Page - 156 - in Otto Bauer (1881–1938) - Thinker and Politician

156 chapter 4 However, the twoconceptionsofautonomywerenot fullycongruent.Ren- ner’s proposition was based on research of the legal and institutional rela- tionsbetweenpeoples.Bauer,conversely,tookananalysisoftheeconomicand political conditionsof different classes as a startingpoint.83Hearrivedat an astonishingconclusion: theeconomic interestsofallAustro-Hungariansocial classes, especially those of thepropertied classes,militated for the introduc- tionof autonomy inAustria-Hungary; all classes had anobjective interest in it.84 From this, Bauer concluded that autonomy should be adopted into the programmes of all nations, classes, and parties that had a stake in the con- tinued existence ofAustria. Bauerwantedhis postulate to be understood in thisway: the bourgeoisie defends themultinational state in the nameof its economic andpolitical interests, and the proletariat should equally support it to protect its own interests. Not only did Bauer disregard the conflict of interestsbetweenclassesinanycapitaliststate,healsoignoredtheresponseof oppressednations.Hence,his judgementsmissedthehistorical truth,namely thattheCzechandPolishbourgeoisieandtheCzechindustrialproletariatwere scepticalof thenotionofautonomy. According toBauer’spremise, theSocial-Democraticmovementhadtoact withintheexistingconstitutional framework.Hethereforeregardedthestrug- gle forautonomyasacentralobjectiveofSocial-Democraticnationalitiespol- icy.Bauerbelievedthatconcedingautonomymightrelievetensionswithinthe workingclassand facilitateunitedstrugglewithin thegiven legal framework. Bauerwrote: [T]hestateshouldlimititselftotheprotectionofthoseinterestswhichare amatterofindifferenceinnationalterms,butarecommontoallnations. Thus, national autonomy, the self-determinationofnations, necessarily becomestheconstitutionalprogrammeoftheworkingclassofallnations withinthemultinationalstate.85 The slogan, ‘national autonomy is a necessary goal of the proletarian class struggle’,86 succinctly expressed his confidence in the continued ability of 83 CompareZimmermann1976,p.389.Hanischwrites thatBauerbroadenedRenner’scon- ceptionbygivingitawiderhistorical,theoretical,andpoliticalcontext–seeHanisch2011, p. 101. 84 CompareKulemann1979,p. 128. 85 Bauer1996,pp.255–6. 86 Bauer1996,p.258.