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Direct Democracy and Referendum in the Ukrainian Political System
Storchak, Yelyzaveta ; Mlejnek, Josef (advisor) ; Brunclík, Miloš (referee)
The thesis examines the role of direct democracy and referendum in the Ukrainian political system between 1991 and 2022. Comparative analysis was chosen as the main research method to identify the historical roots and development of direct democracy in Ukraine. The aim of the paper is to explore the advantages and disadvantages of direct democracy in the country's political system, especially during the presidency of Volodymyr Zelensky. The thesis asks three main research questions: the advantages of the current application of direct democracy in the Ukrainian political system, the identification of the disadvantages of this approach, and an analysis of the comparison of the new legislation adopted under President Zelensky with previous experiences with direct democracy. The thesis is divided into theoretical and practical parts. The first part deals with key concepts and theoretical aspects related to direct democracy and the referendum as its instrument. The second part complements the analysis with a historical retrospective of referendums in Ukraine and an overview of the legislation governing this area. Particular attention is paid to the analysis of legislation adopted under President Zelensky and its relevance to the experience of direct democracy in Ukraine. The study concludes that the...
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Direct democracy in the 21st century: challenges and pitfalls (including forecast of future development)
Kozák, Lukáš ; Kysela, Jan (advisor) ; Ondřejková, Jana (referee)
Direct democracy in the 21st century: challenges and pitfalls Abstract The thesis deals with the position of direct democracy in the 21st century, what are its advantages and disadvantages and problem areas. Before that, it briefly presents why such strong voices calling for direct democracy have been heard in recent years. The first part of the thesis describes the emergence of representative democracy and how this process was influenced by opinions on direct democracy. Furthermore, the reasons for the existence of representative democracy are outlined and the theory behind it is briefly introduced. In its second part, the thesis discusses, in greater detail, the present of representative democracy, what are its advantages and disadvantages and what problems it faces, which quite possibly threaten its very existence. In this part the thesis is based, among other things, on sociological findings, especially in Czech society. These problems largely explain frequent considerations about the implementation of direct democracy. The third part turns its attention to direct democracy exclusively and describes its history, more precisely, important passages from it. It also describes the theoretical foundations of direct democracy, in which the defense of direct democracy by its promoters is hidden to some extent....
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The aspects of representative democracy in churches associated in the Ecumenical Council of Churches of the Czech Republic
Kobylka, Petr ; Kubátová, Hana (advisor) ; Vinš, Petr Jan (referee)
The thesis analyses the elements of representative democracy in the structures of churches associated in the Ecumenical Council of Churches of the Czech Republic. Although churches have not a generally democratic structure, the author examines whether they contain elements of representative democracy, according to the criteria for the functioning of democracy given by Robert Dahl. The thesis is also based on the work of Luca Badini Confalonieri, who describes the issue of democracy within the Roman Catholic Church in his publication. The thesis outlines the roots of democracy in churches in the books of Old and New Testaments of the Bible and the church history, especially in the context of religious diversity in the Czech lands. The historical core of the problem is how to properly appoint leaders of ecclesial communities, whereas this problem is already being described in the Bible. Furthermore, the work deals with the organizational structures of twelve selected churches in the Czech Republic, examines the methods of election or appointment of their representatives and bodies. For this purpose, the church was divided into three categories - the Roman Catholic Church, churches with an episcopal element, protestant synodal-congregational, and congregational churches. The work also points to...
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Conflicts of legitimacies within the European Union
Venclík, Jan ; Ondřejková, Jana (advisor) ; Agha, Petr (referee)
Conflicts of Legitimacies within the European Union - abstract In the beginning of first part, the thesis focuses on the very concept of legitimacy. The point of reference is rather a sociological conception of legitimacy. Then, the critical overview of theoretical contributions to the topic of EU's legitimacy deficit is provided. On this analytical background it is held that the democratic legitimacy is indispensable for the Union and that there is a necessity of its creating even on union-wide (transnational) level. Subsequently, in the second part dealing with particular modalities of legitimacy within the EU, the thesis makes use of the conteporary democratic theory focusing on the concept and functioning of democratic representation. The framework for the second part is a spatio-mechanical metaphor of four modalities ("vectors") of legitimacy (legitimation) formulated previously in the literature. It consists of indirect legitimacy, parliamentary legitimacy, technocratic legitimacy and procedural legitimacy. Changes in their balance after the Lisbon Treaty are discussed. The chapter on indirect legitimacy focuses on theoretical questions and then looks into the institutional and legislative development. It also provides an analysis of the relevant case-law of the Federal Constitutional Court of the...
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Direct Democracy in public discussion in Czech Republic. Political actors, their proposals and political practice
Havlík, Martin ; Mlejnek, Josef (advisor) ; Jüptner, Petr (referee)
The Diploma thesis will deal the main actors who support elements of direct democracy in Czech political system. Concurrently I want critically approach to their thesis and valorize its relevance, viability and potential impact for Czech society. First of all I will present each of elements of direct democracy, which are town meeting, initiative, referendum and recall. I refuse that a direct election of president or other political actor is an element of direct democracy. I classify a direct election of political actor like a synonym of representative democracy in this Diploma thesis. I will also present examples of countries like Switzerland or California, which has huge experience with using of direct democracy. Focus of my interest will be also on Scottish independence referendum and Slovak referendum about family and marriage. After this theoretical and empirical introduction I will critically approach to thesis about elements of direct democracy of Czech political actor like the Dawn of Direct Democracy, the Public Affairs, the Movement for Direct Democracy and the Czech Pirates Party, however I will mention other political actors and theirs ideas of elements of direct democracy, mainly I will mention the Czech government's proposition of law about general referendum in Czech republic. The...
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Electronic democracy and its potential in the Czech Republic
Bejdák, Radek ; Lebeda, Tomáš (advisor) ; Novák, Miroslav (referee)
The diploma thesis examines new phenomena of electronic democracy which is becoming more popular with the internet expansion. The thesis summarizes existing research in the field of electronic democracy from a view of forms that could be or are taken. The aim of this summarization is to show that new transformational changes affecting our society do not automatically implicate a shift towards direct democracy. Using theoretical summarization a state of the art of electronic democracy in the Czech Republic is described. Importance is given to an analysis of contemporary evolving tools and initiatives which were developed from two directions - top-down and a bottom up. A part of this analysis is an assessment of important factors that are stimulating a development of electronic participation - freedom of information right, internet penetration and computer literacy.
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