The International Newsletter of Communist Studies Online IX

The International Newsletter of Communist Studies Online 16/2003 21
just before World War Two, in the course of the Yugoslav struggle for national liberation, and in the immediate
after war periode, when Tito’s Yugoslavia took certain steps in internal and foreign policy without the »big
brother’s« knowledge and guidance.
The studies published on this subject provide certain answers regarding the causes and effects of this conflict
in relation to the subsequent relations among socialist countries and their communist parties. This collection of
studies and presentations of the scientific conference demonstrates that historiography has already achieved
substantial results in discerning the causes, the course, and the consequences of these events which marked a
turning point in Yugoslav postwar history. Undoubtedly this book will encourage further research of this
challenging historical subject.
The Historical Significance and Repercussions of the Year 1948 (Ranko Petkovi_)
Yugoslavia’s separation from the socialist camp for a period of four years had lasting historical and political
repercussions, best viewed within the frame of the combined internal and external effects of this political
decision. Internally, the Yugoslav population profited from the country’s new foreign policy by enjoying higher
standards of living than those typical of the other socialist states. This improved status included greater political
freedom, more opportunity for travel and work abroad, and a series of other privileges. Furthermore, the
separation from the Eastern bloc reinforced Yugoslavia’s position and reputation in international politics,
manifested by the growing interest of both superpowers in intensifying cooperation with Yugoslavia and by the
country’s leading role in the non aligned movement, and its exceptional popularity among Asian, African and
Latin American countries.
Despite the fact that Yugoslavia’s decision definitely caused a number of negative effects (an insufficient level of
democracy, a system of repression which in some instances, such as Goli Otok, exceeded the repressive
measures employed in other socialist countries, and close ties with the most brutal autocratic regimes, such as
that of Idi Amin, Haile Selassie, and Bocassa), there is no doubt that the positive results of the separation
outweighed the negative ones.
Causes and Effects of the Conflict (Sava _ivanov)
The essay deals with the causes and effects of the conflict between Yugoslavia and the Soviet Union in 1948.
The break in Soviet-Yugoslav relations came as a result of a number of accumulated differences, from those
regarding socialist theory and practice to questions of foreign policy, particularly Yugoslavia’s role in the
Balkans, which culminated in 1948. The breach between Tito and Stalin had multifarious effects. Following the
conflict with the Soviet Union, Yugoslavia abandoned the Soviet model of social order and set the foundations
of a new and specific type of socialism in the form of the »system of self-government«, which served as a
cornerstone for Yugoslavia’s social and political development for several decades ahead. The precedent set by
Yugoslavia affected the situation and existing relations within the communist camp, prompting some of the