Problematyka przemian ekonomicznych w myśli Socjalistycznej Partii Austrii

Abstract

Starting with an introductory discussion introducing the most essential terminological definitions — the author of this article continues the analysis of the subject in two consecutive stages. And thus, after presentation of the present state of studies, he proceeds to discussion of general ideological problems of the Socialist Party of Austria applying a chronological approach to its mare important programme declarations to be followed next by illustration of detailed views on definite problems of development of the socialist society voiced by selected writers — Social Democrats: Günther Nenning and Norbert Leser. The example of the Social-Democracy of Austria — taking as a basis the official statements and declarations of this party as a whole being publicized in the fundamental programme documents — allows to reveal a rather explicit breach with Marxism, the shaping of the revisionism phenomenon, which at least formally never ceases to assume the label of Marxism. And especially "The New Vienna Programme" published towards the end of the fifties (1958) is treated as a kind of summary of a peculiar evolution „towards the right side", which the Austrial Social- Democracy undergoes: from the ideology of a still relatively working-class movement with a certain orientation towards the class struggle to the concept of the social solidarism and ideo logical pluralism of the so-called „open" socialism deviating clearly from the socialism of the Marxist type. The same attempt at constructing the model of the "open" socialism excluding the class struggle and based on the ideology of reconciliation and solidarism determined by principles of the catholic ethics, and hence in the final account an attempt at the Weltanchauung-religious orientation of the humanism proper for the socialism — will become a pivot of Nenning's analyses already in the sixties — or to a lesser extent, of Leser being more critical towards the Catholocism. With both these authors the frequently repeated warnings against all forms of monopolization of life, against concentration of the economic power leading to undesirable expansion of political influence and negation of the freedom of the individual development — supplement the measure of criticism. A violent criticism, as it is underlined, in this article of both fascism, many elements of the capitalism with its policy of „force" as well as of some distortions in the socialist economy, excessive centralism of the state administration, bureaucratism, etc. In the final conclusions the author stresses once again the reformisfic character of the ideology of the Socialist Party of Austria, which distinctly assumes different forms of convergence processes, i.e. assuming the same degree of transformation for both the socialist and capitalist socio-political systems.