Preliminary communication
Croatian Society – Before and During Transition
Inga TOMIĆ-KOLUDROVIĆ
Mirko PETRIĆ
Abstract
The text indicates changes that occurred in the socio-cultural
context of Croatian society during the period of post-socialist
transition, with regard to the following topics: (1) economic
state of society; (2) labour and work ethics; (3) employment
or unemployment issues; (4) individualist as opposed to
collectivist orientations; (5) changes in the culture; and (6)
religious orientations and the influence of the church on the
work of social institutions. Its aim is to create a basis for
further study of the development of Croatian society and
specific qualities of Croatian transition. Based on changes in
the topics discussed in the text, one can conclude generally
that in the period of transition both continuity and
discontinuity with the former socialist period are
demonstrated. The greatest changes are structural in
character (ownership, organisation of labour, organisation of
official social and cultural activities). Continuity with the
socialist period, as well as with the cultural matrices
preceding it, is evident in the cultural aspects of social life
(contradictory set of individualist and collectivist values, the
importance of the ritual element of political legitimacy). One
of the specifics of Croatian transition is in the fact that it
mostly developed in wartime circumstances, resulting in
certain specific phenomena also observed in other
transitional countries (e.g. unemployment). Although Croatia
did not enter the phase of “mature transition”, measured by
means of the criterion of political accession to the EU, until it
had become a candidate country in 2005, it can be argued
that in the social sense transition in Croatia has mostly been
completed.
Keywords
Croatian society; transition; labour and work ethics; employment; individualist and collectivist values; cultural change; religious orientations
Hrčak ID:
19170
URI
Publication date:
31.10.2007.
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