Communications in the period of totality and democracy. (Specification in comparison of new year speeches of presidents G.Husak and V. Havel)

This thesis deals with the influence of totalitarian and democratic regime at the communication abilities and possibilities of then presidents in our country. The theoretical part distinguishes between political and apolitical communication. Besides other things, it focuses on the characteristics of totalitarianism and democracy and describes the dispositions of language system at both regimes. It also includes a brief history of New Year's speeches and their language particularities because the theoretical part is focused exactly on those communication opportunities. The practical part focuses on the analysis of New Year's speeches of the last totalitarian and the first democratic presidents, with only that exact speech being analysed in detail in both cases. The life stories of both personages are also taken into consideration. Speeches are analysed from the content, linguistic and psychological viewpoint, emphasis being on the meaning of the entire communication. In the conclusion it is attempted to introduce the comparison of both speakers and their communication abilities. KEYWORDS communication, totality, democracy, New Year's speeches, Gustav Husak, Vaclav Have