POLITICAL RIGHTS IN THE KINGDOM OF SERBS, CROATS AND SLOVENES

BASIC FEATURES DEVELOPMENT

Abstract

The authors analyse the development of basic features of political rights in the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes in the period from its formation in 1918 until the proclamation of the 6th January Dictatorship in 1929. The authors identify four basic features regarding development of political rights in the first years of the Kingdom and these are a strong connection of ethnicity and enjoyment of political rights, inequality of suffrage, authoritarianism in defining and implementation of political rights, and legal particularism. In addition to discussing the basic features in pre-constitutional period, the authors analyse the relation between the Constitution of 1921 and basic features of political rights. They provide arguments supporting the thesis that, despite rules contained in the Constitution, the basic features of development of political rights present in the first formative years could be detected, to a considerable degree, later in the period from 1921 until 1929, as well.