Socialist Egalitarianism in Everyday Life of Secondary Technical Schools in Czechoslovakia during the Normalization Period (1969–89)

Abstract

This article focuses on the realization of official government regulations of egalitarianism policy in secondary technical schools, especially on the informal practice that was “quietly” tolerated by the communist regime. The research is based on the historiographical approach of the history of everyday life. The primary research method is the oral history method based on interviews with witnesses—teachers who worked at secondary technical schools in the period under review. Research using the oral history method is further supplemented by the study of period legislation, periodicals, and the study of archival materials obtained in the National Archives in Prague and the Brno City Archives. The study provides a unique illustration of the application of the policy of egalitarianism in the everyday life of secondary technical schools in the normalization period in Czechoslovakia. In particular, the witnesses’ recollections reveal a practice toward some students that went beyond government regulations and influenced their studies in various ways, including admission procedures, dealing with disciplinary offenses, graduation, and obtaining a school-leaving certificate.