Who were the liberals and conservatives in Yugoslavia in the late 1960s and early 1970s? Conflict between centrist factions

Abstract

The article challenges conventional political classifications, arguing that real-world politics defy simplistic labels due to pragmatic factors, internal and external influences. In the Yugoslav context of the late 1960s and early 1970s, the terms “conservatism” and “liberalism” were complex, entangled in Cold War dynamics and intra-party struggles. The article explores the intertwined nature of nationalism and socialism, suggesting that even communism as ideology historically stemmed from collectivist nationalism. It delves into the liberal-conservative entanglement (mostly in Serbia, with some reflections on the other Yugoslav Republics) during this period, highlighting the blurred lines between these labels. The article discusses a political centrism that emerged, reflecting not only on the Yugoslav position, but possibly also a deeper Central European tendency. In so doing, it refrains from definitive answers, presenting a complex picture of events, emphasizing the multifaceted nature of historical causality and human identity within the socialist prism.

Keywords

• nationalism
• democracy
• socialism
• liberalism
• conservatism
• yugoslavia
• centrism