Nada G Novakovic
Institute of Social Sciences, Centre for Sociological and Anthropological Studies, Senior Research Associate
I have been working as Research Associate at Institute of Social Sciences University of Belgrade. While working on projects at the Institute, I have dealt with the following topics: social inequality, stratification, conflicts, strikes, education, unemployment, privatization, transition, globalization and (dis)integration processes in Yugoslavia, the region and the world.I have participated in numerous roundtables and scientific conferences.My field of interests: social structure, conflicts and social movements, education policy, employment policy, social legislation, globalization, transition, social development.I have published three monographs:1) Decline of Working Class: Material and Social Position of the Working Class in Yugoslavia from 1960 to 1990 (Propadanje radničke klase: materijalni i društveni položaj radničke klase Jugoslavije od 1960. do 1990. godine), Rad, Institute of Social Sciences, Belgrade, 2007, p. 1802) ((Dis)Integration of Working Class of Second Yugoslavia ((Dez)integracija radničke klase druge Jugoslavije), Institute of Social Sciences, Belgrade, 2008,p. 3443) Workers' Strikes and Transition in Serbia from 1990 to 2015 (Radnički štrajkovi i tranzicija u Srbiji od 1990. do 2015. godine), Rosa-Luxemburg Stiftung Southeast Europe and Institute of Social Sciences Belgrade, 2017, p.400
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Papers by Nada G Novakovic
accelerating, and the working class was stratifying and rapidly
disappearing from the social scene. These two processes
are systemically determined. The most important factor that
influenced that was the nature of the capitalist class in power and its
attitude towards the representatives of the capitalist class from the
center of the system of the capitalist economy. Here, in brief, the
characteristics of society and the capitalist class are analyzed, the
most important process by which the economic and social structure
(privatization of social property) and the consequences for society
change. At the end of the transition, a society was formed on the
periphery of the world system of capitalist economy (Imannuel
Wallerstein). This specifically means that it is dependent on
decisions from the center of the capitalist economy, incapable of
independent development, indebted, poor and highly conflicted.
The ruling class has the characteristics of the comprador class,
which enables the destruction of its own economy and society as
a whole. The results of relevant empirical and theoretical research
on transition in Serbia prove this. In addition to the methods of
observation, analysis and synthesis, a comparative method is used.
Together, they enable the transition to be seen in its dynamics
and for Serbia to be compared with the surrounding societies. In
that way, the initial thesis that the Serbian society reached the
periphery of Europe and the system of the capitalist economy
was checked. Serbia is a society that is economically declining,
that is. according to all important indicators, it is below the level
before 1990. Demographic breakdown, declining living standards
of citizens, growing inequality and poverty, social stratification
and people leaving the country are just some of the consequences
of the transition. It was implemented, especially in economics,
according to the neoliberal concept, whose postulates are based on
the so-called Washington Treaty. The final conclusion is that the
general living conditions of the majority of citizens, and especially
workers, are far worse than before the transition. This is similar to
life in the states that emerged after the war destruction of socialist
Yugoslavia, and far from the average of most EU members and
Europe in general.
The change in the social structure was done through the
privatization of social capital and national wealth. Privatization
was accelerated, time-limited, universal, and supervised by foreign
financial institutions and representatives of large globalized
capital. She was illegitimate and illegal. Its most important
consequences are the consolidation of the new capitalist class in
power, the disintegration of the working class, deindustrialization,
deurbanization, mass unemployment and poverty of citizens. For
all this, the text contains data from various surveys and domestic
and international statistics. They confirm the thesis that Serbia
lags behind the countries of the former Yugoslavia and Europe
in general in terms of economic development, quality of health,
educational and social protection services. Special attention is
paid to changes in the position of the working class. Its material
position, dimensions of stratification, actors who contributed
to it and the most important consequences of the privatization
of social capital were analyzed. The economic stratification of
the working class is based on numerous bases: position on the
labor market, sector of ownership and activity of the company,
position in production, size of the company and origin of the
owner, generational, gender, regional and ethnic affiliation. It did
not have a developed empirical class consciousness or strategy to
oppose the capitalist class. Both unions and political parties have
contributed to this, none of which defends the authentic interests
of workers.
Keywords: transition, working class, capitalist class, privatization,
deindustrialization, inequalities, poverty
accelerating, and the working class was stratifying and rapidly
disappearing from the social scene. These two processes
are systemically determined. The most important factor that
influenced that was the nature of the capitalist class in power and its
attitude towards the representatives of the capitalist class from the
center of the system of the capitalist economy. Here, in brief, the
characteristics of society and the capitalist class are analyzed, the
most important process by which the economic and social structure
(privatization of social property) and the consequences for society
change. At the end of the transition, a society was formed on the
periphery of the world system of capitalist economy (Imannuel
Wallerstein). This specifically means that it is dependent on
decisions from the center of the capitalist economy, incapable of
independent development, indebted, poor and highly conflicted.
The ruling class has the characteristics of the comprador class,
which enables the destruction of its own economy and society as
a whole. The results of relevant empirical and theoretical research
on transition in Serbia prove this. In addition to the methods of
observation, analysis and synthesis, a comparative method is used.
Together, they enable the transition to be seen in its dynamics
and for Serbia to be compared with the surrounding societies. In
that way, the initial thesis that the Serbian society reached the
periphery of Europe and the system of the capitalist economy
was checked. Serbia is a society that is economically declining,
that is. according to all important indicators, it is below the level
before 1990. Demographic breakdown, declining living standards
of citizens, growing inequality and poverty, social stratification
and people leaving the country are just some of the consequences
of the transition. It was implemented, especially in economics,
according to the neoliberal concept, whose postulates are based on
the so-called Washington Treaty. The final conclusion is that the
general living conditions of the majority of citizens, and especially
workers, are far worse than before the transition. This is similar to
life in the states that emerged after the war destruction of socialist
Yugoslavia, and far from the average of most EU members and
Europe in general.
The change in the social structure was done through the
privatization of social capital and national wealth. Privatization
was accelerated, time-limited, universal, and supervised by foreign
financial institutions and representatives of large globalized
capital. She was illegitimate and illegal. Its most important
consequences are the consolidation of the new capitalist class in
power, the disintegration of the working class, deindustrialization,
deurbanization, mass unemployment and poverty of citizens. For
all this, the text contains data from various surveys and domestic
and international statistics. They confirm the thesis that Serbia
lags behind the countries of the former Yugoslavia and Europe
in general in terms of economic development, quality of health,
educational and social protection services. Special attention is
paid to changes in the position of the working class. Its material
position, dimensions of stratification, actors who contributed
to it and the most important consequences of the privatization
of social capital were analyzed. The economic stratification of
the working class is based on numerous bases: position on the
labor market, sector of ownership and activity of the company,
position in production, size of the company and origin of the
owner, generational, gender, regional and ethnic affiliation. It did
not have a developed empirical class consciousness or strategy to
oppose the capitalist class. Both unions and political parties have
contributed to this, none of which defends the authentic interests
of workers.
Keywords: transition, working class, capitalist class, privatization,
deindustrialization, inequalities, poverty