A famous (and controversial) book Milovan Đilas "A new class - one analysis of the communist system" was published recently in Podgorica (Publisher "Fokalizator" - Podgorica.) This is the first Montenegrin edition of a book that had an almost Copernican influence on the direction of the development of communism in Yugoslavia and the world.
Therefore, not without reason, this book was included by the reference "Oxford Forum" from London in the very high 27th place out of 100 books that significantly influenced the development of politics and the development of modern societies in Europe and the world. (In the first place is the book Karl Popper "Open society" and at 43, for example, a book L. Kolakovsky "The Main Currents of Marxism".)
The book "New Class" was first published in the USA in 1957. At the time of the publication of the book, its author was already imprisoned in the Sremskomitrova prison for freedom of speech.
The book was smuggled out of Belgrade through the recently deceased journalist Kathryn Clark. The book reached the publisher of the leftist orientation "Preger" in New York via Vienna. Soon the book spread around the world. It quickly became a world bestseller. It has sold over 3 million copies. There was almost no more distinguished intellectual in the world who did not comment on this book.
The money received from the sale of this book was enormous. It is estimated at several millions, even tens of millions of dollars at the time. The author of the book intended to give all that money to a German Dr. Albert Schweitzer in South Africa, where he dealt with the care of abandoned children. Contact with him was also established. However, a fast-moving and promiscuous left-wing publisher, above all a businessman, preempted the author's intention. He quickly directed the bankruptcy of the company and left Đilas - 0 (zero) dollars.
A book of communist history
We would not be wrong if we say that this book is a landmark of communist history. Until the appearance of this book, Communism was zigzagging its way up. After the publication of this book, the power of Communism zigzags down, only to collapse at the end of the 80s of the XNUMXth century. Naturally, the book did not overthrow communism. Far from it. But Đilas, with his devastating analysis, realistic, brave and visionary view of the communist reality and the government of that reality, significantly contributed and accelerated the "perfect society" (communism) to become history as soon as possible.
At the same time, it is important to emphasize that Milovan Đilas was never an anti-communist.
Even before this book, there were many excellent analyzes and criticisms in the presentation of communist ideas and reality. But this book is special, unique and great because of - the author.
Namely, the author of this book was one of the members of the so-called the "big four" of the Yugoslav revolution and government. These four built the ideological and social system in Yugoslavia. The foursome consisted of: Tito, Ranković, Kardelj and Djilas.
Milovan Đilas partly influenced or was directly familiar with many important aspects and directions of building a "communist" society in Yugoslavia. Therefore, he was an "internal witness" and the builder of a "perfect society" in Yugoslavia. But also in the communist world, which, according to its ideological and globalist matrix, tried to create: heaven on earth, conflict-free, happy, humane, classless society, etc. (The scientific basis for the realization of this utopia was primarily works K. Marx and later VI Lenin. And so JV Stalin, in one part. Tito was not seriously concerned with theory.)
Normally, the "conceited" communists, looking only at the future, failed in this. Nor could they succeed.
"Stupid Montenegrin"
Milovan Đilas was the first from the top of the Yugoslav government to "look down" at the country and see the impossibility of realizing the ideas of communism. With his reflection, morals, and courage, he saw immediately after gaining power in 1945/6. Mr. the discrepancy between the real and the possible. He checked himself a few years later. Soon he openly rebelled against the utopia in power, i.e. Tito and his "new class".
The "stupid" Montenegrin rebelled, or to be more precise, revealed the crescendo of his rebellion in the early 50s. And that was when Tito's rule was at the height of its power and fame. Let's note. that is the time when Tito, so to speak, "in a package" won and Hitler and Stalin.
So, Đilas rebelled when Broz was a globally famous and important person.
And just then, Đilas saw that "there is a worm in the apple", that the (state) rot was about to start, that societies with communist ideological signs all over the world were not doing well, the "Danish Hamlet" was about to wake up. And even the dead know how to walk there.
Freedom discovered in prison
In the beginning, Đilas rebelled with his (Montenegrin) morality. And that means that it is not normal and human to be a slave and blind. He replaced ideology with the analysis of the "new-class" Yugoslav reality.
