= Czech Democratization = A history of '''Czech democratization'''. <> ---- == First Czechoslovak Republic == During [[WorldHistory/WorldWar1|World War 1]], the [[Austria/Monarchs#Austro-Hungarian_Empire|Austro-Hungarian]] politician [[Czechia/TomasMasaryk|Masaryk]] lobbied [[UnitedStates/WoodrowWilson|Wilson]] for independence. In 1918, the Allied Powers recognized him as the effective head of state for an incoming independent Czechoslovakia. He was elected in actuality that November. The '''First Republic''' was designed to have a weak [[Czechia/Presidents|president]] and a more powerful bicameral legislature. The '''National Assembly''' was composed of a [[Czechia/Parliament#Chamber_of_Deputies|Chamber of Deputies]] with 300 members and a [[Czechia/Parliament#Senate|Senate]] with 150 members. Both were elected by proportional representation. 10 parties regularly had some share of the votes, creating particular difficulty in establishing stable governments. Masaryk was able to centralize power in the presidency during his 17 year term, while 10 [[Czechia/PrimeMinisters|prime ministers]] came and went. ---- == Second Czechoslovak Republic == The '''Second Republic''', for all intents and purposes, is tied to the presidency of [[Czechia/EmilHacha|Hácha]]. Structurally, the Second Republic was identical to the First. The [[WorldHistory/MunichAgreement|Munich Betrayal]] established Czechoslovakia as a de facto German client state. Accordingly, the [[Czechia/CommunistParty|Communist Party]] was banned, Jews were blacklisted from political and educational positions, and Jewish-owned firms were seized. The [[WorldHistory/FirstViennaAward|First Vienna Award]] further partitioned the country, with [[WorldHistory/Carpathia|Carpathian Ruthenia]] being seized by [[Hungary/MiklosHorthy|Horthy]]. ---- == Government in Exile == [[Czechia/EdvardBenes|Beneš]] declared himself the president of Czechoslovakia in exile. He leverage the Czechoslovak intelligence community to maintain recognition as such from the [[WorldHistory/Allies|Allies]]. ---- == Third Czechoslovak Republic == The '''Third Republic''' had a unicameral legislature. The '''Constituent National Assembly''' was elected by proportional representation. Importantly though, the '''National Front''' coalition effectively held all seats. The [[Czechia/EdvardBenes#Second_Bene.2BAWE_Government|Košice Program]] had established limited multi-party democracy. ---- == Socialist Czechoslovak Republic == Briefly known as the '''Fourth Czechoslovak Republic''', the '''Socialist Czechoslovak Republic''' was a [[WorldHistory/SovietUnion|Soviet]] satellite state. Non-[[Czechia/CommunistParty|KSČ]] ministers of the National Front coalition resigned in February 1948, leaving KSČ in full control. Elections in March and the '''Ninth-of-May Constitution''' they produced cemented this. Under [[Slovakia/AlexanderDubcek|Dubček's]] reformist 1968 government, generally known as the '''Prague Spring''', Czechoslovakia saw rapid and significant liberalization. This was reversed August, when the [[WorldHistory/WarsawPact|Warsaw Pact]] invaded and began the '''normalization era'''. ---- == Czech and Slovak Federative Republic == The [[Czechia/CivicForum|Civic Forum]] political movement coordinated all opposition efforts. Mass demonstrations began on November 17, 1989, the 50th anniversary of a student protest at [[Czechia/Prague|Prague]] University that was violently suppressed by [[Germany/AdolfHitler|Germany]]. Attempts to suppress this protest instead drew more people and attention to the protest. On November 24, Miloš Jakeš resigned as general secretary of the [[Czechia/CommunistParty|KSČ]] and [[Czechia/GustavHusak|Husek]] resigned as [[Czechia/Presidents|president]]. This relatively peaceful transition of power is known as the '''Velvet Revolution'''. The '''Velvet Divorce''' saw this state partitioned into the '''Czech Republic''' and the [[Slovakia/Democratization#Slovak_Republic|Slovak Republic]]. ---- == Czech Republic == ---- CategoryRicottone