cz/c1-51698870-klausismus-podle-vzoru-gaullismus. 3 April 2017.
  13. Web site: Doležal. Bohumil. Návrat Václava Klause se odkládá – Přítomnost.cz. www.pritomnost.cz. 2 April 2017. cs. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170403110433/http://www.pritomnost.cz/cz/archiv-od-roku-2012/424-navrat-vaclava-klause-se-odklada. 3 April 2017.
  14. Web site: Česká televize. Děti roztomilého dinosaura. ceskatelevize.cz. 2 April 2017. cs. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170403014050/http://www.ceskatelevize.cz/ct24/nazory/1292076-deti-roztomileho-dinosaura. 3 April 2017.
  15. Web site: Pětadvacet let ODS a této země. Tyden.cz. 17 August 2017. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170818044927/http://www.tyden.cz/rubriky/domaci/politika/petadvacet-let-ods-a-teto-zeme_380904.html. 18 August 2017. 2016-04-24.
  16. Web site: Čtyři poděbradské artikuly. ODS.cz. 17 August 2017. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170818010831/http://www.ods.cz/docs/programy/ctyri-podebradske-artikuly-1998.pdf. 18 August 2017.
  17. Web site: Kopecký. Josef. Nezměníme ideologii, máme klausismus. Hospodářské noviny. 9 March 2017. cs. 16 December 2002. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170312042048/http://archiv.ihned.cz/c1-12020930-nezmenime-ideologii-mame-klausismus. 12 March 2017.
  18. Web site: 2019-03-18. Přirovnání bylo asi přepjaté, uznal Klaus. Zvažuje založení nové strany. 2021-10-29. iDNES.cz. cs.
  19. News: Přišel čas vzít si naši zemi zpátky, řekl Klaus. Představil hnutí Trikolóra. . 10 June 2019.
  20. Web site: Klaus se vrátí, tvrdí Bobošíková. Strana se má jmenovat SUPR. Novinky.cz. 9 March 2017. cs. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170312070947/https://www.novinky.cz/domaci/311451-klaus-se-vrati-tvrdi-bobosikova-strana-se-ma-jmenovat-supr.html. 12 March 2017.
  21. Web site: Bartoníček. Radek. Klaus a Valenta si notovali. Fandím lidem jako on, řekl exprezident. ihned.cz. 10 March 2017. cs-CZ. 5 May 2016. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170312061807/http://archiv.ihned.cz/c1-65280810-klaus-a-valenta-si-notovali-fandim-lidem-jako-on-rekl-exprezident. 12 March 2017.
  22. Web site: Česká republika vystoupila z EU. Vláda ČR odeslala Evropské radě dopis. Bývalý Svobodný odešel ze strany a... . Krajské listy.cz.
  23. Web site: Bek. Lukáš. Novou stranu zakládají Klausovi nejbližší spolupracovníci. Novinky.cz. 9 March 2017. cs. 8 January 2009. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170312070814/https://www.novinky.cz/domaci/158345-novou-stranu-zakladaji-klausovi-nejblizsi-spolupracovnici.html. 12 March 2017.
  24. Web site: O.K., všichni jste středoleví!. A2larm. 2 January 2018. cs. live. https://archive.today/20140213163307/http://a2larm.cz/2013/11/o-k-vsichni-jste-stredolevi/. 13 February 2014.
  25. Web site: Události Komentáře. Česká televize. 24 November 2016. 5 December 2016 .
  26. Web site: Voliči nejsou nemyslící stádo, které se dá koupit, říká Robejšek. idnes.cz. 28 November 2016. 1 December 2021 .
  27. Web site: Klaus – nadávají na něj, ale nakonec se ukáže, že měl pravdu. hannig.blog.idnes.cz. 2 December 2021. cs. 3 November 2009.
  28. Web site: Železný: O jedničce na kandidátce Libertas.cz rozhodnou Češi, ne Irové. idnes.cz. 21 November 2022. cs. 24 January 2009.
  29. Web site: Was kritisieren die Kritiker?. Goethe-Institut. 21 November 2022. de. May 2014.
  30. Web site: Vzkříšená ODA se mohla jmenovat Nová energie. Vede ji miliardář, chce euro a aby ženy víc rodily . zpravy.aktualne.cz. 21 November 2022. cs. 25 January 2017.
  31. Book: Reviewing European Union Accession: Unexpected Results, Spillover Effects, and Externalities . 2017. Tom Hashimoto. Michael Rhimes. 105. Martinus Nijhoff Publishers . 9789004352070 .
  32. Web site: Nový klausismus – spokojování. Podle expertky je prezident kreativní . Lidovky.cz. 28 March 2017. 19 November 2012. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170821084359/http://www.lidovky.cz/klausismy-podle-jazykovedcu-je-prezident-kreativni-f9j-/zpravy-domov.aspx?c=A121118_132740_ln_domov_khu. 21 August 2017.
  33. Web site: Neviditelný pes. archiv.neviditelnypes.lidovky.cz. 2 April 2017. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170403014441/http://archiv.neviditelnypes.lidovky.cz/clanky/2003/01/27444_12_0_0.html. 3 April 2017.
  34. Web site: Jiří Pehe: Smutné výročí Občanské demokratické strany. Rozhlas.cz. 2 April 2017. cs. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20180131201755/http://www.rozhlas.cz/plus/nazory/_zprava/jiri-pehe-smutne-vyroci-obcanske-demokraticke-strany--1605549. 31 January 2018.
  35. Web site: Liška (SZ): Klausismus jako ohrožení demokracie. parlamentnilisty.cz. 2 April 2017. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170403015237/http://www.parlamentnilisty.cz/politika/politici-volicum/Liska-SZ-Klausismus-jako-ohrozeni-demokracie-288964. 3 April 2017.
  36. Web site: Liška varuje před nebezpečím klausismu . EuroZprávy.cz. 2 April 2017. en. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170403110609/http://domaci.eurozpravy.cz/politika/79045-liska-varuje-pred-nebezpecim-klausismu/. 3 April 2017.

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