Tito reacted urgently. He replaced his power with house arrest and excommunication. And from 1956 (November 19, 1956) he sent him to prison.
That's when Đils' third (prison) life begins.
In prison he found and preserved individual freedom. Because in a totalitarian society, freedom is "protected" only in prison. Nowhere else. (To note, after the war Đilas was in prison on two occasions for more than 9,5 years, of which about two years in solitary confinement. Because of this solitary confinement Nehru, rasel, Malraux and later Margaret Thatcher wrote to Tito that it was not humane to treat this man like that.)
While he was in Tito's prison, the book "New Class" was published in the USA. Almost immediately, the book gained planetary importance and fame. It has been translated into over 30 of the world's most important languages. Dozens of doctorates, countless master's theses and seminar theses were written in the USA alone. Lesek Kolakowski, Karl Popper, Ž. P. Sartre, Bertrand Russell - to mention only this "big four" - spoke of the "New Class" with high scientific respect.
During all that time, its author was incarcerated in the Sremskomitrova prison. Tito and his "new class" tried to morally humiliate Đilas in Yugoslav - and especially in Montenegrin society - with fictional stories about his "left mistakes" in Montenegro. (To note, at the time of the escalation of the "Left's mistakes", Milovan Đilas was not in Montenegro. He was even returned to Montenegro in mid-March 1942 to suppress the "Left's mistakes".)
The writer of the "New Class" and rebel against Tito's rule had to be punished in all possible ways (politically, morally, materially). Even the neighbors in the building where he lived in Belgrade when he was not in prison were not allowed to have contact with him.
By constantly lying about Đilas's alleged "Mistakes of the Left", an effort was made not only to make the people believe the lies, but also to deprive the people of their capacity for liberal rebellion against the government and action. In other words, there was an effort to deprive the people of their capacity to think for themselves and see society with their own eyes. Thus, Đilas became an object of government.
No one was allowed to decide the fate of MĐ, except JBTito himself.
It's called "wasp's nest"
I am sure that Tito would have had a hard time succeeding in this perverse plan if his "new class" had not helped him. She was a faithful pillar of his authority. (Let us briefly remind you: the "new class" is a layer of high municipal, state, party, military, police and other officials and "feudalists" who formed the basis of Tito's rule. It is a copied Lenin-Stalin model of governance.)
Rebelling against Tito and his "new class" was extremely "stupid". And crazy. With this book, Đilas "stowed" that hornet's nest. So, Đilas was Montenegrin and "stupid" and "crazy" and brave to put himself that way. And this means that he is confronted and trampled by the "red wheel of history" (A. Solzhenitsyn).
Although, on the other hand, if he wasn't like that "he wouldn't be worth anything" as he later described and explained himself and his rebellion.
Finally, this about the book. But without the intention of presenting the book to Montenegrin readers. Let them do it themselves, if they have the courage to look at themselves in Đilas's "mirror" called "New Class".
Let's conclude.
Montenegro lags behind in everything in the XNUMXth century. And it seems that even in the XXI. It would be said that the Montenegrin society is not educated, brought up and matured in accepting the speed and challenges of the modern age. That Montenegrin society is paying dearly today. And there is no elite that would "hook" the people to the new era and elevate Montenegrin society to the level of (modern) politics.
The appearance of this book in our country today - even after 66 years since its first publication - is a clear proof of our civilizational trot and lagging behind the world. And who knows, maybe the exclusion of Montenegrin society and "quiet disappearance" (Ch. Miloš) from history.
So, let me repeat. The book "New Class" appears in Montenegro 66 years after its first publication. This means that we lost so much time in (primarily) mental but also moral other teachings and getting Montenegrin society used to modern social development. Development that includes analytics, (self) criticism, fairness and much more so that individual freedom wins and becomes the "ticket" for any natural social development and growth. Only freedom develops and improves society.
And one more thing after the end: the book "New Class" is (methodologically) a "weaker" book by Đilas. But this book is - over Deng Xiao Ping - significantly influenced the reforms and direction of development of modern "communist" China. This is almost unknown in our country.
It is clear that the book served this great Chinese reformer to see where his society must not go.
Bonus video:
