Could a United States of Greater Austria have survived if created?

[Futurist]

In 1906, Franz Ferdinand's adviser Aurel Popovici came up with the United States of Greater Austria plan:

United States of Greater Austria - Wikipedia

The purpose of this plan was to satisfy the national ambitions and aspirations of the various peoples of Austria-Hungary while still keeping the Hapsburg Empire intact. This plan was obviously never actually implemented, but if WWI would have been avoided (at least for the time being) and this plan would have been implemented, do you think that the United States of Greater Austria could have survived up to the present-day?

Any thoughts on this?

 

[Futurist]

Personally, I think that there might be large-scale secessionist sentiments in Transylvania, Trentino, Trieste (and Istria, of course), and West Galicia--but in this case, only if an independent Polish state is created beforehand (likely from Russia's territory, if Russia experiences a successful revolution and Poland subsequently successfully breaks away from Russia). I don't think that the South Slav provinces of Greater Austria are going to be particularly eager to secede since they will likely understand that they are better off inside of wealthier Greater Austria than inside of poorer Serbia:

Meanwhile, without control of the Sudetenland, I certainly don't think that the Czechs are going to be very eager to secede from Greater Austria--and if the Czechs refuse to secede, so do the Slovaks since Slovakia was much poorer than Czechia and thus would be less viable as an independent state in the early 20th century. As for East Galicia, the Ukrainians there are likely to conclude that they have a brighter future in Greater Austria than they will have in a Russia that is eager to Russify its Ukrainian territories--though this could possibly change if a revolution occurs in Russia and implements a more liberal nationalities policy. As for German Austria, I suspect that only the radical Pan-Germans there are going to support secession from Greater Austria. Indeed, the rest of the population of German Austria is probably likely to conclude that it will have more influence in Greater Austria than it would in a Greater Germany which includes German Austria.

 

[stevev]

In 1906, Franz Ferdinand's adviser Aurel Popovici came up with the United States of Greater Austria plan:

United States of Greater Austria - Wikipedia

The purpose of this plan was to satisfy the national ambitions and aspirations of the various peoples of Austria-Hungary while still keeping the Hapsburg Empire intact. This plan was obviously never actually implemented, but if WWI would have been avoided (at least for the time being) and this plan would have been implemented, do you think that the United States of Greater Austria could have survived up to the present-day?

Any thoughts on this?

I guess the question is why such a state should survive to the present day even without two world wars. First there is the question of the survival of the Habsburg monarchy as a constitutional one. Second perhaps is the survival as a federal republic. I favor the latter where any ethnic group member could be elected Head of State under a federal constitution. It would be more like a mini European Union than a centralized state. All elements would have to share in the economic benefits. Moreover I would see this as possible in the absence of the European Union which in part was motivated by the world wars.

 

[Black Horse]

I guess the question is why such a state should survive to the present day even without two world wars. First there is the question of the survival of the Habsburg monarchy as a constitutional one. Second perhaps is the survival as a federal republic. I favor the latter where any ethnic group member could be elected Head of State under a federal constitution. It would be more like a mini European Union than a centralized state. All elements would have to share in the economic benefits. Moreover I would see this as possible in the absence of the European Union which in part was motivated by the world wars.

However could the states with greater populations form an "elite" and those ethnicities that have lower population would then be left out in the cold.

 

[Black Horse]

However could the states with greater populations form an "elite" and those ethnicities that have lower population would then be left out in the cold.

Or Could it form a government in which each ethnicity is responsible for one particular area or secretariat. With checks and balances to prevent an element abusing it's area's powers to weaken another area.
The different Secretaries of ministers could then vote for the leader

 

[stevev]

Or Could it form a government in which each ethnicity is responsible for one particular area or secretariat. With checks and balances to prevent an element abusing it's area's powers to weaken another area.
The different Secretaries of ministers could then vote for the leader

Federal states have invented a number of ways to achieve more fair representation. In the US one chamber of Congress is represented by population and the other has equal representation for all states. Both chambers have separate but equal powers. Also the central government could have limited power as you suggest. I think that would be the situation here: foreign relations, defense, treasury/currency and law as applied to the federation as a whole.

 

[Bart Dale]

No, a United States of Greater Austria would not work or last.

The various ethnic groups wanted their on country, and limited sovereignty in a federal state would not have satisfied national demands.