Political Catholicism in Banal Croatia at the Beginning of the 20th Century

Abstract

At the end of the 19th century, the political Catholic movement in banal Croatia started to acquire traits that were not merely political and religious; they had definite national tendencies. Yet due to the prevalent conditions of that period such a political movement could not be realized. After the 1903-1904 riots against Hungary the current political and social situation required that initiators of the move- ment participate in political life more actively. Analyzed are the circumstances responsible for the origin and for political activities of a group of clergymen and laymen who, with the support of Croatian bishops, assembled around Hrvatstvo, a Croatian political daily. Their principal aim was to create favorable conditions for the formation of a central, right-wing, Catholic Opposition.