Original scientific paper
SOME IMPORTANT FEATURES OF AMERICAN FRATERNALISM (On the Occasion of the Croatian Fraternal Union Centennial)
Ivan Čizmić
; Institutefor Applied Social Research, Zagreb
Abstract
American fraternalism belongs to the strongest social movements
in the history of the United States of America. Its basic
program is individual and family insurance in case of illness or
death. However, within the framework of fraternalist institutions
various social, cultural and political activities have developed.
Those who most deserve credit for the development of the
fraternalist movement are immigrants into the U.SA Through
fraternalist institutions they were able to incorporate their cultural
heritage into the American mosaic of nations. The Slav immigrants,
and among them Croats, had their strong and numerous
fraternalist institutions wherefromthey fought for afirmation of their
ethnic communities in the new American society, but also
provided economic and political support for their people in the old
country in their fight for national freedom. Owing to such work,
American fraternalism has retained its importance among
immigrants up to the present day. And therefore, this year the
largest Croatian emigrant organization, the Croatian Fraternai
Union, is celebrating its centennial.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
33107
URI
Publication date:
1.11.1993.
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