The Croatian Parliament and the Idea of Subdualism (1914–1918)

Authors:

Pages: 452-465
DOI: https://doi.org/10.54664/HMEK9048

Abstract:

The other form of trialism discussed during the First World War by the parliament representatives in Zagreb was Subdualism or the possibility for formation of Slavic states in the Austrian and Hungarian part of the empire. The ideas was strongly supported by the deputies of HSP and SSP.,thinking that the implementation of trialism in the monarchy would lead to the formation of such states. Croatia and the assembly were officially governed by the Croatian-Serbian coalition, which finds it difficult to accept the conflict with Serbia and is not willing to discuss the question about the empire’s reformation. Despite this official stand, the assembly in Zagreb discussed the questions about subdualism, trialism and dualism due to the opposition parties. Most of the party’s deputies consider that the contribution of Croats in the military activities has to be used as an argument for the introduction of trialism in the Habsburg empire. At the same part, the Croats from the bi-national coalition were against trialism and declare themselves for the unification of Croats within the dualism that was introduced. That means that the regions of Istria and Dalmatia had to go from the Austrian part in the Hungarian one and the representatives from the assembly had to truly originate from the regions called officially Croatian-Slavic-Dalmatian ones. In the autumn of 1918 the coalition officially resigned their support for dualism. It became clear then that the reconstruction of the empire would not be made according to a trialism or subdualism plan. This made known political activists from the southern Slavic territories of Austria-Hungary accept the view that Slovenians, Croats and Serbs had to unite themselves in an independent state outside the empire. For that purpose on the 5th of October in Zagreb was created “A national Council of Slovenians, Croats and Serbs”. The political development for the unifications of Slovenians, Croats and Serbs from Austria-Hungary was achieved on the 19th of October 1918 when in the building of the assembly the representative of the National Council declared themselves for the unification of the Slovenians, Croatian and Serbian peoples in their whole ethnicity territory in a single unified sovereign state rejecting the Habsburg empire. This act caused the reaction of the Croatian assembly and on the 29th of October 1918 it ceased relations with emperor Karl, annulated the state and juridical ties with Vienna and Budapest. The Assembly in Zagreb declared the inclusion of Croatian in the common State of Slovenians, Croats and Serbs ( State of Slovenians, Croats and Serbs). The right of the National Assembly to be supreme source of the governance of the State of Slovenians, Croats and Serbs was legitimized by the deputies in the Assembly.

Keywords:

Subdualism, First World War, Habsburg empire

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