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https://doi.org/10.22586/ss.25.1.9
“Yugoslav action” in Osijek 1934-1935
Nikica Barić
Sažetak
This paper examines the establishment, organization, and ideology of the “Yugoslav Action” society. The society was founded after King Alexander of Yugoslavia dissolved the parliamentary system and introduced his dictatorship in early 1929. Under his regime, all political parties were disbanded, and Yugoslav Action emerged as a patriotic society loyal to the King and his authoritarian rule. Over time, it sought official recognition as a new political party, but this request was denied by the regime.
“Yugoslav Action” advocated for a strong, indivisible Yugoslav state with one Yugoslav nation and opposed liberal democracy, which it viewed as a chaotic system that had led the country into crisis. “Yugoslav Action” promoted the establishment of a corporatist system, with state control over capitalism, foreign capital, and foreign banks, as well as the nationalization of certain sectors of the economy. It also emphasized the historical bond between the Yugoslav people and their land, considering agriculture, particularly when organized in cooperatives, to be the backbone of the national economy. While the newspapers of “Yugoslav Action” rejected claims that its ideology resembled Fascism or Nazism, such comparisons were made by the contemporary authorities and the Yugoslav National Party, which had, in the meantime, become the state-sponsored party. Historians who later researched the “Yugoslav Action” also consider its ideology similar to Fascism and Nazism.
The year 1934 marked the height of “Yugoslav Action”'s public activity, with the society organizing branches and holding public meetings. During this period, its charters were also established in town and district of Osijek. The paper highlights the activities of “Yugoslav Action” in Osijek, demonstrating that it gained some popularity in 1934, particularly among unemployed workers in Osijek and poor peasants in the surrounding area. However, by early 1935, the number of supporters in Osijek had declined. Authorities concluded that while the demagoguery of local “Yugoslav Action” leaders initially attracted attention and followers, it also led to widespread disillusionment, leaving the society with a dwindling base of support. By early 1935, “Yugoslav Action” joined the new political organization, the Yugoslav People’s Movement “Zbor” (Rally), led by Dimitrije Ljotić.
Although “Yugoslav Action” was a minor force in the political life of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, the data presented in this paper contribute to a broader understanding of the political landscape in Osijek during that period.
Ključne riječi
Kingdom of Yugoslavia; “Yugoslav Action”; Osijek
Hrčak ID:
339837
URI
Datum izdavanja:
25.11.2025.
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