Milan St.

Proti
Te Serbian Radical Movement
A Historical Aspect
Following thc ScrboTurkish war (+868) an outburst ol dynamic po
litical cvcnts culminatcd in thc carly +88os with thc lormation ol modcrn
political partics in Scrbia. Tis phcnomcnon rcsultcd lrom scvcral impor
tant lactors. Although thc promulgation ol thc Constitution in +86 had
not yct cstablishcd lull parliamcntary dcmocracy, it had sccurcd a political
cnvironmcnt in which largcr scgmcnts ol socicty could takc an activc part
in political dccision making.
+
Tis political documcnt cxprcsscd a compro
misc bctwccn thc Crown and thc National Asscmbly by dividing lcgislativc
authority, climinating thc prcvious oligarchic political tradition and almost
unlimitcd powcr ol thc rulcr. Sccondly, altcr thc assassination ol Princc
Mihailo brcnovi in +868, Scrbia was rulcd by his minor ncphcw Princc
Milan brcnovi who was rcprcscntcd by thc Rcgcncy. Tc Rcgcncy was
dominatcd by a strong political pcrsonality, latcr loundcr ol thc Libcral
Party, uropcancducatcd Jovan Risti.
:
Tc ruling circlcs lclt a nccd to
introducc ccrtain rclorms bascd on Vcstcrn political cxpcricncc. Tirdly,
as a conscqucncc ol thc ScrboTurkish war and thc Congrcss ol 8crlin in
+88, Scrbia bccamc an indcpcndcnt statc with all thc prcrogativcs ol powcr
and importancc that such a position acquircs. Fourthly, during this pcriod
a numbcr ol young Scrbian studcnts wcrc scnt to uropcan univcrsitics
to rcccivc highcr cducation. xposurc to uropcan political dcvclopmcnts,
movcmcnts, and idcas accompanicd thcm back to Scrbia. Finally, Scrbian
socicty politically maturcd and cntcrcd thc partisan strugglc.
Scrbian socicty, dominatcd by thc pcasantry, passcd through scvcral
stagcs ol national consciousncss. Tcy bcgan by opposing thc ttoman rulc
and laying thc loundations lor a nationstatc at thc bcginning ol thc ninc
tccnth ccntury, progrcsscd through opposing thc vcry samc Statcs cstab
+
Slobodan Jovanovi, !lada Milana Obreno.ia, vol. ! (8clgradc, +), :o+, scc also
Usta.ni ra..itak Srbije u XIX .eku, cd. Miroslav jordjcvi (Lcskovac, +o).
:
Ibid.
8alcanica XXX\! 130
lishmcnt by bcginning pcasant rcvolts throughout thc +8os and +8os,
to nally waging war against thc ttomans in +86 (joincd by Russia in
+8) and winning indcpcndcncc in +88. Tc Scrbian pcasantry maturcd
during thcsc ycars, publicly articulating its own opinions and intcrcsts.
8y thc +88os Scrbian socicty dcvclopcd a thin, but cxisting laycr ol urban
bourgcoisic who gcncrally originatcd lrom thc villagc, with a pcasant con
sciousncss couplcd with rudimcntary capitalist commcrcial mcntality. At
thc samc timc, a third social laycr grcw within thc Scrbian socicty consisting
ol local intclligcntsia (tcachcrs, physicians, pricsts, local statc authoritics)
who sharcd thc social dcstiny ol pcasantry, but had lairly dcvclopcd political
awarcncss. Hcadcd by 8clgradc intcllcctuals, this was basically thc structurc
ol thc Scrbian socicty in thc +88os.

Tc Radical Party was ocially organizcd in +88+ as thc rst or

ganizcd political party in Scrbia.

!n its initial stagc (until +o) Scrbian

Radicalism passcd through scvcral phascs ol political and idcological dcvcl
opmcnt. Tc rst pcriod (+868o) could bc namcd thc pcriod ol rudimcn
tary Radicalism. Tc movcmcnt was unorganizcd and strctchcd bctwccn
thc idcas ol socialism, anarchism and pcasant dcmocracy. Tc sccond pc
riod, that ol militant Radicalism (+88+86), was markcd by thc organizcd
and uncompromising opposition to thc cxisting systcm and thc Crown,
which culminatcd in thc Timok armcd rcbcllion in +88. Tc altcrmath was
markcd by thc Radical waving bctwccn armcd rcsistancc and lcgitimism.
uring thc pcriod ol pragmatic Radicalism (+886) thcrc was a rccu
pcration and rcorganization ol thc movcmcnt, an inclusion into thc cxisting
ordcr as a lcgitimatc political lorcc, a ncw Constitution in +888 which had
bccn chicy inucnccd by Radical political vicws, and by thc rst compro
miscs with othcr political lactors in Scrbia. Finally, thcrc was thc pcriod
ol ovcrpowcrcd Radicalism (+8+o), whcrcin Radicals madc scrious
compromiscs with rival partics and thc Crown, modcratcd thcir political
programmc, and opcnly cntcrcd into compctition lor powcr although prc
scrving thcir basic idcology.
As any pcriodization, this onc could bc subjcctcd to various criti
cisms. !ts major critcria, howcvcr, wcrc stagcs in thc idcological dcvclop
mcnt ol Radicalism in Scrbia.

Scc imitrijc jordjcvi, Tc Scrbian Socicty in thc +88os: A Cross Scction ol thc
rigins ol thc Radical Party (in manuscript).

ivan ivanovi, Politika istorija Srbije, vol. !! (8clgradc, +::), +6+. Scc also
Jovanovi, !lada Milana Obreno.ia, !!, +, ivan Mitrovi, Srpske politike stranke
(8clgradc, +), +, Michacl 8oro Pctrovich, History of Modern Serbia :c,-:,:
(Ncw York: Harcourt 8raca Jovanovich, +6), ++.
M. St. Proti, Tc Scrbian Radical Movcmcnt 18811903 131
Tc pcriod altcr +o could bc justiably namcd Tc Goldcn Agc. Altcr
thc assassination ol thc last brcnovi on : May +o,

Scrbia cntcrcd a
pcriod ol lull parliamcntary dcmocracy bascd on thc rcviscd Constitution
ol +888. From +o to ++, thc Radicals wcrc in powcr most ol thc timc,
lcading thc Scrbian Statc towards complctc cmancipation. Tc movcmcnt
had maturcd through twcnty ycars ol political strugglc, cxpcricnccd numcr
ous challcngcs and tcmptations, claricd and modicd its idcological and
structural loundations, and bccamc capablc ol playing an instrumcntal rolc
in thc proccss ol Scrbias dcvclopmcnt into a uropcan statc in thc cultural
scnsc.
Altcr thc First Vorld Var and thc crcation ol Yugoslavia, thc Radi
cal Party continucd to cxist and act as a political movcmcnt until ++.
Howcvcr, gcncral political, social, and cultural circumstanccs bccamc so dil
lcrcnt that it sccms vcry dicult, il not impossiblc, to look at it as thc samc
movcmcnt bclorc and altcr ++8.

