Revolution, modus vivendi or sovereignty?

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This study offers a comprehensive overview of 19th-century Slovak intellectual history, examining key debates such as the 1861 memorandum and the political stagnation of the 1880s, marked by a growing Russophile orientation. It also explores Czechoslovakism as a path to shared independence with the Czechs. Through the portraits of six intellectuals and politicians, the work reveals various facets of Slovak intellectual history. The narodovci, or pioneers of national awakening, aimed to bolster the Slovak nation by advocating for the autonomy of its language and culture while resisting Hungarian assimilation. Some participated in the 1848 revolution, seeking an autonomous Slovak district within the Habsburg Empire, while others pursued a compromise with Hungarian authorities. A third option was the vision of a sovereign state alongside the Czechs. An introductory chapter addresses the political challenges of assimilation and group rights in 19th-century Slovakia, while subsequent chapters analyze the intellectual discourse of the era, highlighting the impact of Western political ideas like liberalism, constitutionalism, cultural rights, and nationalism, as well as Slavic concepts such as the Slavic Renaissance and Panslavism. This volume is aimed at students of history, politics, and political theory, providing valuable insights into the political past of a young EU state, particularly in light of its recent language laws that