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The Action Programme was a political plan devised by Alexander Dubček and his associates in the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia (KSČ), and published April 5th, 1968. The programme suggested that the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic (ČSSR) would find its own path towards a mature socialism rather than simply follow the Soviet Union. It called for the acknowledgement of individual liberties, the introduction of both politlcal and economic reforms, and a change in the structure of the nation. In many ways, the document was the basis of the Prague Spring and a justification for the ensuing Warsaw Pact invasion of the ČSSR in August, 1968. Alexander Dubček Alexander Dubček (November 27, 1921 – November 7, 1992) was a Slovak politician and briefly leader of Czechoslovakia (1968-1969), famous for his attempt to reform the Communist regime (Prague Spring). ... The Communist Party of Czechoslovakia, in Czech and in Slovak: Komunistická strana ÄŒeskoslovenska (KSÄŒ) was a political party in Czechoslovakia that existed between 1921 and 1992. ... April 5 is the 95th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (96th in leap years). ... 1968 (MCMLXVIII) was a leap year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1968 calendar). ... Czechoslovak Socialist Republic (ÄŒeskoslovenská socialistická republika (ÄŒSSR) in Czech and Slovak) was the official name of Czechoslovakia from 1960 until April 1990. ... The factual accuracy of this article is disputed. ... People in a café watch Soviet tanks roll past The Prague Spring (Czech: Pražské jaro, Slovak: Pražská jar, Russian: пражская весна) was a period of political liberalization in Czechoslovakia starting January 5, 1968 when Alexander Dubček came to power, and running until August 20 of that year when the... Unofficial Seal of the Warsaw Pact Distinguish from the Warsaw Convention, which is an agreement among airlines about financial liability. ... Czechoslovak Socialist Republic (ÄŒeskoslovenská socialistická republika (ÄŒSSR) in Czech and Slovak) was the official name of Czechoslovakia from 1960 until April 1990. ...

Individual Liberties

With regards to indidual liberties, the programme promised complete freedom of speech, travel, debate and association as well as the end to arbitrary arrest. The security organs were to be made accountable to parliament and the courts were to have a larger, more prominent role, although they were not to be made completely independent. A public demonstration Freedom of speech is often regarded as an integral concept in modern liberal democracies, where it is understood to outlaw censorship. ... Freedom of movement is a human rights concept which is respected in the constitutions of numerous Western states. ... Freedom of association is the right enjoyed by free adults to mutually choose their associates for whatever purposes they see fit. ...

Economic Changes

Economically, the programme suggested that the government be confied to general economic policy and to protect the consumers' rather than the producers' interests. Therefore, there was a much greater freedom for the industrial enterprises in finding markets. Also, there was an effort to have an equality in economic relations between the Soviet Union and the ČSSR and the withdrawal of the remaining Soviet economic advisors. Czechoslovak Socialist Republic (ÄŒeskoslovenská socialistická republika (ÄŒSSR) in Czech and Slovak) was the official name of Czechoslovakia from 1960 until April 1990. ...

Federal Structure

With respect to Slovakia, the programme admitted that the existing asymmetrical system unfair, and proposed federalisation between Slovakia and the Czech lands. The Slovak national council and the Slovak council of ministries would serve as the executive authority in Bratislava. To enjoy the full benefit from the federalization; however, Slovakia would have to drastically catch up economically to the industrialized Czech lands. The Constitutional Law of Federation was a constitutional law in Czechoslovakia adopted on 27 October 1968 and in force from 1969 – 1992, by which the unitary Czechoslovak state was turned into a federation. ... Bratislava (until 1919: PreÅ¡porok in Slovak, Pressburg in German and English, Pozsony in Hungarian, Požun in Croatian) is the capital of Slovakia and the countrys largest city, with a population of some 450,000. ...

The End of Democratic Centralism

In this time, the party organization was under a considerable amount of pressure for immediate change. The programme admitted to these ideas but insisted that decisions were binding, in that democratic centralism was to be restructured and lower party organizations should have more say and influence on decision making, but party discipline was to remain. ǣǣǣǣǣǣ Democratic centralism is the name given to the principles of internal organization used by Leninist political parties, and the term is sometimes used as a synonym for any Leninist policy inside a political party. ...

Foreign Relations

In foreign relations, the programme called for recognition of Israel and the enforcement of a cut in arms deliveries to Egypt and Nigeria.