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Beneš’ Concept of Democratic State in the course of the World War I and in the beginning of state
Broklová, Eva
In his intentions and aims related to the establishment of the Czechoslovak State and its keeping within the founding ideas, E. Beneš was in agreement with T. G. Masaryk. The resistance movement’s starting point was that limitations upon the power of nation do not comply with democratic principles. In his works, Beneš however shows autonomous ways of solving political issues, mostly grounded on a scientific base. His concept was based on a study of individualism in the history of philosophy, theory of political partisanship, democratic ideals, and empiric method. To solve the Czech issue he demanded that Austria-Hungary should be overthrown as being an oppressor of nations and a support of Germany. He intended to build "The most democratic state from a social point of view and the most progressive one from a political viewpoint". Beneš was a co-creator and re-builder of a state.
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By Invitation of Masaryk Institute. 5
Broklová, Eva ; Pehr, Michal ; Vašek, Richard
This collection includes papers from workshops "Elections 1946: illusion and reality" and "The Czech political right wing and the crisis of democracy in the 1930s" which were given in Prague in 2006 as a part of workshops entitled By Invitation of Masaryk Institute. Some papers focus on the first elections in post-war Czechoslovakia (pre-election campaign; situation in Slovakia; election results, etc.); the second half of papers discusses issues connected with the Czech political right and the crisis of democracy in the 1930s (acitivities of Czech Agrarian Party, Czech People´s Party, Czech National Democracy and also views of journalist Karel Horký).
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Agrarian Party and the Democracy (Probe)
Broklová, Eva
A part of historical literature (prior 1989 as well as after 1989) overestimates the rightist character of the Agrarian Party in the political system of the first Republic. Consequently, such literature considers this system as having significant authoritarian potencials. It interprets certain degree of antagonism between the Right and the Left, between the city and the country, the idustry and agriculture as conflicts between fascist orientation and the democratic forces. The essay is also concerned with the relationships between the Agrarian Party and President Beneš. On the basis of archival sources it shows that Edvard Beneš counted with the existence of a reformed Agrarian Party after the World War II. It was excluded from the system of political parties by competing political parties of National Front.
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Electoral Laws and Election 1946
Broklová, Eva
The difference between a democracy and a dictatorship means the difference between the possibility to change the political regime by elections or by a violent means. In elections 1946 a princip of proportional representation, combined with fixed candidates list, was applied. The electoral law enfranchised citizen from the age of 18, and included armed forces and later, members of the Police forces. Representatives of political parties decided that the Agrarian Party was not to be renewed. The elections took place six months later than originally planned. Lists of electors included only Czech and Slovak citizens or other citizens of Slavic origin. The electoral success of the Communist Party was assisted also by the enormous contribution of the Soviet Union to the liquidation of Nazism as well as by the fact, that the Land Office, distributing land in border areas, was in the hands of the Communists.
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Value Orientation of "Democracy Today and Tomorrow" by Edvard Beneš.
Broklová, Eva
The work Democracy Today and Tomorrow by Edvard Beneš has a theoretical nature, it is meant neither for practical politics or as directions for "popular democracy". Its value orientation is democratic. Democracy in a broader sense, including political, social and economic aspects, perceives as "humanistic" democracy, not "socializing" as some authors claim. The work promotes individual and civic freedoms against national a state totalitarianism. He considered the conditions on which the cooperation between democracy and the Communists would be possible. As the main objective of democracy he perceived the strengthenning its social aspects, called economic.
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Founding values of Czech Society – the state of research
Broklová, Eva
Six studies on founding values of Czech modern society between the end of the 19th century and the mid1900 investigate the nature of Czech political culture. The findings indicate that shared political values are prevailingly democratic. Consequently, they support the thesis that the nature of the first Republic and its society was democratic.
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Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk – the Life for Democracy
Broklová, Eva
T. G. Masaryk is still a relevant source of scholarly ideas and methods. Especially valuable is his political realism, conception of Czechoslovak statehood and presidency. The essence of his political principles is rooted in democracy and humanistic ideals, relevant to private, public as well as national life.
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The Czechoslovak political system, 1945– 1948
Broklová, Eva
In intentions of the democratic resistance in London the restored Czechoslovak Republic was to be the continuation of the traditions of the First Republic. It was, however, meant to adept to the events and conditions that emerged after the war. The communists held the majority in the first Government of the National Front. A strong starting position aided them I their struggle for a monopoly on power. The results of the general elections were influenced in part by the electoral laws, in part by post-war circumstances. The main argument in this article is that the communists to gain the monopoly of power basically the existing democratic constitutional principles.
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