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Ukraine Constitutional reform in 2004 and Its Impact on the Development of the Country
Poloncarzová, Diana ; Šír, Jan (advisor) ; Zilynskyj, Bohdan (referee)
The thesis deal with the constitutional reform in Ukraine approved in 2004 There were optimistic expectations about the regime change and moving closer to the model of West European states in 2004. The scope is to identify whether Ukraine followed the path of democratic transition or remained as an unstable hybrid state. It is focused on constitutional changes of the following chapters - elections and referendum, parliament, president, council of ministers and redistribution of power between these roles and impact on legislation and executive power. The regime type is influenced by these changes. Ukraine was classified as an authoritarian regime during Kuchma's second term in the Presidential office. The political system had been changed in 2006 when the new constitution came to power. Between a various classifications the most common ones, which had been used, were a semi- presidential system or presidential-parliamentary system. The choice of improper political system could be one of the key reasons leading to the failure of democratisation of the country when attempted.
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Slovenia's Road to Independence
Mašínská, Klára ; Tejchman, Miroslav (advisor) ; Šístek, František (referee)
Bachelor thesis Slovenia's Road to Independence deals with development of Slovenia after the death of Tito in 1980 until year 1991, when Slovenia declared its independence. It also shortly includes development before 1980, because these events are equally important for development in this area. There has been during this time more or less conflicts between Slovenia and the rest of Yugoslavia, which pushed through centralization and wanted to keep united Yugoslavia, while in Slovenia took the lead liberal communists. Slovenia profited from the support of Germany, Austria and Vatican during its road to independence. However Slovenia profited from more advantages - geographic location, ethnic homogeneity or favourable economic situation. But Slovenia still saw one option to remain in Yugoslavia - transformation from federation to the confederation. With this transformation is associated release of relations within the federation, but it was rejected by the leadership of Yugoslavia. After a unequivocal referendum about independence, was proclaimed independence in June 1991, which, however, did not recognize Yugoslavia and broke out the Ten-Day War, which fortunately did not brought about great loss of life. After acceptance of Brioni Declaration Slovenia became fully independent country with...
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Democratization in Europe between 1972 and 2000: Why it did not lead to War? Qualitative Comparative Analysis based on fuzzy set method
Brázová, Věra - Karin ; Střítecký, Vít (advisor) ; Karlas, Jan (referee)
The rigorous thesis focuses on European countries which underwent so-called partial democratization in the last quarter of the 20th century. It starts from the polemic with Mansfield and Snyder who claim that a (partial) democratization leads to war. The development in Europe of the last quarter of the 20th century, however, seems to contradict this notion. The aim of the thesis is, thus, to contribute to the debate of war-proneness of democratizing states by answering the following question: What caused that the democratization did not lead to war in many cases? Due to the nature of the research question as well as to the number of cases (i.e. 20) the method applied here is qualitative comparative analysis using the so-called fuzzy set method. The application of this method as such is a secondary aim of the thesis. Possible causal conditions of the absence of war which are under study here also derive mostly from the conclusions made by Mansfield and Snyder. The main focus is put on the so-called golden parachute. Among other causes are strong institutions - conceptualized here as weak and weakened executive, political integration into international community, duration of independent statehood and at least some experience with democracy - and developed economy - conceptualized through GDP,...
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Security Policy of the EU towards the Maghreb: Promoting Democracy or Stability?
Holík, Jiří ; Karásek, Tomáš (advisor) ; Střítecký, Vít (referee)
This graduate thesis analyses the EU security policy towards the Maghreb between 2005 and 2010. It does so in order to ascertain to what extent the level of practical policy corresponds with the level of declarations. Also, by using the promotion of democratic governance in the Maghreb countries under the ENP as s case study, the thesis means to challenge the proposition that European Union can be described as a 'Normative Power'. First chapter briefly presents the concept of 'Normative Power Europe'. Following section looks at the European Security Strategy and localizes the primary position of the goal of democracy promotion in the document. Third part gives an overview of the European policy towards the Mediterranean under which EU relations with the Maghreb have been framed. Most attention is paid to the European Neighbourhood Policy. Next chapter examines the level of practical EU policy. It consists of three separate case studies of European policy towards Tunisia, Morocco and Libya between 2005 and 2010. The fifth and final part qualitatively analyses the way four factors (trade, energy, migration and terrorism) contributed to the structuring of relations of Tunisia, Morocco and Libya with Spain, France and Italy. The thesis arrives at the conclusion that while at the declaratory level the EU strives...
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Press Act no. 81/1966 and its influence on the events of the Prague Spring
Henychová, Eliška ; Cebe, Jan (advisor) ; Köpplová, Barbara (referee)
Thesis deals with the Press Act no. 81/1966 Coll., on periodical press and other mass media and its influence on the events of the Prague Spring reform in 1968. I wanted to highlight how important role the press act and its legalization of censorship of the press and other mass media played in the process of democratization of the communist regime. Institutionalized censorship became the impetus for sharpening criticism of the ruling Communist Party. After many years when censorship interventions were carried out illegally, it was possible to lawfully defend against this tool of communist managing, controlling and restricting freedom of expression and to demand its abolition. Very strongly the demand for abolition censorship came after IV. congress of the Union of Czechoslovak Writers. Part of the reform-minded senior officials of the Communist Party which supported the democratization of the system, advocated the attainment of freedom of expression, because they knew that a free media can most effectively contribute to the reform ideas with which they identify. Achieving abolition of censorship then really brought into media content quite open criticism of the existing socio situation in the country and also an appeal that it is necessary to reform it. Media created political pressure and acted as...
