This course deals with political systems of Central European countries after World War II. It is based on theories of non-democratic regimes, theories of transition, consolidation and theories of democracy which are used for analysis of development and a current state of political systems. The course is primarily focused on the countries of so-called Visegrad Four, i.e. the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia. This region is studied within a wider comparative perspective which enables comparison with other post-communist European countries.