Editing Prague Spring (section)

==Background==
{{Eastern Bloc sidebar}}

The process of [[de-Stalinization]] in Czechoslovakia had begun under [[Antonín Novotný]] in the late 1950s and early 1960s, but had progressed more slowly than in most other states of the [[Eastern Bloc]].<ref>Williams (1997), p. 170</ref> Following the lead of [[Nikita Khrushchev]], Novotný proclaimed the ''completion of socialism'', and the [[1960 Constitution of Czechoslovakia|new constitution]]<ref>Williams (1997), p. 7</ref> accordingly adopted the name change from "Czechoslovak Republic" to "Czechoslovak Socialist Republic". The pace of de-Stalinization, however, was sluggish; the rehabilitation of Stalin-era victims, such as those convicted in the [[Slánský trial]], may have been considered as early as 1963, but did not take place until 1967.<ref>Skilling (1976), p. 47</ref>

[[History of Czechoslovakia (1948–1989)|In the early 1960s]], Czechoslovakia underwent an economic downturn.<ref>{{Cite web| title = Photius.com, (info from CIA world Factbook)| url = http://www.photius.com/countries/slovakia/economy/czechoslovakia_economy_economic_policy_and_~777.html| publisher = Photius Coutsoukis| access-date = 20 January 2008| archive-date = 16 January 2009| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090116152207/http://www.photius.com/countries/slovakia/economy/czechoslovakia_economy_economic_policy_and_~777.html| url-status = live}}</ref> The Soviet model of [[Industrialisation|industrialization]] applied poorly to Czechoslovakia since the country was already quite industrialized before World War II while the Soviet model mainly took into account less developed economies. Novotný's attempt at restructuring the economy, the 1965 ''New Economic Model'', spurred increased demand for political reform as well.<ref name="Williams5">Williams (1997), p. 5</ref>

The liberalization of 1960s enabled a partial reclaiming of the political and cultural legacy of the [[First Czechoslovak Republic]] and its figures such as [[Tomáš Masaryk]], which was ideologically suppressed in the Stalin era as [[bourgeois nationalist]] and [[liberal capitalist]]. This reclamation can be seen in the success of publications such as ''Tomáš G. Masaryk'' (1968) by [[Milan Machovec]].<ref name=Žďárský>Žďárský, Pavel (2011). ''[https://dspace.cuni.cz/handle/20.500.11956/35237 Milan Machovec a jeho filosofická antropologie v 60. letech XX. století]'' [Milan Machovec and His Philosophical Anthropology in the 1960s]. Prague: Charles University, Faculty of Education, Department of Civic Education and Philosophy. Dissertation, supervised by {{ill|Anna Hogenová|cs}}.</ref>

=== 1963 Liblice Conference ===
In May 1963, some Marxist intellectuals organized the ''Liblice Conference'' that discussed [[Franz Kafka]]'s life, marking the beginning of the cultural [[democratization]] of Czechoslovakia which ultimately led to the 1968 ''Prague Spring'', an era of political liberalization. This conference was unique because it symbolized Kafka's [[Rehabilitation (Soviet)|rehabilitation]] in the [[Eastern Bloc]] after having been heavily criticized, led to a partial opening up of the regime and influenced the relaxation of [[censorship]]. It also had an international impact as a representative from all Eastern Bloc countries were invited to the Conference; only the Soviet Union did not send any representative. This conference had a revolutionary effect and paved the way for the reforms while making Kafka the symbol of the renaissance of Czechoslovak artistic and intellectual freedom.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Bahr|first=E.|date=1970|title=Kafka and the Prague Spring|journal=Mosaic: A Journal for the Interdisciplinary Study of Literature|volume=3|issue=4|pages=15–29|issn=0027-1276|jstor=24776229}}</ref>

===1967 Writers' Congress===
As the strict regime eased its rules, the ''Union of Czechoslovak Writers'' ({{langx|cs|Svaz československých spisovatelů}}) cautiously began to air discontent. In ''[[Literární noviny]]'', the union's previously hard-line communist weekly, members suggested that literature should be independent of the Communist Party doctrine.<ref name="Williams55"/>

In June 1967, a small fraction of the union sympathized with radical socialists, especially [[Ludvík Vaculík]], [[Milan Kundera]], [[Jan Procházka (writer)|Jan Procházka]], [[Antonín Jaroslav Liehm]], [[Pavel Kohout]] and [[Ivan Klíma]].<ref name="Williams55"/>

A few months later, at a meeting of Party leaders, it was decided that administrative actions against the writers who openly expressed support of reformation would be taken. Since only a small group of the union held these beliefs, the remaining members were relied upon to discipline their colleagues.<ref name="Williams55"/> Control over ''Literární noviny'' and several other publishers was transferred to the Ministry of Culture,<ref name="Williams55"/> and even some leaders of the Party who later became major reformers—including Dubček—endorsed these moves.<ref name="Williams55">Williams (1997), p. 55</ref>