Tc group ol Svctozar Markovi appcarcd in Scrbian politics in thc latc
+86os, and rcmaincd activc until +8.
6
Svctozar Markovi was a young
political thcorctician and activist who had studicd in Scrbia, Russia, and
Switzcrland in thc latc +86os. Hc dcvclopcd a political doctrinc bascd on
idcas ol Russian socialism, cxpcricnccs ol narodniki movcmcnt and anar
chism, and latcr Vcsturopcan socialism.

ncc hc had rcturncd to Scrbia

in +86, togcthcr with a group ol his lcllow Scrbian studcnts lrom Swit
zcrland, hc bccamc politically activc in Kragujcvac, a town in ccntral Scrbia.
Markovi and his associatcs publishcd a numbcr ol political ncwspapcrs
and organizcd a dynamic political lorcc. Trough innumcrablc articlcs and
writings, Markovi dcvclopcd his own sociopolitical tcaching. Although
incomplctc and somctimcs inconsistcnt, it was thc rst socialist doctrinc
not only in Scrbia, but in thc cntirc 8alkans.
8
His tcaching was somcwhat
luturistic, romantic, and unrcalistic, but ncvcrthclcss had strong impact on
Scrbian political cvcnts in his and luturc timcs.

For morc dctails, scc ragia \asi, :,c (8clgradc, +:).

6
Scc Slobodan Jovanovi, S.eto.ar Marko.i (8clgradc, +:o), Jovan Skcrli, S.eto-
.ar Marko.i, njego. i.ot, rad i ideje (8clgradc, +::), Voodlord McClcllan, S.eto.ar
Marko.ic and the Origins of Balkan Socialism (Princcton, +6).

Soja Skoric, Tc Populism ol Nikola Pasic: thc Zurich Pcriod, East European Quar-
terly X!\/ (Vintcr +8o).
8
McClcllan, S.eto.ar Marko.ic, 68.
8alcanica XXX\! 132
Markovis tcaching could bc dividcd in thrcc major scctions: his political
conccpt, his sociocconomic doctrinc, and his national programmc.

!n his
political programmc, Svctozar Markovi strcsscd scvcral points. His con
ccpts includcd a vcry strong antiburcaucratic scntimcnt. Hc argucd in la
vour ol thc abolition ol a prolcssional administration, which hc rcgardcd
as thc main obstaclc on thc road to cconomic and cultural cmancipation
ol thc Scrbian population: ! considcr thc dcstruction ol thc burcaucratic
systcm as thc rst ncccssity in Scrbia.
+o
Markovi also strcsscd thc intro
duction ol communal and rcgional scllgovcrnmcntal organization in placc
ol thc prolcssional administrativc apparatus. Hc lavourcd clcctcd collcctivc
bodics in communcs and rcgions to bc suprcmc authoritics in thosc arcas.
Communal asscmblics would bc thc oncs to incorporatc all clcctcd ocials
in thc communc not only thc administrators, thc chicl ol policc, and thc
judgc, but also thc doctor and thc tcachcr.
++
Tc wholc structurc ol thc Statc
cstablishmcnt was to dcrivc lrom thc slogan that thc qucstion ol brcad is
thc qucstion ol local scllgovcrnmcnt.
+:
Tc last ol Markovis political objcctivcs, thc suprcmc authority ol
thc National Asscmbly, logically lollowcd thc principlc ol local scllgovcrn
mcnt. Markovi argucd that thc National Asscmbly, complctcly clcctivc on
thc rcgional basis, constitutcd thc suprcmc lcgislativc body. Conscqucntly,
this linc ol thought lcd him to thc Convcnt systcm ol govcrnmcnt and
lurthcr on, to rcpublicanism.
+
Tc sociocconomic scgmcnt ol Svctozar
Markovis tcaching suggcstcd thc abolition ol privatc owncrship and thc
introduction ol communal propcrty. His cconomic conccpt was bascd on
thc traditional patriarchal lamily coopcrativc, thc socallcd .adruga.
+
Fas
cinatcd by its dcmocratic organization and spirit, Markovi put it in thc
ccntrc ol his sociocconomic tcaching: Tc modcrn cconomic idcal is vcry
closc to thc cconomic mcchanism ol thc Scrbian .adruga.
+
!n his opin
ion, it rcprcscntcd thc most advanccd communism ol owncrship, work and
plcasurc.
+6
Markovi was hcavily inucnccd by Nikolai Chcrnyshcvsky.
Tis Russian socialist lound thc idcal pattcrn lor his cconomic systcm in a

Jovanovi, S.eto.ar Marko.i, :+o.

