The Historical Roots of Local Self-Government in Czech and Slovak Republics

Authors

  • Eduard Bakoš Masaryk university, Faculty of Economics and Administration, Lipová 41a, 602 00 Brno
  • Jana Soukopová Masaryk university, Faculty of Economics and Administration, Lipová 41a, 602 00 Brno
  • Jan Šelešovský Masaryk university, Faculty of Economics and Administration, Lipová 41a, 602 00 Brno

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.4335/13.1.1-19(2015)

Keywords:

legal history, local self-government, public administration, economic development, public finance, Czechoslovak Republic

Abstract

The paper deals with the historical development of local self-government in the context of the development of the public administration as a whole during the First Czechoslovak Republic. It presents historical roots of the public administration in the former imperial Austria-Hungary, which was different from other European countries with its complex bureaucratic structures. Certain elements of the complex political and administrative developments during the early 20th century can be seen even one hundred years later. It is becoming apparent that history repeats itself in a number of issues and that it is unforgivable not to learn lessons both from the mistakes and the successful solutions of the past.

Author Biographies

  • Eduard Bakoš is an assistant professor in public finance at the Department of Public Economics, Faculty of Economics and Administration, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic. He focuses in his research on public finance, efficiency and effectiveness and crisis management in public administration. He cooperates with officials on state, regional and local level (municipalities) especially in empirical research (questionnaires and structured interviews).

  • Jana Soukopová is an assistant professor in public finance at the Department of Public Economics, Faculty of Economics and Administration, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic. Her long term research interest includes public finance, mathematical methods in public economics, public projects and procurements and environmental economics with a focus on waste management. She has experiences in the basic and applied research.

  • Jan Šelešovský, Ph.D., associated professor at the Faculty of Economics and Administration, Masaryk University. He focuses on issues of public administration and public finance with an emphasis on local governments. He is also a guest lecturer and examiner for the Institute for Public Administration Prague at the Ministry of Interior of the Czech Republic.

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Published

2015-01-11

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