This master thesis deals with topic of specific urban political régime of the town of Zlín between years of 1923 and 1938. In the interwar period Zlín was ruled by monopolist rule of Baťa Shoes Company. This firm had dominant economic position in the respective town and it created own candidate list composed of company managers which was winning municipal elections. Town of Zlín is example of specific phenomenon of capitalist paternalism (our own term) realized over area of so called company town. In our study we provide basic historic background of mentioned terms. Then we explore particular aspects of Baťa's rule over Zlín like factors of cultural, economic or employment policies. After all of these aspects we try to create whole picture of Baťa's régime. We compare it with other flourishing régimes of the period too. Baťa's Zlín régime ("batism) had strong modernist and emancipatory effect on its participants. In the same time it formed and manipulated with these respective participants without expectable defense reactions of these people. We would like to examine specific power relations of Baťa's rule and to describe its behavior and reception in Zlín society of interwar time.

This diploma thesis deals with theme of so called Bataism as specific kind of societal order realized in the frame of so called company town. Bataism is characterized by that kind of political power sui generis which primarily depends on economic strength of Bata Shoes Company. Political power of Bata is substantially realizing its political power especially in the frame of town of Zlin. By researching Bataism we define term of so called capitalist paternalism which primarily describes specifics of capitalist/paternalist rule over enclosed area of his own company town (de George, Salt), then historically secondarily also specifics of his rule over broader area (Ford). By researching Bataism from an angle of political science we concentrate on the definition of its power structures and the very character of that power itself. For these purposes we use concepts of Michel Foucault as disciplinary power and model of so called Panopticon. In addition we provide definition of Bataism from the perspective of ideology and utopia. Aim of our work is describing and explaining (seeming) paradox: political program of Bataism is continually legitimized by democratic method although its performance can be seen generally non- democratic.