+o
Svctozar Markovi, Srpskc obmanc, Zasta.a, Novi Sad, +86.
++
Svctozar Markovi, Odabrani spisi (8clgradc, +6), 8:.
+:
Ibid.
+
Jovanovi, S.eto.ar Marko.i, ++:.
+
McClcllan, S.eto.ar Marko.ic, :.
+
Svctozar Markovi, in Ja.nost :o (Kragujcvac, +8).
+6
Ibid.
M. St. Proti, Tc Scrbian Radical Movcmcnt 18811903 133
traditional Russian institution, thc mir. Following his tcachcr, Markovi did
similarly lounding his systcm on .adruga.
+
Tc national conccpt ol Svctozar Markovi conccntratcd on thc dc
struction ol both cmpircs in thc 8alkans, thc Habsburg Monarchy and thc
ttoman mpirc. Morcovcr, hc plcdgcd lor thc libcration ol all Scrbs and
thcir lrcc association with othcr 8alkan nations in a lcdcration achicvcd
through armcd rcvolution:
+8
Tc Scrbian pcoplc havc no othcr option but a rcvolution in thc
8alkan Pcninsula, thc rcvolution which would cnd with disappcar
ancc ol all statcs which cxist today on thc road to thc unication ol
lrcc pcoplcs and workcrs in thc union ol communcs, rcgions or
statcs
+
Tc political lcrmcntation in Scrbia in thc carly +8os witncsscd two paral
lcl proccsscs. n onc sidc, thc group ol Svctozar Markovi, which includcd
a handlul ol young, uropcancducatcd mcn politically vcry conscious
and lcaning towards socialist idcas dcvclopcd rathcr wcllorganizcd action
cspccially through political ncwspapcrs Fadenik (Tc Vorkcr), Ja.nost (Tc
Public), Fad (Tc Labour) and Oslobodjenje (Tc Libcration).
:o
At about
thc samc timc, in +8, a group ol rcprcscntativcs in thc National Asscmbly
bcgan to attract attcntion by thcir pcasant looks, outspokcn attitudcs, and
public spccchcs in which thcy dclcndcd thc intcrcsts ol thc Scrbian pcas
antry.
:+
Tcy camc lrom thc countrysidc, lrom various rcgions ol Scrbia,
but all gathcrcd round thc samc political objcctivc to work towards thc
improvcmcnt ol thc sociocconomic position ol thc Scrbian pcasant.
::
Tus in thc politically undcvclopcd Scrbian cnvironmcnt thcsc two
trcnds lound common grounds lor joint action young intcllcctuals at
tractcd by uropcan socialism which thcy vigorously tricd to implcmcnt
in Scrbia and thc group ol pcasant dcputics (among whom somc wcrc wcll
cducatcd),
:
who cxprcsscd thc pcasantrys simplicd and csscntially ncga
tivist attitudc towards thc govcrnmcnt. 8ut, much as it lookcd pcculiar and
conlusing, this combination has a clcar cxplanation. Vithout any tracc ol
+
McClcllan, S.eto.ar Marko.ic, :l.
+8
Svctozar Markovi, Celokupna dela, vol. !! (8clgradc, +8:+:+), 6.
+
Svctozar Markovi, Srbija na istoku (8clgradc, +8:), +6+68.
:o
Jovanovi, S.eto.ar Marko.i, 8.
:+
Rastislav Pctrovi, dam Bogosa.lje.i (8clgradc, +:), :. Scc also Skcrli, S.eto.ar
Marko.i, +.
::
Ibid.
:
Adam 8ogosavljcvi attcndcd 8clgradc !elika kola, but dccidcd to rcturn to his nativc
villagc and to agriculturc. For morc dctails, scc Pctrovi, dam Bogosa.lje.i.
8alcanica XXX\! 134
working class or capitalist cconomic rclations takcn as a dominant socio
cconomic lactor, no idca ol uropcan socialism could nd lcrtilc soil in
Scrbia. Conscqucntly, thc promotcrs ol socialist idcology wcrc lorccd to
look lor supportcrs among thc pcasants as thcy wcrc thc most numcrous
social laycr in Scrbian socicty. As a rcsult ol this mutual inucncc, thc young
Scrbian socialists mcllowcd in thcir idcological cxclusivcncss and thc pcas
ant clcmcnt obtaincd solid thcorctical guidclinc lor luturc political action.
Tc bcst illustration ol thc common origins ol thc two trcnds is thc lact
that both Svctozar Markovi, thc lcadcr ol thc socialist group, and Adam
8ogosavljcvi, thc dominant gurc among pcasant Asscmblymcn, attcndcd
\clika kola (8clgradc School, prcdcccssor ol thc Univcrsity ol 8clgradc) in
thc carly +86os.
:
As carly as +8, thc group ol Adam 8ogosavljcvi camc out with a
dcncd political programmc which mainly conccntratcd on antiburcaucra
tism and which includcd thrcc major points: thc rcduction ol statc ocials
salarics, thc abolition ol district occs (okruna naelst.a) and thc organi
zation ol rcgional scllgovcrnmcnt.
:
At thc samc timc, thcy insistcd on thc
constitutional rclorms which would providc all lcgislativc powcrs lor thc
National Asscmbly as wcll as on absolutc lrccdom ol thc prcss, association,
and public gathcring.
:6
!t is quitc clcar that thc political programmc ol 8ogosavljcvis group
had bccn hcavily inucnccd by Markovis idcas. Howcvcr, 8ogosavljcvi
acccptcd only thc political, antiburcaucratic aspcct ol Markovis tcaching
which obviously was most attractivc to thc Scrbian pcasantry.
8oth ol thcsc political attcmpts, thc socialist programmc ol Markovis
group and thc activity ol 8ogosavljcvis group in thc Asscmbly, wcrc in cs
scncc rudimcntary and shortlivcd movcmcnts. Tcir importancc rcsidcs in
thcir rolc as prcdcccssors ol latcr political dcvclopmcnts. Tcy scrvcd as car
ly political cxpcricnccs ol individuals who latcr wcrc to organizc thc Radical
movcmcnt in Scrbia. Somc idcas which latcr bccamc scgmcnts ol Radi
cal political idcology had bccn born in thc coursc ol thcsc carly attcmpts.
Howcvcr, thcy both sucrcd lrom incxpcricncc, idcalism and simplication
ol issucs. Tc most important problcm ol thc socialist tcndcncy sccmcd
to bc thc inability to copc with Scrbian rcalitics, with thc rcal problcms
ol Scrbian socicty and thc cxpcctations ol thc pcasantry. !mportcd lrom
abroad, socialist idcas could not possibly corrcspond to thc stagc ol socially
undcvclopcd and basically pcasant Scrbian socicty. n thc othcr hand, thc
group ol Adam 8ogosavljcvi pointcd out ccrtain vital discrcpancics ol thc
:
Ibid., 68o.
:
Jovanovi, S.eto.ar Marko.i, +6+.
:6
Jaa Prodanovi, Istorija politikih stranaka i struja u Srbiji (8clgradc, +), .
M. St. Proti, Tc Scrbian Radical Movcmcnt 18811903 135
Scrbian political systcm, but was incapablc ol dcvcloping its own positivc
political altcrnativc. !ts attitudc was csscntially ncgativc, as had bccn lucidly
noticcd by thc grcat Scrbian historian Slobodan Jovanovi.
:
Tc socialist vcnturc ol Svctozar Markovis group in Scrbia did not
last morc than vc ycars. Altcr thc dcath ol its lcadcr in +8, thc movcmcnt
slowly startcd to lall apart and its solc substantial attcmpt at rcvival in +86
latcr bccamc known as thc Rcd 8anncr Aair.
:8
Tc city ol Kragujcvac in
ccntral Scrbia was thc ccntrc ol socialist action ol Markovis group. !n Fcb
ruary +86, thc conict bctwccn govcrnmcnt lorccs and thc socialists ovcr
local clcctions cndcd in massivc dcmonstrations and opcn conlrontation.
Tc dcmonstrators, lcd by socialist activists and lollowcd by workcrs lrom
Kragujcvac armamcnts lactory, raiscd thc ag with thc slogan Scllgovcrn
mcnt on it, thus cxprcssing thcir Markovicvist aliation.
:
Tc cvcnt was
cndcd by thc cncrgctic action ol thc policc and thc military lorccs that samc
cvcning. Among thc conspirators ol thc dcmonstrations, latcr lound guilty
and scntcnccd to timc in prison, wcrc oldtimc collaborators ol Svctozar
Markovi and luturc loundcrs ol thc Radical Party Pcra Todorovi and Pcra
\climirovi. Tcy, howcvcr, managcd to cc lrom Scrbia bclorc thc trial and
wcrc pardoncd in +88o.
+
From that point on, thc activity and thc cxistcncc ol this political
group in Scrbia gradually diminishcd and cvcntually disappcarcd. uc to
thc war with thc ttomans (+86+88), which cngagcd all thc mcntal
and physical lorccs ol thc Scrbian pcoplc, as wcll as latcr diplomatic cvcnts,
which dccisivcly inucnccd thc Scrbian luturc (thc opposition to thc pro
visions ol thc San Stclano Trcaty and thc winning ol indcpcndcncc at thc
8crlin Congrcss), thc intcrnal political qucstions wcrc put asidc. Tc social
ist movcmcnt as it had cxistcd in thc prcvious pcriod was ncvcr rcborn.
Tc action ol ccrtain individuals who had bclongcd to this group, how
cvcr, continucd through thcir activity in thc Scrbian National Asscmbly.
Tis particular grouping consistcd ol somc lormcr mcmbcrs ol Markovis
movcmcnt (Nikola Pai, Pavlc \ukovi and Kosta Tauanovi) and somc
pcasant Asscmblymcn (Adam 8ogosavljcvi, Ranko Tajsi, imitrijc Kati,
and Milija Milovanovi).
:
!n thc latc +8os this grouping gradually gaincd
:
Jovanovi, S.eto.ar Marko.i, 8.
:8
Scc ivanovi, Politika istorija, !!, ++o, Prodanovi, Istorija, o:o6, \clizar
Nini, Pera Todoro.i (8clgradc, +6), o.
:
Prodanovi, Istorija, o:.
o
ivanovi, Politika istorija, !!, ++o.
+
Prodanovi, Istorija, o:.
:
Raa Milocvi, Timoka buna : godine (8clgradc, +:), ++8, ivanovi, Politika
istorija, !!, +8, Prodanovi, Istorija, o.
8alcanica XXX\! 136
in importancc and bccamc thc outspokcn voicc ol minority opposition in
thc Scrbian National Asscmbly.

