Original scientific paper
STATE AND ETHNIC MINORITY
Dušan Janjić
; Institute for Social Sciences, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
Abstract
The existence of ethnic minorities gives headache to most newly independent states though they are much more homogenous than their predecessors. Also, the fate of the minorities in the countries that have been trying to build themselves as nationally homogeneous is uncertain, although all the newly-created states – due to the triumph of the democratic models of government – are forced to pledge allegiance to democracy. Due to the global dominance of democratic values, the authoritarian governments of the newly-created states are forced to reach an accommodation with their minorities. The priority is to make the recognition of the minorities’ rights one of the key measures of democracy. There are many ethnic conflicts in Europe but only those in the former Yugoslavia (including Kosovo) have spiralled into all-out wars. Unlike the other incomplete democracies in post-communist societies, the degree of violence in the relationship majority-minority within non-democratic states like Serbia (or SRY) or Tuđman’s Croatia, combined with the secessionist/ separatist conflict, rapidly increases. In fact, the institutional protection of civil liberties and the respect for human rights are non-existent; this prevents ethnic minorities to turn their demands into democratic electoral clout. Such governments are not able to govern democratically and to keep in check its ethnic opposition with democratic means. Also, a broad popular support for the peaceful resolution of conflicts via democratic institutions is lacking.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
27090
URI
Publication date:
28.11.2000.
Visits: 2.359 *