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The Road to Democracy in Communist Countries: Exploring the Influences in Transformation including nationalism
Xu, Jingjing ; Svoboda, Karel (advisor) ; Hanley, Seán (referee) ; Horák, Slavomír (referee)
This research delves into the transformative political journeys of Eastern Bloc countries following the disintegration of the Soviet Union, emphasizing the distinct paths they embarked upon-ranging from democracies to autocracies. Central to this exploration is the potent role of nationalism, particularly the dynamics of inclusive and exclusive nationalism, in steering these transitions. Through comparative analyses, the study unravels the complex interplay of factors that influenced the trajectories of these nations. The findings not only map the road to democracy in communist countries but also illuminate the profound influence of nationalism on such metamorphoses. By shedding light on these intricate dynamics, the research offers a robust framework for understanding and guiding democratic transitions in other regions, emphasizing the nuances of nationalism that can either bolster or hinder the pursuit of democratic ideals. Key Words: Eastern Bloc, Political Transformation, Democracy, Authoritarian Regimes, Nationalism, Post-communist
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American jazz diplomacy and the Czechoslovak Socialist Society
Vlášek, Jakub ; Calda, Miloš (advisor) ; Perutka, Lukáš (referee)
This thesis is focused on the activity of American jazz diplomacy in countries of the Eastern Bloc during the Cold War era. It follows the historical development of US jazz diplomacy and highlights its most important protagonists, the so-called jazz ambassadors, who were not only fighting against Communism through the medium of jazz music but also helping to create the positive image of US culture in the world. The primary aim of this thesis is to analyze the tolerance of the ruling regime towards American jazz music, as an instrument of cultural diplomacy, in the fifties and sixties of former Czechoslovakia. At the same time, it tries to find the reasons and preconditions which all led to organizing concerts of American jazz ambassadors, despite the negative attitude of the communist party towards jazz music. The author concludes that the communist authorities could use the concerts of African-American jazzmen in their own propaganda, emphasizing American racial segregation. Jazz music was also much more bearable for the Communists to let in in comparison to other new musical genres because it did not incite revolt.
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Post Stalin Crises in GDR - Causes of East-German Uprising in June 1953
Partynglová, Daniela ; Nigrin, Tomáš (advisor) ; Šmidrkal, Václav (referee)
The Bachelor thesis Post-Stalin Crises in GDR - Causes of East-German Uprising of June 1953 is searching for causes of East-German Uprising of June 1953. Thesis follows the situation and international position of soviet occupation zone in Germany and German Democratic Republic (GDR) after the World War II. until the summer of 1953. The aim of thesis is to analyse the potential reasons and causes of dissatisfaction of east Germans, which lead to the supressed uprising. The thesis is also focused on the reflexion and interpretations of causes of the Uprising in former Western and Eastern blocs of Cold War. In Western Bloc and the Federal Republic of Germany was accentuated antipathy to Communist regime and its fundaments, in the Eastern Bloc and the GDR was Uprising seem such a western provocation. The thesis concludes that the reasons of protest were the disappointing social and economic conditions and the repressions. The east Germans protested in 1953 against the instruments of politics of the leading East German Party, then against fundaments of the Communist regime.
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Foreign Students in Czechoslovakia in 70's and 80's
Nnaji, Kristýna ; Vondráková Bortlová, Hana (advisor) ; Krátká, Lenka (referee)
Foreign policy of Czechoslovakia in 70's and 80's depended completely on the policy of the Soviet union and its promoted ideology. The Czechoslovak socialist republic preserved the narrowest relationship with the Soviet union and its sattelite states in Eastern Europe, while the relationship with the western countries oriented to co-operation with the United states, was very cold and was beeing restored very slowly and gradually. The developing countries, especially those heading to a socialist establishment, had a special position in Czechoslovak foreign policy. Especially these countries benefited from Czechoslovak aid such as financial, military or material support. Another way Czechoslovakia implemented its development aid was offering scholarships for university students. The purpose of this form of aid was to contribute to the progress of developing countries, most of whom gained independence recently. Simultaneously the policy pursued another aim - to spread the socialist ideology and the influlence of the Soviet union around the world. Hundreds of foreign students studied in Czechoslovak universities every year during 70's and 80's. Most of them came from so called developing countries. Foreign students came from various countries of the world, various cultures and therefore they perceived...
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Picture of the political East in the caricature in the French magazine Le Cannard enchîné in 1945-1970
Walsh, Diana ; Štoll, Martin (advisor) ; Bednařík, Petr (referee)
This diploma thesis focuses on the analysis of caricatures with a theme of the Eastern block in French satirical weekly magazine Le Canard enchaîné in 1945-1970. By the Eastern block, we understand the Soviet Union and its associated socialistic countries. The thesis is anchored in the theoretical part by historical context of the history of the eastern countries, as well as by the development of analysed weekly magazine on the background of the history of France, by the formulation of the concepts of caricature and satire, including important authors, and the research methods themselves. Triangulation, in this case the combination of quantitative content analysis and semiotic analysis, aims to analyse individual caricatures with the theme of the East and its individual countries. The analysed periods are divided into two sections, due to the availability of materials, namely 1945-1948 and 1968-1970.
