The Nationalities Programme of the Social Democratic Workers’ Party of Austria (Extract)

Adopted 29 September 1899

Since the national turmoil in Austria paralyses all political progress and all cultural development of the peoples, since this turmoil is primarily due to the political backwardness of our public institutions and since, in particular, the continuation of national division is one of the means by which the ruling classes secure their rule and prevent the real interests of the people from gaining any serious expression, the party congress declares:

The final settlement of the national question and the language question in Austria, in the spirit of equality, equal rights and reason, is above all a cultural demand. Therefore, in the vital interest of the proletariat; it is only possible in a truly democratic polity, founded on universal, equal and direct suffrage, in which all feudal privileges in the state and in the provinces are abolished. Only in such a polity can the working classes, who are, in truth, the elements sustaining the state and society, have their say. The cultivation and development of the national character of all peoples in Austria is only possible on the basis of equal rights and by avoiding all oppression; therefore, above all else, all bureaucratic-state centralism, as well as the feudal privileges of the provinces, must be combated.

Under these conditions, and only under these conditions, will it be possible to establish national order in Austria in place of national strife. This can only be done by recognising the following guiding principles:

  1. Austria is to be reorganised into a democratic federation of nationalities.
  2. In place of the historical crown lands, nationally delimited self-governing bodies shall be formed, whose legislation and administration shall be organised by national chambers elected on the basis of universal, equal and direct suffrage.
  3. All self-governing territories of one and the same nation together form a nationally unified association that manages its national affairs completely autonomously.
  4. The right of national minorities shall be safeguarded by a separate law to be passed by the Imperial Parliament.
  5. We do not recognise any national privilege and therefore reject the demand for a national language; the extent to which a mediating language is necessary will be determined by the Imperial Parliament.

The party congress as the organ of international Social-Democracy in Austria, expresses the conviction that an understanding between peoples is possible on the basis of these guiding principles formally declares that it recognises the right of every nationality to national existence and national development; but that the peoples can only achieve any progress in their culture in close solidarity with each other, rather than in petty quarrels against each other. In particular, in the interests of each individual nation, as well as in the interests of the whole, the working class of all languages must adhere to the international community of struggle and fraternity, and conduct its struggle in politics and in the trade unions in complete unity.

Otto Bauer