Tc cnd ol thc +os and thc carly +88os witncsscd a dynamic political po
larization among mcmbcrs ol thc Scrbian National Asscmbly. Tc National
Asscmbly in Scrbia bccamc thc local political stagc and thc placc lrom
which all political movcmcnts and dcvclopmcnts bcgan. Scrbias rudimcn
tary political structurc lcd to a kind ol parallclism ol political powcrs: thcrc
wcrc thc rulcr and thc National Asscmbly, which, altcr thc Constitution ol
+86 bccamc a lcgislativc body.

!n thc carly +88os thrcc major political camps in thc Scrbian As

scmbly wcrc taking shapc. Although not yct complctcly dcncd in tcrms ol
organization and idcology, thcsc inlormal groupings ol Asscmblymcn, who
somctimcs switchcd lrom onc group to anothcr wcrc thc nuclci ol luturc
political partics.
Tc Libcrals wcrc thc oldcst political group in Scrbian politics. Tcy
cmcrgcd lrom thc St. Andrcws Asscmbly ol +88 and dominatcd Scrbian
politics lrom +868 to +88o.

Lcd by thc strong pcrsonality ol wcllcducat

cd Jovan Risti, thcy introduccd somc Vcstcrn libcral idcas to Scrbia. !n
ucnccd by lorcign libcralnational idcologics, thc Libcrals sought intcrnal
progrcss through national libcration. Tcir rulc was markcd by two crucial
succcsscs: thc Constitution ol +86, which opcncd thc door lor parliamcn
tary dcmocracy, and thc achicvcmcnt ol Scrbian indcpcndcncc in +88.

Tc Young Conscrvativcs, who latcr lormcd thc Progrcssivist Party,

wcrc somc ol thc most brilliant young scholars in Scrbia (Stojan Novakovi,
cdomilj Mijatovi, Milan Milicvi, ctc.), who togcthcr produccd a pro
grammc ol modcrnization through modcratc rclorms. ricntcd towards
thc clitc ol Scrbian socicty, thcy sought progrcss in thc collaboration ol thc
intclligcntsia with thc Crown. cspitc thc groups namc, its conscrvatism
combincd with libcral idcas.
6
Tc third group was thc Radicals who at rst collaboratcd with thc
Young Conscrvativcs (+88o), thus lorming an opposition group to thc
Libcral govcrnmcnt. Tis collaboration, howcvcr, was tcmporary and not

Slobodan Jovanovi, !lada leksandra Obreno.ia, !!!, ++, scc also Milivojc Popovi,
Borbe .a parlamentarni reim u Srbiji (8clgradc, +), .

Jovanovi, !lada leksandra Obreno.ia, !!!, +:, scc also Galc Stokcs, Legitimacy
through Liberalism: !ladimir Jo.ano.ic and the Transformation of Serbian Politics (Scattlc:
Univcrsity ol Vashington Prcss, +).

Ibid.
6
Jovanovi, !lada Milana Obreno.ia, !!, ++.
M. St. Proti, Tc Scrbian Radical Movcmcnt 18811903 137
bascd on similar idcological grounds, but rathcr on a common intcrcst in
opposing thc govcrnmcnt. As a rcsult ol thcir joint cort, thc Radicals and
thc Young Conscrvativcs wcrc ablc to lorcc thc Libcral govcrnmcnt to rc
sign. Tc Young Conscrvativcs lormcd thcir rst cabinct undcr thc prcsi
dcncy ol Milan Piroanac at thc cnd ol +88o.

!n thosc days, thc Radicals

oltcn promulgatcd thcir proclamations and political statcmcnts through thc
Young Conscrvativc ncwspapcr !idelo (Tc Mirror).
8
Tc bcginning ol +88+ was markcd by thc most dccisivc momcnt
in thc history ol Scrbian Radicalism. n 8 January +88+ thc rst issuc ol
thc ocial organ ol thc Radical Party Samoupra.a appcarcd, announcing
thc lormal organization ol thc Radical Party.