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The development of the selected economic indicators of the former Eastern Block countries after accession to the European Union
Chorvátová, Martina ; Zeman, Jan (advisor) ; Musil, Petr (referee)
This bachelor thesis analyses the level of the change of the economic situation and performance in the countries which were part of the Eastern block in the past after joining the European Union. The selected countries are Slovakia, Estonia, Slovenia, Bulgaria and Romania. The main objective of this thesis is to analyze, on the basis of selected economic indicators, the positive and negative consequences of the countries entry into the EU on the economic performance of the country, but also to analyze the development of the economy over the whole period under review. Another objective is to analyze the dependence between the selected economic indicators. The calculation itself is based on the calculations of the average growth rate, the average absolute increment and the correlation coefficient. Another method used in the analysis is the decomposition of the times series of the economic indicators to the trend and cyclic component using Hodrick Prescott filter and the evaluation of the coherence among chosen indicators. The benefit of this work is to compare the economic performance of the selected countries before and after joining EU and then to answer the question whether the entry into the EU would be beneficial for the other countries that have not been yet classified as EU member states. The analysis is based on the data available in the Eurostat database using the EViews and MS Excel software.
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Comparison of Democratic Consolidation in Former Eastern Bloc
Bárta, Vít ; Houda, Přemysl (advisor) ; Vaňous, Jaroslav (referee)
The aim of this thesis is to numerically evaluate democratic consolidation in Eastern European countries of the former Eastern Bloc. To compare these countries with each other and decide which of these countries can be considered as consolidated democracies. Secondary aim is to find which factors supported this consolidation or at least correlate with it. Theoretical basis of this work is Wolfgang Merkel's theory of democratic consolidation. He divides democratic consolidation into four levels: constitutional consolidation, representative consolidation, behavioral consolidation and democratic consolidation of the political culture. Each level of democratic consolidation is numerically expressed, with usage of Bertelsmann's transformation index data, separately for all states in two-year intervals since 2005 to 2015. Based on that, overall democratic consolidation is calculated. Therefore, we can compare countries between each other and in time. Correlation between factors supporting consolidation and overall democratic consolidation is expressed by Pearson correlation coefficient. This work is beneficial in creating and describing method, which can be used for numerical expression of democratic consolidation in any state since 2005 to 2015 without author's subjective influence. Another benefit is...
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Hungary 1956: from a reform of socialism to a national uprising
Adamec, Jan ; Vojtěchovský, Ondřej (advisor) ; Pelikán, Jan (referee) ; Irmanová, Eva (referee)
Jan Adamec, Hungary 1956: from a reform of socialism to a national uprising Dizertační práce Univerzita Karlova v Praze, Filozofická fakulta, Ústav světových dějin, Praha, 2015 Abstract The theses aims to analyze the crisis of the Hungarian Communist regime in 1956. It begins with the internal party struggle between Prime Minister Imre Nagy and First Secretary Matyás Rákosi in 1953-1955. Khrushchev's destalinisation initiative in 1956 triggered a new wave of conflicts. The crisis within the Communist Party was then deepened by the demise of Rákosi and the installation of Ernő Gerő as his successor in July 1956 and the emotionally charged reburial of László Rajk. The crisis coincided with grave economic shortages and rising dissatisfaction in the countryside. Encouraged Hungarian students organized demonstrations on 23 October 1956 that grew into mass riots against the regime. New agents that then played a key role in the events in question entered the political arena. Firstly, the Soviet army intervened on behalf of the Hungarian Communist leadership; however, it failed to restore order or suppress the mass movement. Secondly, dozens of guerrilla-like insurgent groups fought enthusiastically against the Soviets. Khrushchev contemplated postponing the use of military force for a brief period of time;...
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The Role of Jazz in U.S. Cultural Diplomacy During the Cold War
Komrsová, Anna ; Sehnálková, Jana (advisor) ; Calda, Miloš (referee)
This Bachelor thesis deals with the role of jazz diplomacy within American cultural policy during the Cold War era. It depicts how jazz music was used as an effective tool to shape a positive image of the USA abroad in the midst of Cold War conflicts. The theoretical concepts which underlie this thesis are cultural diplomacy as a component of public diplomacy, and the concept of "soft power". This thesis also examines the function of African-Americans as official jazz ambassadors of the US. The aim of the thesis is to determine the impact of jazz diplomacy in particular countries of the Eastern Bloc. It stresses the importance of Voice of America radio broadcasts in the context of the influence of jazz on foreign audiences. The thesis comes to the conclusion that the impact of American jazz music on Eastern Bloc countries was substantial and it also affirms the importance of culture within public diplomacy.
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Development of Romanian-Soviet relations in 1950s and 1960s.
Nakládal, Tomáš ; Tejchman, Miroslav (advisor) ; Šisler, Filip (referee)
This thesis deals with relations between Romania and the Soviet Union in the 1950s and 60s. It aims to analyse which elements had an impact on relations between Bucharest and Moscow. After the death of J. V. Stalin, there was relaxation in relations within the eastern bloc. Romanian communists, under the leadership of Gheorgiu-Dej, had very ambitious plans for the industrialisation of the country, which would guarantee them national sovereignty. A significant moment during was the withdrawal of the Soviet troups from Romania in 1958. Khrushchev's criticism of Stalin's Cult of Personality, combined with his policy of peaceful coexistence with the West, enabled Romania to pursue its own way towards socialism based on the polycentric perception of the world communist movement, national sovereignty, and independence. Contradictions existed between the two countries, not only in bilateral relations, but in international organisations of the eastern bloc, such as CMEA and the Warsaw Pact. Soviet proposals for economic specialisation of the CMEA countries and for transforming the Warsaw Pact into an supra-national organisation were considered unacceptable to Romanians. Romania sought support for its economic plans in maoist China. The dismissive position of Romania towards the Soviet proposals differed...
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