Sozialdemokratische Partei Österreichs, SPÖ

Sozialdemokratische Partei Österreichs - Social Democratic Party, Austrian; (1888/89-1934 Sozialdemokratische Arbeiterpartei, SDAP - Social Democratic Labour Party, 1945-1991 Sozialistische Partei Österreichs (SPÖ) Austrian Socialist Party, since 1991 Sozialdemokratische Partei Österreichs, SPÖ - Austrian Social Democratic Party): the Social Democrats' first party congress took place in Neudörfl (then Miklos, Hungary) in 1874, the chairman of the congress was H. Tauschinsky. During the following years the party was split into moderate groups on the one hand and anarchist groups on the other; as a result the state of emergency was declared in the court circuits of Vienna, Korneuburg and Wiener Neustadt. From 1886 the projected establishment of chambers of labour again stirred up agitation but at the Hainfelder Parteitag (party congress) in December 1888 and January 1889, V. Adler managed to reconcile opposing factions. From then on the party committed itself to Marxist ideals and joined the Second International; its strongholds were Vienna and the industrial areas of Lower Austria, Styria, Bohemia and Moravia. May Day was celebrated in Austria for the first time in 1890. To prepare for elections, the Social Democratic Party founded regional voter associations, which quite often emerged from Arbeiterbildungsvereine (workers' educational societies), on some occasions these were also supported by liberal organisations. After the reform of electoral law in 1897, the Social Democrats had 14 members of parliament. The party had close links with the Trade Unions and had affiliated organisations for women, young workers, cyclists, hikers and climbers, singers etc. The Social Democratic Press played an important role, especially the "Arbeiterzeitung" newspaper. When universal (male) suffrage was introduced (Electoral Law) the SDAP had 87 members of parliament (49 of whom were German-speaking) and became the second strongest party in the Abgeordnetenhaus (House of Deputies) in 1907. Party officials could not prevent the party from being split into a German-speaking and a Czech line. In the last elections taking place under imperial rule in Austria in 1911 the party won a victory over the Christian Social Party in Vienna; the party still committed itself to internationalism, but when the World War I broke out it supported national policies. It was only in the later phases of the war that the party changed its attitude, as became evident in the assassination of Minister President Count K. Stürgkh by F. Adler on October 21, 1916. In the last year of the war, the pacifist line of the party gained more influence (January strikes) and during the last months of the war the SDAP supported the dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and played a significant role in the foundation of Deutsch-Österreich (German-Austria). One of the main figures was O. Bauer, who advocated union with Germany; one of the most important statesmen of the party was K. Renner.

In the Provisional National Assembly the Social Democrats had 39 seats whereas the Christian Social Party had 70 and the German Nationalists 101; in the Constitutional Assembly elected in February 1919 (when women had the right to vote for the first time) 72 out of 170 representatives were from the Social Democratic Party, making the party the strongest parliamentary group. K. Seitz became President of the National Assembly and thus Head of State until December 9, 1920. The SDAP was in government until June 1920, after which it went into opposition until March 1933. During the Social Democrats' participation in government a number of exemplary social laws (F. Hanusch) were passed and various initiatives taken in the field of education (O. Glöckel). During the period when the party was in opposition to the federal government, it retained its majority in Vienna and most of the other large cities and industrial areas and was therefore in charge of administration in these areas.

The SDAP was in pronounced opposition to conservative society and sought to develop new models in the fields of education (Volkshochschulen (adult education centres)), culture and sports; the party also maintained a critical and even antagonistic position towards the Catholic church (Freethinkers).

Members of the party formed the Republikanischer Schutzbund, a heavily armed paramilitary organisation, in 1923/24. After the Linz Programme was adopted in 1926, the more radical line under O. Bauer prevailed over the moderate line under K. Renner. Confrontation with the powers that be reached its first climax in the July Revolt on July 15, 1927. As a result the Schutzbund's counterpart in the Christian Social Party, the Heimwehr, also built up its forces. In the last elections of the First Republic (1930) the SDAP came out the strongest party, but rejected offers to form a coalition. In 1933 the Christian Socialist government under E. Dollfuß took first steps towards introducing a conservative and authoritarian political system by eliminating parliament; the increasing suppression of the SDAP led to the Uprising of February 1934 and culminated in civil war, in the wake of which the Social Democrats were defeated and completely excluded from political institutions and public life. The SDAP was banned on February 14, 1934, the party was deprived of all its seats in Parliament and its organisations were all dissolved.