Tis was thc rst ocially

organizcd political party in Scrbia. !t was lollowcd by thc lormation ol thc
Progrcssivist Party latcr that January, and thc Libcral Party in ctobcr thc
samc ycar.
o
Tc rst issuc ol Samoupra.a prcscntcd thc gcncral proclamation ol
Party lcadcrship, dcning thc organizations rationalc, as wcll as its political
stand. Tc Radical Partys political programmc also appcarcd in this rst is
suc ol Samoupra.a, signcd by thirtycight Asscmblymcn, including Nikola
Pai, Aca Stanojcvi, Pavlc \ukovi, Raa Milocvi, Kosta Tauanovi,
imitrijc Kati, Ranko Tajsi, and Milija Milovanovi,
+
lollowcd by an
othcr thirtycight lcllow rcprcscntativcs in thc National Asscmbly.
:
Tc Radical Party bcgan a scrics ol dynamic and amboyant actions.
Trough cvcryday writings in political ncwspapcrs (bcsidcs Samoupra.a, thc
Radicals issucd Fad and Cosa), thcy vigorously attackcd thc govcrnmcnt,
thc Crown, and its policics. Tcy locuscd primarily on practical, daily is
sucs and political problcms. Tc pcriod lrom +88+ to +88 was markcd
chicy by this trcmcndously activc work ol thc Radicals. At thc samc timc,
thc movcmcnt was growing rapidly, mostly sprcading among thc provincial
intclligcntsia and pcasantry.

A rcsult ol this growth was thc rst Congrcss

ol thc Radical Party at \ilinc \odc ncar Kragujcvac in thc summcr ol +88:.
Vith ovcr onc thousand pcoplc prcscnt, thc convcntion clcctcd thc Party

ivanovi, Politika istorija, !!, +.

8
Prijatcljima naroda, !idelo +8, :+ Novcmbcr +88o.

ivanovi, Politika istorija, !!, +6+, scc also Jovanovi, !lada Milana Obreno.ia, !!,
+, ivan Mitrovi, Srpske politike stranke (8clgradc, +), +, Pctrovich, History,
+o++.
o
Jovanovi, !lada Milana Obreno.ia, !!, +8:o.
+
Scc Mitrovi, Politike stranke, +, Alcx ragnich, Serbia, Nikola Pasic, Yugosla.ia
(Ncw Jcrscy: Rutgcrs Univcrsity Prcss, +6), +6, Pctrovich, History, ++.
:
Ibid.

Jovanovi, !lada leksandra Obreno.ia, !, +6.

8alcanica XXX\! 138
lcadcrship or rathcr its Main Committcc as it was thcn namcd.

Nikola
Pai bccamc thc rst Prcsidcnt ol thc Radical Main Committcc, and Pcra
Todorovi was clcctcd \icc Prcsidcnt.

8y +88, thc Radical movcmcnt

had sprcad all ovcr Scrbia, bccoming thc most numcrous political organiza
tion. Tc Radicals lclt strong cnough to assumc powcr. !l thcy could not usc
lcgal dcmocratic mcans, thcy wcrc rcady to usc othcr mcthods. 8y a machi
nation ol thc Crown and thc Progrcssivists, thc Radicals wcrc prcvcntcd
lrom lorming thcir cabinct, although thcy won a clcar majority in thc +88:
clcctions. 8y +88, thc conict bctwccn thc Radicals and thc King bccamc
so sharp that a clash sccmcd unavoidablc. n onc sidc, thcrc was a young
and impaticnt movcmcnt, with a lcadcrship cagcr to comc to powcr and
lostcr a scrics ol lundamcntal political rclorms, and on thc othcr, thcrc was
thc rulcr and his supportcrs who wantcd to prcscrvc thc status quo in which
thcir prcdominancc would not bc jcopardizcd.
Tc rcvolutionary drcams ol thc Radicals nally camc truc in cto
bcr +88. Altcr an articlc in Samoupra.a in which thc Radicals adviscd thc
population not to surrcndcr arms to thc govcrnmcnt,
6
although such a dc
mand had bccn announccd, thc pcasants in astcrn Scrbia startcd an armcd
rcvolt which was soon namcd thc Timok rcbcllion.

Tc rcbcllion was lcd by

local Radical lcadcrs, thc most distinguishcd ol thcm bcing Aca Stanojcvi,
ika Milcnovi, Ljuba idi and thc pricst Marinko !vkovi.
8
ncc thc
army was callcd lrom thc town ol Parain, thc rcvolt was crushcd in a lcw
days. Tc mcmbcrs ol thc Radical Main Committcc, although not pcrson
ally involvcd, wcrc all takcn into custody, cxccpt Nikola Pai who managcd
to cc to 8ulgaria.

Tc local rcbcllion lcadcrs wcrc cithcr courtmartiallcd

and scntcnccd or managcd to cc to 8ulgaria.
o
Tc Radical lcadcrship also
stood trial. Trcc ol thcm, Pcra Todorovi, Raa Milocvi and Nikola Pai,
wcrc scntcnccd to dcath, Kosta Tauanovi to scvcn and Paja Milhailovi to
vc ycars in prison, whilc Giga Gcri and Andra Nikoli wcrc acquittcd.

Milocvi, Timoka buna, ++o.

Ibid.
6
isarmamcnt ol thc Popular Army, Samoupra.a, o July +88, How to Gct Rid ol
!llcgal lcctions, Samoupra.a, o August +88.

For morc dctails, scc Milocvi, Timoka buna, ragutin !li, Zajearska buna (8cl
gradc, +o), Momilo \cljkovi, O Timokoj buni : godine (8clgradc, +6), im
itrijc jordjcvi, Tc +88 Pcasant Uprising in Scrbia, Balkan Studies :o,: (Tcs
saloniki, +).
8
!li, Zajearska buna, 8.

