Editing Tomáš Masaryk (section)

==Leader of Czechoslovakia==
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[[File:TGM Tabor 21.12.1918 3462a.jpg|thumb|alt=A serious-looking Masaryk and his daughter getting off a train, surrounded by people|Masaryk and his daughter, Olga, returning from exile on 21 December 1918]]
[[File:Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk 1919.png|Portrait of Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk, 1919.|thumb]]
[[File:Masaryk Beth Alfa1.jpg|thumb|Visiting [[kibbutz]] [[Beit Alfa]], [[Mandatory Palestine]], 1924]]
[[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 102-13623, Tomá- Garrigue Masaryk.jpg|thumb|upright|alt=Masaryk, seated with his legs crossed and saluting the photographer|Masaryk at Prague Old Town Square in 1932]]

With the fall of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1918, the Allies recognized Masaryk as head of the provisional Czechoslovak government. On 14 November of that year, he was [[1918 Czechoslovak presidential election|elected]] president of Czechoslovakia by the National Assembly in Prague while he was in New York. On 22 December, Masaryk publicly denounced the Germans in Czechoslovakia as settlers and colonists.{{sfn|Orzoff|2009|p=140}}

Masaryk was re-elected three times: in May [[1920 Czechoslovak presidential election|1920]], [[1927 Czechoslovak presidential election|1927]], and [[1934 Czechoslovak presidential election|1934]]. Normally, a president was limited to two consecutive terms by the [[Czechoslovak Constitution of 1920|1920 constitution]], but a one-time provision allowed the first president–Masaryk–to run for an unlimited number of terms.

On paper, Masaryk had a somewhat limited role; the framers of the constitution intended to create a parliamentary system in which the [[Prime Minister of Czechoslovakia|prime minister]] and cabinet held actual power. However, a complex system of [[proportional representation]] made it all but impossible for one party to win a majority. Usually, ten or more parties received the 2.6 per cent of votes needed for seats in the National Assembly. With so many parties represented, no party even approached the 151 seats needed for a majority; indeed, no party ever won more than 25 per cent of the vote. These factors resulted in frequent changes of government; Masaryk's tenure saw ten cabinets headed by nine statesmen. Under the circumstances, Masaryk's presence gave Czechoslovakia a large measure of stability. This stability, combined with his domestic and international prestige, gave Masaryk's presidency more power and influence than the framers of the constitution intended.

He used his authority in Czechoslovakia to create the [[Hrad (politics)|Hrad]] (the Castle), an extensive, informal political network. Under Masaryk's watch, Czechoslovakia became the strongest democracy in Central Europe. Masaryk's status as a Protestant leading a mainly Catholic nation led to criticism, as did his promotion of the 15th-century proto-Protestant [[Jan Hus]] as a symbol of Czech nationalism.{{sfn|Orzoff|2009|p=123}}

There were founded "The Masaryk Academy of Labour", for the scientific study of scientific management too, with the Masaryk's supporting in [[Prague]] in [[1918]] and Masaryk University in [[Brno]].<ref>Preclík, Vratislav: K stému výročí vzniku Masarykovy akademie práce (One hundred years of the Masaryk Academy of Labour), in Strojař (The Machinist): Journal of MA, časopis Masarykovy akademie práce, January–June 2020, year XXIX., issue 1, 2., ISSN 1213-0591, registrace Ministerstva kultury ČR E13559, pp. 2–20</ref>

Masaryk visited France, Belgium, England, Egypt and the [[Mandatory Palestine|Mandate for Palestine]] in 1923 and 1927. With [[Herbert Hoover]], he sponsored the first Prague International Management Congress, a July 1924 gathering of 120 global labour experts (of which 60 were from the [[United States]]), organized with Masaryk Academy of Labour.<ref>Proceedings from 1.PIMCO "Encyclopedy of Performance", 2500 pages (3 volumes "Man", "Production", "Business") Masaryk Academy of Labour, Prague 1924 - 1926</ref> After the rise of [[Adolf Hitler]], Masaryk was one of the first political figures in Europe to voice concern. 

Masaryk resigned from office on 14 December 1935, because of old age and poor health, and was succeeded by [[Edvard Beneš]].