The Czech political parties 1945-1946

Michal Pehr: Czech Political Parties 1945-1946 Resumé Ph.D. thesis Czech Political Parties 1945-1946 by Michal Pehr is focused on Czech political parties between 1945-1946. In eight chapters the author describes their renewal after World War II and their activities upto the May elections in 1946. In this period a new system of political parties was introduced, known as either National Front, Popular Democracy, or Afterwar Democracy. Its main aim was to reduce shortcomings of pre-war democracy, to secure peace and to improve conditions of society. Broad economic, political, and social reforms were to be the main means to these desired aims. In the period the changes took place as broad as nationalization, transfer of Germans, punishment of colaboraters with the German occupants as well as some limits had been imposed on the number of political parties and political freedoms. This concept of politics was to better the life for all and for that reason it was called popular-democracy. It was supposed to imply more freedom, rights and social advantages for all. A new system, however, soon showed serious shortcomings, such as the rapid growth of bureaucracy and corruption. In this period also the struggle of the Communists to take over all political power was growing. In other words this period was the time of..