Scc Milocvi, Timoka buna, +o.

o
!li, Zajearska buna, :.
M. St. Proti, Tc Scrbian Radical Movcmcnt 18811903 139
Tc trials lclt thc Radical movcmcnt crushcd and disorganizcd. Tc Kings
victory was absolutc.
Tis phasc in thc Radical movcmcnts history could rightlully bc
namcd thc pcriod ol militant Radicalism. Scvcral important charactcris
tics rcgarding thc vcry naturc ol thc movcmcnt cmcrgcd. First, thc Radical
movcmcnt was ablc to dcvclop its political programmc and organization.
Sccondly, it showcd strcngth in both political attitudc and manpowcr.
Tirdly, it bccamc awarc ol its strcngth, challcnging thc authority ol thc
King and displaying an cagcrncss to takc powcr and procccd with thc politi
cal rclorms prcviously announccd.
Tc movcmcnt rcmaincd incxpcricnccd in practical political aairs
and ovcrwhclmcd by visionary idcas ol a rcvolution. 8cyond that, thc Scr
bian Radical movcmcnts impaticncc involvcd its mcmbcrs in a rcbcllion
which had bccn illorganizcd and doomcd to lailurc. Tc powcr ol thc bu
rcaucracy and, abovc all, ol thc Kings standing army wcrc simply too strong
lor a spontancous uprising ol thc pcasantry lcd by local Radical lcadcrs.
Tc cvcnt rcvcalcd yct anothcr charactcristic ol thc movcmcnt: dil
lcrcnccs in attitudc bctwccn thc lcadcrship and thcir lollowcrs. Although
thcrc wcrc proposals among thc Radical Main Committcc to join thc rcb
cls at a clandcstinc mccting on thc cvc ol thcir arrcst,
+
thcy all rcmaincd
pcacclully in 8clgradc. 8y contrast, thc local Radicals immcdiatcly took thc
lcadcrship ol thc rcbcllion, conlronting thc cxisting ordcr.
Tc nal aspcct ol thc Timok uprising sccms to bc that thc rcbcllion
did not sprcad throughout Scrbia. !t rcmaincd localizcd in thc castcrn part
ol thc country. vcn thc major town in thc arca, Zajcar, was not caught up
in thc movcmcnt.
:
Tis pointcd to ccrtain dicrcnccs, or at lcast thcrc was
a ccrtain disunity in thc movcmcnt. Tcrclorc, thc pcriod lrom thc lorma
tion ol thc Radical Party in +88+ to thc Timok rcbcllion in +88 was a timc
ol rapid risc ol Scrbian Radicalism and an cvcn morc rapid dcclinc. Still,
it scrvcd as a prccious cxpcricncc lor thc movcmcnts luturc. Tc ycars that
lollowcd wcrc markcd by two parallcl proccsscs: rst, by thc attcmpts ol scv
cral Radical lcadcrs who rcmaincd in 8clgradc to rccupcratc and rcorganizc
thc movcmcnt on thc basis ol lcgal political activity, and sccondly, by thc
activitics ol thc Radical cmigrants in 8ulgaria lcd by Nikola Pai, whosc
actions wcrc dircctcd towards prcparing anothcr armcd uprising in Scrbia.
Tcsc two tcndcncics rcprcscntcd two dicrcnt laccs, or morc prcciscly, thc
doublc pcrsonality ol thc Radical movcmcnt. Troughout its carly history
Scrbian Radicalism had bccn torn bctwccn thcsc two, csscntially oppositc
+
Scc Milocvi, Timoka buna, ++o+++.
:
!li, Zajearska buna, 6.
8alcanica XXX\! 140
options: to bccomc a lcgal, dcmocratic political organization, or to accom
plish political goals by mcans ol lorcc.
!n his rst manilcsto altcr hc had lclt Scrbia, publishcd in cccmbcr
+88, Nikola Pai opcnly callcd lor an armcd rcbcllion against thc King:
Lcgal and constitutional mcans arc not sucicnt to curb thc vio
lcncc, abusc and bctrayal ol thc King and his supportcrs. Laws prc
vail ovcr lics, robbcrics and crimcs only whcn committcd by ordinary
pcoplc, but whcn committcd by thosc who wcrc supposcd to protcct
thc pcoplc in that casc only wcapons could hclp.

!n a lcttcr to Nikola Pai scnt lrom 8clgradc in Fcbruary +88, onc ol thc
Radical lcadcrs also cmphasizcd thc importancc ol an armcd rcbcllion:
but ! know that our strugglc through parliamcnt has to bc
mcrcly lormal, or at lcast sccond in importancc, our main goal has to
bc thc uprising.

Tc othcr opinion within thc Radical movcmcnt during thosc crucial ycars
in thc wakc ol thc Timok rcbcllion argucd in lavour ol a gradual and silcnt
rccovcry ol thc Party structurc, and thc movcmcnts conccntration on politi
cal issucs, avoiding sharp conlrontations and attacks on thc King pcrsonally.
Somc ol thc Radical lcadcrs lrom 8clgradc criticizcd thcir comradcs in
cmigration lor such statcmcnts. Stojan Proti wrotc to Nikola Pai:
! cannot undcrstand that you, Aca |Stanojcvi| and ika
|Milcnovi|, but you cspccially, can makc such mistakcs. Vhy and
how comc that you camc out so opcnly against thc King: ! can, but
only partially, cxplain thc loolishncss ol your action by your dcspcr
atc situation and by your psychological condition.

!nstcad ol a ncw, lorcclul uprising, this Radical group suggcstcd to Pai

thc commcnccmcnt ol a ncw political ncwspapcr intcndcd to rccstablish
brokcn tics among thc Radicals and to scrvc as thc basis lor luturc Radical
work.
6
uring +88 thcsc two strcams conlrontcd onc anothcr, and thc con
ict was particularly sharp within thc lcadcrship in 8clgradc. !n a lcttcr to
Nikola Pai, onc ol 8clgradcs Radicals wrotc:
! dccidcd to approach our closcst lricnds in 8clgradc jaja | Jovan|,
Stojan |Proti|, Svctozar |Milosavljcvi| and othcrs ... to dccidc

Lcttcr ol Nikola Pai, +8 cccmbcr +88, privatc collcction.

(Probably Andra Nikoli) to Nikola Pai, 8clgradc, + April +88, privatc collcc
tion.

(Probably Stojan Proti) to Nikola Pai, 8clgradc, Fcbruary +88, privatc collcc
tion.
6
Ibid.
M. St. Proti, Tc Scrbian Radical Movcmcnt 18811903 141
oncc and lor all: do thcy think that our Party could accomplish its
programmc undcr thc rulc ol King Milan without an uprising. A
lot would dcpcnd upon this. Accordingly, our luturc work should bc
organizcd with thcm or without thcm.

Finally, on + Scptcmbcr +88, Nikola Pai callcd lor an armcd rcbcllion.

