From Business to Central Planning: Cooperatives in Czechoslovakia in 1918-1938 and 1948-1960

The paper focuses on cooperatives — seen as business enterprises in the First Czechoslovak Republic (1918-1938) and period of 12 years after communist putsch (1948-1960). It compares functions cooperatives, limits placed their (semi-)independent activities, chances to decide for themselves market economy centrally planned economy. Drawing methods history economic history, study seeks answer following questions: 1. Were really fully independent companies running a free market? 2. Stalinist early post-Stalinist Czechoslovakia subordinated subjects economy? 3. Are there any real connections functioning these two eras? In other words, is it possible that something survived traditional interpretations (according which eras were completely different even contradictory) can be new more accurate ways?