“HUMANIST” MARXISM AND THE COMMUNIST REGIME WITH “SPARKLES” OF TOTALITARIANISM: THE YUGOSLAV COMMUNIST TOTALITARIAN EXPERIMENT (RESPONSE TO FLERE AND KLANJŠEK)

Abstract

This paper is a response to the article “What Typological Appellation is Suitable for Tito’s Yugoslavia” published by Sergej Flere and Rudi Klanjšek in Istorija 20. veka, in which the two authors reflected on our article “Was Tito’s Yugoslavia Not Totalitarian?” Instead of engaging in an open academic debate based on arguments and empirical data, Flere and Klanjšek concentrate their approach on detecting textual mistakes, which they then use as proof of our superficial and counter-factual approach. In this article, we focus on providing arguments and empirical data which demonstrate that Flere and Klanjšek’s arguments as well as their newly introduced views on the subject hold little merit. In fact, we have shown that their attempt to discredit us is nothing but an example of how an academic debate can turn into a blatant non-academic debate when scholarly based approach, academic professionalism and facts are run over by sentiment.

Keywords

• totalitarianism
• yugoslavia
• communism
• federalism
• josip broz tito
• individual