'I WOULDN'T BE A BOLSHEVIK IF I WERE TO RUN AWAY FROM THE BATTLE.' EXAMPLES OF SECULARISATION EFFORTS OF EARLY COMMUNIST DICTATORSHIP IN CZECHOSLOVAKIA
Abstract
One of the early goals of the Communist dictatorship in Czechoslovakia was a rapid transformation of the education system aimed at bringing up a new socialist generation, a generation unhindered by 'religious prejudice'. Even before the Communist representatives tried to limit the teaching of Catholic religion as a subject in school curricula, they focused on secularisation of the general physical space of schools.
In its first part, this paper offers a description of the wider context of relationships between schools, the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia, and the Catholic Church. The second part then focuses on specific social practices associated with the implementation of secularisation efforts in schools.
It is concluded that the specific form of education was not only dictated by the Communist Party, but also shaped by interactions of various local factors outlined in the article.