"The system is... one of absolute political monopoly... The new class acquires its strength, its privileges, its supremacy, and its power from the party."
Milovan Djilas was a prominent figure in Yugoslav politics, serving as a close associate of Josip Broz Tito, the leader of Yugoslavia. Djilas was a key figure in the Yugoslav Partisans during World War II and played a significant role in shaping the country's post-war communist government. However, as Djilas became increasingly disillusioned with the direction of Yugoslav communism, he began to speak out against the regime's authoritarian tendencies and the rise of a new elite.
Djilas identified several key characteristics of the new class: Milovan Djilas Nova Klasa.pdf
"Nova Klasa" had a significant impact on the intellectual and political landscape of Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union. Djilas' critique of communist elites resonated with many who were disillusioned with the failures of socialism and the rise of authoritarianism. The book was widely read and discussed in intellectual circles, and it contributed to a growing critique of communist ideology.
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Djilas argued that in communist societies, a new ruling class had emerged, which he termed the "New Class". This class was composed of high-ranking communist party officials, government bureaucrats, and managers of state-owned enterprises. The New Class had supplanted the old capitalist class and had become the dominant force in society.
Published in 1957, by Milovan Djilas remains one of the most influential critiques of Marxist-Leninist regimes. Writing from a prison cell in Yugoslavia, Djilas—once a high-ranking communist official—exposed the paradox of a "classless" society that had birthed a new, more oppressive ruling elite. The Core Thesis: Rise of the Bureaucratic Elite Djilas was a key figure in the Yugoslav
The new class consists of the political bureaucracy—specifically, the high-ranking party officials, administrators, and secret police.
The New Class was not an academic exercise written from a safe distance. Djilas wrote it while being persecuted by his own system. A hero of the Partisan war against the Nazis, Djilas fell out with Tito in 1954 over demands for democratic reform. After publishing excerpts of The New Class in The New Leader (USA), he was arrested.
"The revolution is over. The new order means... the creation of a new class. The struggle for the revolution is replaced by a struggle for rank and position."
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