István Gaucsík: Setting economic organisations and protection of interests Economic organisations of Hungarians living in Czechoslovakia between the two World Wars

The study discusses three such thematic parts that follow organisational and institutional line. In the introduction the author analyses the economic situation of Hungarians living in Czechoslovakia from the point of view of legal gaps, through the legal gaps in economic rights, insufficiencies of internál state securities and external minority protection. Later the study deals with the economic injuries included in the agenda of opposing Hungárián parties, possible solutions, strengthening of saved structures of „economic self-organisation”, and/or new structures, as well. The study introduces the impacts of the Czechoslovak economic policy (that has an immense role in establishing institutes and reforming organisation of the monarchy) through opinions of Hungarians living in Slovakia, while it intends to clear somé of the contemporary concepts that appeared in works after 1989. Finally – applying the Weber concept of organisation – the author tries to designate the stages of economic interest protection of the minority and its forming organisations. The approaches that have been introduced up to now placed political and cultural right protection to the front, while when examining economic issues these were setto the background. The so-called professionally-led structures (regional levél economic associations, co-operatives, and the trade-companies that have not been examined in literature at all) belong to the third thematic group. The mutual character of the introduced organisation types (economic associations, co-operatives, trade-companies) is that their antecedents, operational and leadership bases stem from the times before the change of state system. When Czechoslovakia was formed they had to adjust to the new legal environment and changed economic-power relations. Their adjustment took place in the period when the Czechoslovak economic nationalism strengthened, when economic politics led by the majority set the goal of establishing a uniform national economic policy and institution system.

The co-operative movement was characterised by régiónál and type-like shabbiness (Southern Slovakia is the central territory, excess of consumption cooperatives) and lack of autonomic centres. The trade companies were burdened by problems of structural changes (for example lack of capital). Politics supported mainly economic organisations that were formed by owners, since entirely new structures were to be created.