Tis is what hc said in his mcssagc to thc Scrbian nation:
car compatriots, thc timc has comc to stop and to cast o thc yokc
ol our patrons: thcy abolishcd lrccdom, thcy ncglcctcd thc rights ol
thc pcoplc, thcy scparatcd Scrbia lrom Scrbdom and Slavophilism
Stop any communication through mail, tclcgraph or mcsscngcrs ...
Form units, battalions and armics and go to 8clgradc il thc King is
thcrc or to Ni il that is whcrc hc is. Vc arc about to cross thc bor
dcr and comc to your aid Tc army should bc with thc pcoplc, it
should not obcy any command against thc pcoplc, its lrccdom and
lathcrland
8
According to Slobodan Jovanovi, thc highcst authority on Scrbian political
history ol thc ninctccnth ccntury, thc cntirc rst pcriod ol Pais cmigra
tion in 8ulgaria (until +88) conccntratcd on prcparations lor an armcd
rcbcllion.

8y thc summcr ol +88, Pai managcd to sccurc thc moncy and

arms lor thc uprising. According to Jovanovi, this action was hampcrcd by
thc Plovdiv coup in 8ulgaria.
6o
!l Jovanovis assumption is corrcct, and it
sounds convincing, thcn it would corroboratc thc inlcrcncc that thc Radical
lcadcrship in 8clgradc had bccn dividcd.
8y thc bcginning ol +886, howcvcr, thc Radical movcmcnt complctc
ly abandoncd its rcvolutionary ambitions. Tcrc wcrc scvcral rcasons lor
this shilt in political stratcgy. Firstly, on + January +886, thc Radical lcadcrs,
imprisoncd lor thcir allcgcd involvcmcnt in thc Timok rcbcllion, had bccn
pardoncd and lrccd. Tc Scrbian rulcr was lorccd to stcp back largcly bc
causc ol his disastrous dclcat in thc war with 8ulgaria in +88.
6+
Sccondly,
Nikola Pai and othcr Radical cmigrants in 8ulgaria ccascd thcir rcbcllious
activitics. Tirdly, thc movcmcnt had alrcady bccn rcorganizcd. Tc proccss
ol Radicals rccntcring Scrbian politics was undcrway, cspccially through
its ncwlylaunchcd ncwspapcr Odjek (Tc cho), which had bccn startcd in

Lcttcr to Nikola Pai, 8clgradc, ++ Fcbruary +88, privatc collcction.

8
8clgradc, Archivcs ol Scrbia (hcrcaltcr AS), Milutin Garaanin Fond, 86, no. 8.

Slobodan Jovanovi, Pai u cmigraciji, Srpski knjie.ni glasnik XX! (8clgradc,

+:), o++.
6o
Ibid.
6+
Stojan Novakovi, D.adeset godina usta.ne borbe u Srbiji :-:,c (8clgradc, ++:),
:o:.
8alcanica XXX\! 142
thc lall ol +88, and by thc bcginning ol +88 had alrcady oo subscribcrs.
6:
Although modcratc in political cxprcssions comparcd to Samoupra.a, Odjek
was instrumcntal in sprcading Radical idcas and in lcgalizing thc movc
mcnt altcr thc Timok rcbcllion.
Tc Radicals clcarly cxprcsscd thcir tcndcncy towards appcascmcnt
in two announccmcnts to thc mcmbcrship publishcd in +886:
Tc attitudc ol our Party visavis prcscnt circumstanccs should not
bc cmotional or inspircd by grcat hopcs or moral bclicls, rathcr it
should bc limitcd to cautious waiting and unanimous rcadincss lor
complcx political work.
6
!n anothcr sct ol instructions conccrning thc upcoming clcctions in +88,
thc Radical lcadcrship adviscd its lollowcrs:
to avoid cvcrything that could givc cxcusc or provokc scvcrcr
countcrmcasurcs by thc govcrnmcnt.
not to listcn to anyonc, to usc dccisivcly and collcctivcly thc vot
ing rights, to act intclligcntly within lcgal limits.
6
Tc movcmcnt had obviously maturcd through thc ycars ol dynamic cvcnts
and dcnitcly acccptcd a lcgal path to political powcr as thc only mcans ol
dcmocratic strugglc. From this point on, Scrbian Radicalism nally bccamc
thc movcmcnt ol a purcly dcmocratic oricntation.

