Pavol Frič

By Pavol Frič

Against the background of the concept of pernicious polarization and the understanding of the dynamics of the current polarization of Czech society as an interaction of populist and anti-populist forces, the chapter analyses to what extent Czech society is polarized, how civil society organizations (CSOs) participate in its polarization and how the polarization of Czech society differs from other Central European countries. The role of CSOs in the process of polarization is viewed through the lens of A. Gramsci’s concept of allied blocs competing for political and cultural hegemony. As a result, the text provides insight into the polarization of CSOs themselves, as well as their activities in linking civil society with populist or anti-populist political actors. The text identifies four deficits in the sources of polarization and analyzes how these deficits contribute to a specific pattern of incomplete and topically fragmented polarization in the Czech Republic. It shows that although uncivilized practices typical of pernicious polarization are employed in the Czech political struggle, there has not yet been a broader alliance between the strongest populist movement on the one hand and the conservative, populist-friendly part of civil society on the other.

Part of the book: Non-Governmental Organizations