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Time of Prague spring 1968 reflected in the journal of Literární listy
Maslova, Alina ; Pešička, Jiří (advisor) ; Dolenská, Jana (referee)
The time of the Prague Springof 1968 drawn out in the journal Literární listy This work looks into the profile of the journal Literární listy during the period of the Prague Spring of 1968; my exposition is preceded by a reflection of the political and socio- cultural atmosphere of these times. In the introduction, I give a brief overview of what was happening on the political and cultural scene, since the early loosening of internal relations in the late 1950's as well as through out the 1960's in the former Czechoslovakia (a so-called "melting period"), and an overall evaluation of the situation from a cultural point of view (including the relationship between writers and authorities, the emancipation of cultural journals from the official party and state policies, the development at the 4th congress of Svaz československých spisovatelů (Czechoslovak Writers' Union) and the voiced criticism of the regime. The following pages recall the main points of developments during the months of the Prague Spring of 1968. The vision of this work, to which I dedicate the largest part, is to expound and analyze the contemporary key themes, how it is reflected in the major journalistic contributions to the journal Literární listy: articles on current internal and foreign policy situations, probing the recent...
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Implementation of Dayton Accords under the survey of EUFOR Althea in 2004 - 2010: Bosnia's road towards democracy?
Šťásek, Pavel ; Tejchman, Miroslav (advisor) ; Pikal, Kamil (referee)
This bachelor thesis examines successfulness of the EU's mission EUFOR Althea and the Office of the High Representative in the process of democratization and stabilization of Bosnia-Herzegovina (BiH). It elaborates the most important parts of the Dayton Peace Agreement (DPA) - the Constitution of BiH in the first chapter and other elements as well as the role of the EU in the second one. DPA has divided BiH into two national Entities and gave only limited power to a central government. Either problematic articles of the Constitution of BiH and suggested amendments are analyzed. This chapter reveals some sources of country's instability and describes amendments needed in order stabilization. These amendments are required as the preconditions of the potential Bosnian integration into the EU. The second chapter analyzes the democratization process and the rebuilding of civil society. Patterns of the police and armed forces, economic situation, cooperation with the International Criminal Court for the former Yugoslavia, civil society and democratic freedoms are all investigated. It evaluates the impact of all these factors on the long-term stabilization and peace maintenance. The role of the EU in facilitating of this process is stressed - whether it is successful or not and what could be done better....
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The United States' policy of democracy promotion after the intervention in Iraq.
Klimešová, Tereza ; Hornát, Jan (advisor) ; Riegl, Martin (referee)
Bibliographic note KLIMEŠOVÁ, Tereza. The Implications of the Intervention in Iraq for the United States' Policy of Democracy Promotion. Master thesis. Charles University, Faculty of Social Sciences, Institute of International Studies, Supervisor Ph.Dr. Jan Hornát, Ph.D. Abstract Democracy promotion has been an integral part of US foreign policy for more than a century. Particularly at the end of the 20th century, democracy flourished worldwide as autocratic regimes collapsed at large and scholars talked about the "End of History." Nevertheless, the current situation is very different, and substantial democratic backsliding is observable. Many scholars are tracing the origins of this decline to the Bush's Freedom Agenda, particularly the intervention in Iraq in 2003, arguing that it was the initial turning point for US democracy promotion. However, this thesis argues that the invasion and the subsequent war were pivotal only in part. The most visible implications were within the public perception of democracy promotion. Due to the US engagement in Iraq, domestic support deteriorated substantially. Moreover, the international community's perception of the US as a benign democracy exporter crumbled as well. Another change was observable within the rhetoric of President Obama after taking office in 2009. In...
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New understanding of corruption and EU legitimacy
Tudjarovska Gjorgjievska, Emilija ; Frič, Pavol (advisor) ; Dvořáková, Vladimíra (referee) ; Perottino, Michel (referee)
This research aims to investigate the causal linkages between the EU democratic legitimacy and the crises of representative democracies in the field of anti-corruption. The threats of corruption to the EU democratic legitimacy and the approach in handling this negative phenomenon is seen as a symptom of a more profound crisis of the EU integration project. The mutual interdependence between the EU and it is member states in delivering the standards of democracy, it's values and principles is seen through legitimation as an act of actual justification. This actual exercise of the EU indirect legitimacy in normative terms is translated into action through the key actors of representative democracies on a national level, the national parliaments and the political parties. However, the role of the parliaments and the party democracy in the broader EU context, especially evident in Central-East Europe (CEE), has been challenged and weak, suggesting hollowness of democracy. This status has been also challenged by the misuse of political power for private gains, as a general understanding of corruption, also adopted by the EU. However, the mutual reinforcement of corruption and the hollowness of democracy have remained under-acknowledged in the broader neoliberal context. The reasons behind are few:...
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Ronald Inglehart's theories and their contribution to historical sociology with regard to the publications since 2000.
Zelenka, Jakub ; Černý, Karel (advisor) ; Gramskopf, Rostislav (referee)
This diploma thesis aims to map the work that Ronald Inglehart published after the year 2000 and to include it in the concept of historical sociology. In my work I deal with a total of seven books, which I subject to critical reflection and at the same time I compare with other authors who commented on the given topics. The work will touch on theories of modernization, democratization, secularization and to a lesser extent civilization analysis. I will also add remarks and observations from the point of view of quantitative methodology, as Inglehart's theories are based on a large amount of quantitative data based on questionnaire surveys. The first part of my work deals with modernization theory, the next part deals with secularization and the third part focuses on the analysis of civilization. In modernization and secularization, I will first introduce versions of the theories that Inglehart and co-authors published during the first decade of the 21st century. After that, I will always reflect on recent work (2017- 2021). In the civilization part, which is the shortest, I will summarize his findings across his work. At the end of his work, Inglehart also makes predictions about future society. I also intend to analyze these findings in my diploma thesis. At the end of the work I evaluate the...
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