The Reichsrat (English: Imperial Council, Croatian: Carevinsko vijeće) was the Austrian Parliament from 1861 to 1918. It consisted of the Herrenhaus (House of Lords) and the Abgeordnetenhaus (House of Deputies).

Contents 1 Early History 2 After Universal Male Suffrage 3 See also 4 References 5 Footnotes 6 External links

[edit] Early History

Emperor Francis Joseph I proclaimed the February Patent, a new constitution for the empire, in February 1861, some four months after the announcement of a previous and abortive constitution, the October Diploma. The Basic Law on the Representation of the Realm, dated 26 February 1861 was annexed to the February Patent and has therefore been considered the “birth certificate” of the Austrian parliament.^[1]

Cisleithania was officially called "The kingdoms and lands represented in the Reichsrat" (German: die im Reichsrat vertretenen Königreiche und Länder). The members of the Abgeordnetenhaus were elected for a six-year term of office, but originally only by those male citizens who paid a certain amount of taxes.

[edit] After Universal Male Suffrage

Austria–Hungary

This article is part of the series: Politics and government of Austria–Hungary

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Starting in 1907, voting rights became independent from the amount of taxes paid, which gave stronger representation to less well-off individuals such as workers and which diminished the power of the German-speaking bourgeosie. The right to vote was extended to all males aged 24 or older, who had resided in one place for at least one year, and the principle of "one man one vote" was implemented in furtherance of universal, direct, equal and democratic suffage. While this was perhaps an admirable advance in terms of democratic theory, the inevitable result was the splintering of the Reichsrat into numerous factions --principally geographical and ideological ones—that hamstrung its viability as an operating legislature.

In 1907 the Reichsrat's lower house was composed of 516 delegates:

1. 96 Christian-Socials
2. 86 Social Democrats
3. 84 Pro-German parties, composed of the following:
   1. 31 German People's Party
   2. 21 German-Agrarians
   3. 17 German-Progressives
   4. 12 German-Radicals ("Wolfians")
   5. 3 Pan-Germans ("Schonerians")
4. 82 Czech parties, composed of the following:
   1. 28 Czech-Agrarians
   2. 18 Young Czechs
   3. 17 Czech Conservatives
   4. 9 Czech National Socialists
   5. 7 Old Czechs
   6. 2 Czech Progressives ("Realists")
   7. 1 Czech nonaffiliated
5. 70 Poles, composed of the following:
   1. 25 Polish National Democrats
   2. 17 Polish People's Party
   3. 16 Polish Conservatives
   4. 12 Polish Center
6. 5 Jewish members, composed of the following:
   1. 4 Jewish National Party
   2. 1 Jewish Democrats
7. 14 Italians, composed of the following:
   1. 10 Italian Conservatives
   2. 4 Italian Liberals
8. 23 Slovenians, composed of the following:
   1. 18 Slovenian Conservatives
   2. 5 Slovenian Liberals
9. 29 Ruthenians, composed of the following:
   1. 25 Ruthenian National Democrats
   2. 4 Old Ruthenians
10. 12 Croats
11. 5 Romanians
12. 2 Serbs (Serb Party [of Dalmatia])
13. 1 Radical Russian
14. 1 Free Socialist
15. 1 Independent Socialist
16. 1 Social Politician
17. 2 nonaffiliated members
18. 2 seats vacant

Throughout its existence, the effectiveness of the Reichsrat suffered heavily from conflicts between the numerous constituent ethnic groups of the monarchy.

[edit] See also

• Austrian Parliament Building
• Austroslavism

[edit] References

Hamman, Brigitte (1999). Hitler's Vienna: A Dictator's Apprenticeship. New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN [[Special:BookSources/0-19-512537-1 (Hamman)|0-19-512537-1 (Hamman)]]. 

Mommsen, Hans (2003). The Third Reich Between Vision and Reality: New Perspectives on German History 1918-1945. Berg Publishers. ISBN [[Special:BookSources/1859736270 (Mommsen)|1859736270 (Mommsen)]]. 

[edit] Footnotes

[edit] External links

• AEIOU Encyclopedia on Reichsrat
• Website of the Austrian parlament
• AEIOU Encyclopedia on Abgeordnetenhaus

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