The transition of Croatian and Slovenian economic elites into the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes

english

2020

volume 20, issue 1

Croatia   economic elites   interwar period   Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes   Slovenia   transition

Zgodovinsko društvo dr. Franca Kovačiča v Mariboru
(Obvezni izvod spletne publikacije)

The article discusses the transition of Croatian and Slovene economic elites to the new Yugoslav state after 1918. After an extensive presentation of the broader economic and social context and moments of change with the new state, the authors analyzes the characteristics of the transition on a wide sample of successful entrepreneurs from both countries. The criteria for selecting cases were wealth, business performance, social positioning and reputation. The comparison shows that the transition did not significantly change the economic and social position of the economic elites in the new Yugoslav environment. The exception were members of the nobility, whose economic and social position changed due to agrarian reform, falling agricultural prices and political stigmatization. In the Slovenian environment, the national question was more important than in Croatia. This brought some more risk in the first year of transition for the partial expropriation of members of the economic elites who were considered to be of the German identification. However, in the long run they did maintain their economic and social position in the new country as well.

15.10.2021