Why did Czechoslovakia broke apart into two countries? I guess Czechs and Slovaks are separate peoples, but are they really that different culturally? It's great that they split up peacefully, unlike Yugoslavia, but why not stick together?
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Why did Czechoslovakia broke apart into two countries? I guess Czechs and Slovaks are separate peoples, but are they really that different culturally? It's great that they split up peacefully, unlike Yugoslavia, but why not stick together?
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Slovaks didn't like being dominated by the Czechs.
I am sorry that my detailed description of the subject was lost by collapse of The Apricity, several moths ago.
It is not so easy to find easy answer for easy questions :)
Nevertheless, it is unsufficient to blame just communism for all the things what happened here.
Perhaps, you can compare the situation to marriage when the husband and wife love each other, but they cannot live together, finally.
There are countries where its societies is divided more than in the former Czechoslovakia but in the moment of crisis, they stay together.
But when appeared some crisis in Czechoslovakia, Czechs and Slovaks tended to go opposite way.
Another important point is a question of identity.
Even for the most pro-Czechoslovak Slovaks was very painfull that for avarage forigner is the term Czechoslovak too long and complicated,
therefore was used the term Czech as an abbreviation, by the foreigners.
Thee were many different reasons. slovaks had been trying for years to get more autonomy in czechoslovakia. When they had freedom to finally decide what happens with their future they chose to go alone. Czechs and Slovaks are a similar people but there are historic differences that affect the mentality of the peoples in each country. Czechs have a bigger history, tend to be more secular, and have their own distinct style of humour. Slovaks were occupied constantly by other nations, are more religious, and sometimes think czech humor is a bit too much. Slovaks were always treated as second rate under czechs so independence was finally a way to be known to the world for who they are. It turned out pretty well so I think it was a good decision.