Some of the party leaders (O. Bauer, J. Deutsch) emigrated to the ČSR, where they established a foreign office in Brno (then Brünn), which published the weekly magazine "Arbeiterzeitung", which was smuggled into Austria. Those leading functionaries who remained in Austria were arrested or kept under surveillance; the illegal group of Revolutionäre Sozialisten (Revolutionary Socialists), which was led by less prominent party members, was dissolved in 1938 after the Anschluß.

Former party officers from the period of the First Republic re-established the party under its new name "Sozialistische Partei Österreichs (Sozialdemokraten und Revolutionäre Sozialisten)" - Austrian Socialist Party (Social Democrats and Revolutionary Socialists) on April 14, 1945; the newly-founded party managed to build up an all-Austrian organisation within the same year. It pursued a fairly pragmatic course, formed the Provisional Government on April 27, 1945 together with the ÖVP - Austrian People's Party and the KPÖ - Austrian Communist Party; after the elections of November 25, 1945 it formed a concentration government and from 1947 to 1966 a coalition government with the ÖVP; in this government the Vice Chancellor and many ministers (the Federal Ministers of the Interior, for Social Affairs, for Transport and Nationalised Companies) were Socialists, although the Socialist Party did not have as many seats as the ÖVP. The leftist party members in leading positions who were influenced by Austro-Marxism had to resign from their positions in favour of the more conservative and pragmatic politicians in the party such as K. Renner, A. Schärf and O. Helmer. The lessons learned during the First Republic, the need to reconstruct Austria after the war and to achieve independence, the spread of Communism in Eastern Europe and the lack of revolutionary spirit among Austrian workers caused the SPÖ to pursue co-operation with the conservative camp by forming a coalition with the Österreichische Volkspartei - (Austrian People's Party) and supporting the introduction of the Social Partnership, which was institutionalised in 1957 (Nationalisation). As a member of the coalition government, the SPÖ enforced the nationalisation of primary industry and gained a firm foothold in the nationalised enterprises; it contributed considerably to improving the economic situation of workers and introduced a number of social measures in every field (Allgemeines Sozialversicherungsgesetz). After a short period in opposition (1966-1970), the new SPÖ federal party chairman B. Kreisky (from 1967) succeeded in modernising the party programme, making his party attractive to middle-class conservative voters and finally assuming governmental responsibilities (minority government 1970-1971 supported by the Freiheitliche Partei Österreichs, 1971-1983 sole party in power with absolute majority). From 1970-2000 the SPÖ has always provided the Federal Chancellor (1983-1987 coalition government with FPÖ - Austrian Freedom Party, from 1987-2000 with ÖVP - Austrian People's Party). Up to 1986 all Socialist candidates for the Presidency in the Second Republic won the elections. The provincial governors of Vienna (since 1945), Burgenland (since 1964) have been Socialists, as was the governor of Carinthia from 1945 to 1989. The group of the Social Democratic Trade Unions (FSG) is a dominant member of the Austrian Federation of Trade Unions and the Chambers of Labour (in Vorarlberg up to 1974, in Tirol up to 1984). The SPÖ is the dominant party in many industrial areas and in many cities and large towns such as Linz, Steyr, Wels, Hallein, St. Pölten, Wiener Neustadt, Graz, Kapfenberg, Leoben, Bruck an der Mur and Villach. Social insurance institutions, Austrian Federal Railways and some major Banks (BAWAG, Bank Austria AG) are strongly influenced by the SPÖ.

Its organisation is centralistic with direct individual membership (approximately one third of its voters). The number of members is declining (in 1979: 721,000 members, in 1990: 583,000, in 1995: 487,500, in 1999: 430,000). There are approximately 55,000 party officials in 3,000 regional organisations and sections (as of 1998). Other levels of party organisation are district, provincial and national organisations. Vienna still has the most important provincial organisation with 30 % of all party members (as of 1998), even though the number of party members in Vienna has been decreasing more than in any other province over a long period.

