The economic dimension of the reform "Prague Spring" in the years 1962–1969 in wage policy

This diploma thesis analyzes the certain economic processes that were characteristic of the reform of the Czechoslovak economy between 1962 and 1969, and which ultimately contributed to the emergence of the so-called Prague Spring. The aim of the thesis is to analyze the reform of wage policy, which was initiated by economists under the supervision of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia in the 1960s. This thesis also focuses on the process of decentralization in the management of enterprises and the change in the approach to their workers, which was also reflected in the form of wage policy. The thesis summarizes why it was necessary to approach a change in wage policy in the mid-1960s and explains how the new economic reform addressed it. It also analyzes how the economic reform contributed to greater worker involvement in enterprises and increased their motivation. With the help of period works, archival documents, statistics, and period wage regulations, the thesis models various possibilities for forms of worker compensation and the level of their remuneration. The thesis uses the achieved results to explain the impact of changes in workers' wages on the economy. Furthermore, it contributes to clarifying the issue of the relationship between wage reforms and the population's reactions. Last but not least, the thesis helps to link the economic, social, and political aspects of the reforms leading up to the Prague Spring.