Karl Renner’s theory of national autonomy

Abstract

Karl Renner’s theory of national autonomy has not been sufficiently taken into account by scholars due to difficulties in its reception and puzzling content. Neither liberal nor communitarian, his original theory combines individual rights with collective rights, territorial autonomy with personal autonomy, classical federalism with establishment of nations as constituent parts of the state. This paper will introduce the reader to Renner’s main concepts. It will start by presenting Renner’s ideas on the nation, the multinational state, the role of the majority principle, and the need for nations’ legal recognition by and within the state. Then, Renner’s core notion of national autonomy and its organisation through the personality principle will be discussed. Further, the paper deals with Renner’s concept of the representation of national interests at the federal or supranational levels. Lastly, it sums up the discussion and draws conclusions regarding Renner’s theory of autonomy in general.

Teorija autonomije Karla Renera nije bila dovoljno razmatrana u naučnim krugovima usled složenosti kod njene recepcije i zbunjujućeg sadržaja. Njegova originalna teorija, ni liberalna ni komunitarna, spaja individualna prava s kolektivnim pravima, teritorijalnu autonomiju s ličnom autonomijom, klasični federalizam sa uspostavljanjem nacija kao konstitutivnih de lova države. Ovaj rad će uvesti čitaoca u Renerove osnovne koncepte. Najpre, on će pred staviti Renerove poglede na naciju, multinacionalnu državu, ulogu principa većine, in a po trebu za pravnim priznanjem nacija od strane i u okviru države. Zatim ćemo razmotriti Renerov ključni pojam nacionalne autonomije i njegovu organizaciju kroz princip personalnosti. Dalje, u radu će biti reči o Renerovom konceptu predstavljanja nacionalnih interesa na federalnom ili nadnacionalnom nivou vlasti. Na kraju, članak iznosi zaključke o Renerovoj teoriji autono mije u celini