The central secretariat is headed by one or two Federal Party Secretaries (formerly by central secretaries), the party is subdivided in sections (e.g. Bundesbildungsausschuß (Federal Committee for Education), Bundesfrauenkomitee (Federal Committee for Women), Junge Generation (Young Generation), FSG (Social Democratic Trade Unionists)). The party also runs a number of affiliated organisations (Österreichische Kinderfreunde, sozial-demokratische Jugend (Social-Democratic Youth), Junge Generation (Young Generation), Freier Wirtschaftsverband (Free Business Association), Arbeitsbauernbund (Socialist Farmers Association), sports organisations, ASKÖ, Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund Österreichs, Österreichischer Arbeiter-Sängerbund, Arbeitsgemeinschaft religiöser Sozialdemokraten (Committee of Religious Social Democrats) etc.). Party publications have been decreasing since the 1960s, as have regional papers; in 1991 the "Arbeiterzeitung" (independent since 1989) ceased publication.

The highest ranking body is the Party Congress, in which representatives of the district organisations and their subordinated organisations take part (641 delegates in 2000). The Party Congress elects the Federal Party Executive (65 members, since 1987), the Party Presidency (6-10 members, since 1967) and the Party Chairperson (1945-1957 A. Schärf, 1957-1967 B. Pittermann, 1967-1983 B. Kreisky, 1983-1988 F. Sinowatz, 1988-1997 F. Vranitzky, 1997-2000 V. Klima, since 2000 A. Gusenbauer). In addition there is an "Enlarged Party Presidency", which includes the chairpersons of provincial organisations, and a Party Council ("kleiner Parteitag" - minor party congress). The Party Executive has a fairly stable position on all levels (officers are appointed for long periods), while middle and lower level officers are rarely involved in political decision making; the strong internal discipline of the party encourages political efficiency. The number of women officers has been increasing.

Regardless of the Party's name, its party line has always been social-democratic and its pro-western orientation has enabled it to clearly distance itself from the Kommunistische Partei Österreichs (KPÖ, Austrian Communist Party). After the Action Programme of 1947, which was still strongly influenced by the Linz Programme of 1926, the New Party Programme of 1958 gave unequivocal evidence of this political orientation and, while still containing some Austro-Marxist ideas, it abandoned its former anticlericalism and accepted Social Partnership. Election victories after 1970 favoured the enforcement of ideologically central issues (Party Congress of 1970 in Villach), but rather than effecting in a revision of its political course, it managed to broaden the party's popular appeal so as to adapt to shifts in the electorate (fewer blue-collar workers, more white-collar workers and civil servants). The party´s attitude towards the Catholic church was considerably improved under B. Kreisky. This was also borne out in the Party Programme adopted by the 24^th Party Congress in 1978, which also envisaged reforms in the fields of justice, social affairs and culture and which have in the meantime been implemented. Since the economic crisis in the 1980s, the party has also recognized the need for neo-conservative solutions such as (privatisation). These changes in the party line were reflected in the party name being changed into Austrian Social Democratic Party in 1991. The new political circumstances of the 1990s confronted the SPÖ with problems concerning its orientation and strategies; while the SPÖ lost votes steadily in the elections between 1983 and 1994, it came out victorious in the 1995 elections.

In 1998 a new party programme and organisational statute was adopted which provide for further substantive and organisational innovations (e.g. candidacy of non-party members). At the national elections of 1999 the SPÖ only won one-third of votes, its worst result in the Second Republic, but still remained the party with the most seats. After negotiations with the ÖVP to form a coalition government had failed at the beginning of 2000, the SPÖ went into opposition after 30 years of government.

Literature: H. Hautmann and R. Kropf, Die österreichische Arbeiterbewegung vom Vormärz bis 1945, ²1976; R. Neck, Sozialdemokratie in Österreich 1918-38, 1983; H. Maimann (ed.), Die ersten 100 Jahre. Österreichs Sozialdemokratie 1888-1988, 1988; F. Kreuzer, Was wir ersehnen von der Zukunft Fernen. Die österreichische Arbeiterbewegung, 1988; P. Pelinka and G. Steger (eds.), Auf dem Weg zur Staatspartei, 1988.