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Dr Kosta Nikolić

Institute for Contemporary History

Belgrade, Serbia

 

REMOVAL OF IVAN STAMBOLIĆ FROM THE POSITION OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE PRESIDENCY OF THE SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF SERBIA IN 1987

Vol. XXXIV, 1/2016, pp. 159–178
https://doi.org/10.29362/ist20veka.2016.1.nik.159-178

 

ABSTRACT/RESUME: Slobodan Milošević started a wide political campaign in the late fall of 1987 in order to politically eliminate Ivan Stambolić. Even after the Eighth Session Milošević wanted to send a clear message to all of his adversaries – he is the absolute leader of the Serbian communist party and the Serbian nation. To that end he evoked the necessity of the „unity of socialist forces“ in order for the Serbian society to quickly emerge from a political, economic and moral crisis. At the same time, he was creating an image of himself as a man of action that doesn’t hesitate and does not waste time making „useless“ conversations. Through a well-organized political action, Ivan Stambolić was removed from the most important state function in Serbia, and by doing so Milošević suffocated every opposition inside the Serbian communist party. As a leader, his offer was similar to Tito’s: egalitarianism, a simplified picture of the world and how it works, a new religion (belonging to a class was replaced by belonging to the nation), and – a vision of a common enemy. Dangerous channel was opened for collective venting of frustrations of the people. First among such enemies were „the forces defeated in the Eighth session“ and Serbian „bureaucrats and officials“, then Albanians and politicians from Vojvodina, then the Croats and Slovenians, and finally wider range of threats within and outside Yugoslavia.

 

KEYWORDS: Slobodan Milošević, Ivan Stambolić, personality of cult, absolute power

 

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