Tc pcriod ol pragmatic Radicalism in Scrbia roughly covcrcd thc ycars
bctwccn +886 and +8. !t was notablc lor thc movcmcnts dcnitc acccp
tancc into thc cxisting political systcm, and lor thc actions aimcd at achicv
ing political rclorms through that systcm. Tc Radicals rst succcss was thc
agrccmcnt thcy concludcd with thc Libcrals in thc spring ol +886.
6
Tis
agrccmcnt was motivatcd by two important lactors: thc ncccssity ol lcgal
izing thc Radical movcmcnt altcr thc Timok rcbcllion aair and thc chancc
ol cntcring thc govcrnmcnt. Tis was possiblc only through an agrccmcnt
with thc opposition party ol thc Libcrals.
Tc RadicalLibcral agrccmcnt did not signal any idcological rap
prochcmcnt bctwccn thc two political groups.
66
!t rathcr was dircctcd to
wards collaboration during thc clcctions and, in casc ol clcctoral victory,
6:
Stojan Proti, Odlomci i. usta.ne i narodne borbe (8clgradc, ++++:), +6.
6
Archivcs ol thc Scrbian Acadcmy ol Scicnccs and Arts (hcrcaltcr ASANU), no.
+68:.
6
Ibid.
6
Jovan Avakumovi, Mcmoirs, ASANU, no. :8, p. .
66
Ibid. Scc also ivanovi, Politika istorija, !!!, o.
M. St. Proti, Tc Scrbian Radical Movcmcnt 18811903 143
thc possibility ol lorming a coalition govcrnmcnt.
6
Tc major task ol that
coalition cabinct, which was actually organizcd on + Junc +88, undcr thc
Prcsidcncy ol thc Libcral Jovan Risti, was to lostcr constitutional rclorm.
For thc rst timc in thcir history, thc Radicals cntcrcd thc cabinct, rccciving
thc lollowing ministcrial scctors: Sava Gruji bccamc thc Ministcr ol thc
Military, Mihailo \uji rcccivcd thc Ministry ol Financcs, Pcra \climirovi
bccamc thc Ministcr ol Constructions and Svctozar Milosavljcvi was ap
pointcd thc Ministcr ol ducation.
68
Tc coalition bctwccn thc Libcrals
and thc Radicals did not last long. Altcr scvcral months, on + cccmbcr
+88, thc Radicals lormcd thc rst purcly Radical cabinct
6
undcr thc prcsi
dcncy ol Gcncral Sava Gruji. Tc conict with thc King cscalatcd, lorcing
thc Radical govcrnmcnt to rcsign in April +888.
o
!l thc lailurc ol thc Timok rcbcllion was thc Kings victory ovcr thc
Radicals, than thc promulgation ol thc ncw Constitution in cccmbcr +888
was thc Radical victory ovcr thc rulcr. Soon altcr this documcnts approval
by thc National Asscmbly, thc King abdicatcd and lclt Scrbia (:: Fcbruary
!88). A Rcgcncy was lormcd in ordcr to rcprcscnt thc sovcrcign rights ol
Milans minor son Alcxandcr.
+
Although thc Constitution ol +888 camc as a rcsult ol thc work ol
all thrcc political partics, its spirit basically rccctcd thc programmc ol thc
Radical Party. !t was onc thc most libcral constitutions in uropc ol that
timc, cstablishing thc basis lor lull dcmocracy and opcning thc door lor thc
dcvclopmcnt ol an advanccd political systcm in Scrbia. 8ricy, thc constitu
tional act ol +888 can bc considcrcd thc rcalization ol thc Radical political
programmc.
Soon altcr thc abdication ol King Milan, thc promincnt Radical
lcadcr Nikola Pai was nally pardoncd and allowcd to rcturn to Scrbia.
Hc camc back to his nativc country in +88 and immcdiatcly took ovcr
lcadcrship ol thc Radical movcmcnt.
Tc pcriod lrom Fcbruary +88 to August +8: was thc longcst pc
riod prior to +o in which thc Radicals wcrc in powcr. uring thosc thrcc
and a hall ycars thcy wcrc ablc to implcmcnt and dcvclop a political systcm
bascd on thc Constitution ol +888 and on intcnsivc lcgislativc activity. Tis
pcriod ol Scrbian history was rightlully namcd thc Radical rcgimc.
:
6
LibcralRadical agrccmcnt in Avakumovi, Mcmoirs, 86.
68
Avakumovi, Mcmoirs, 8.
6
Jovanovi, !lada Milana Obreno.ia, !!!, ::.
o
ivanovi, Politika istorija, !!!, :o:.
+
Ibid.
:
Jovanovi, !lada leksandra Obreno.ia, !, +o:oo.
8alcanica XXX\! 144
According to thc law on clcctions ol rcprcscntativcs, passcd in March +8o,
thc Radicals succccdcd in introducing virtually gcncral voting right without
any ccnsus. !t containcd scvcral important rclorms which sccurcd a dcmo
cratic clcctoral proccdurc: it introduccd thc sccrct ballot, powcr during thc
clcctions was assigncd to thc prcsidcnt ol thc clcctoral committcc, without
any intcrlcrcncc ol Statc authoritics, and a dctailcd pcnal codc was intro
duccd lor cascs ol abusc during thc clcctions.

Two othcr lcgal documcnts wcrc passcd during Radical rulc and
shcd a grcatcr undcrstanding ol thc Radical intcrprctation ol dcmocracy.
Tc law on ministcrial rcsponsibility datcd January +8+, gavc thc right ol
qucstioning to both thc National Asscmbly and to thc King. Tc ministc
rial rcsponsibility was both political and criminal.

Tc law on communcs,
cnlorccd in Novcmbcr +88, was dcsigncd to introducc thc conccpt ol local
scllgovcrnmcnt as thc most important political systcm in thc country. Tc
application ol this systcm csscntially mcant thc rcalization ol thc Radical
programmc.

Upon his rcturn to Scrbia, Nikola Pai was clcctcd prcsidcnt ol thc
National Asscmbly in +88 and promptly lormcd his rst Radical cabinct.
6
Tc cabinct rcsigncd in August +8: and was succccdcd by thc Libcral
govcrnmcnt ol Jovan Avakumovi.

Tc Radicals wcrc again an opposition

party waiting lor ncw clcctions that, so thcy hopcd, would bc thcir ncxt
chancc. Changcs in thc clcctoral systcm, whcrcby all indcbtcd citizcns wcrc
dcnicd voting rights, rcsultcd in a closc votc. Tc Libcrals wcrc ablc to kccp
thcir govcrnmcnt by a tight margin.
8
Vithin a ycar, on + April +8, thc minor King Alcxandcr brcnovi,
whilc dining with mcmbcrs ol thc Rcgcncy, supportcd by thc army and gov
crnmcnt mcmbcrs, proclaimcd himscll king and took thc royal powcrs. Tc
outcomc ol thc coup dtat was thc collapsc ol thc Rcgcncy and thc cabinct.
Tc young rulcr appointcd Lazar oki, his lormcr prolcssor (mcmbcr ol
thc Radical Party but lricndly with thc Court), as Prcsidcnt ol thc Govcrn
mcnt.

Tc Radicals acccptcd this changc with vigour and acclamation. !t

Ibid.

Ibid.

Ibid.
6
Ibid., :::.

ivanovi, Politika istorija, !!!, :.

8
Ibid.

Scc Raa Milocvi, Dra.ni udar odo.go i Pr.i april :,; s.rgnue krujeg kralje.skog
namesnit.a (8clgradc, +6).
M. St. Proti, Tc Scrbian Radical Movcmcnt 18811903 145
was rcportcd that thc Radicals accompanicd thc King all ovcr Scrbia chccr
ing and calling him thc rst Radical and Alcxandcr thc Grcat.
8o
Vith thc
cxccption ol thc Ministry ol thc Military, thc cabinct ol Lazar oki was
purcly Radical.
8+
ncc again, thc collaboration was shortlivcd. Tc Radical
cabinct was lorccd to rcsign and, morcovcr, thc Radicals and thc King cn
tcrcd into an opcn conlrontation. Radical public mcctings wcrc banncd and
thc Radicals dcscribcd as just a mob gathcrcd to disturb public pcacc and
ordcr.
8:
Tc Kings nal stcp was his dccision to abolish thc Constitution
ol +888 in May +8.
8
ncc again, thc Scrbian Statc was pushcd into a
pcriod dominatcd by thc rulcr and his camarilla. Tc Radical achicvcmcnts
in political aairs wcrc supprcsscd and thcir collaboration with thc King
provcd to bc dctrimcntal and misjudgcd. Tc pcriod ol pragmatic Radical
ism sccms to havc bccn crucial in many ways. Tc Radical Party progrcsscd
in thc altcrmath ol thc Timok rcbcllion, passing through thc painlul proccss
ol political rcoricntation, nally succccding in cntcring thc govcrnmcnt and
bccoming an important political lactor. Tis pcriod was charactcrizcd by
scvcral signicant achicvcmcnts ol thc Radical Party in thc implcmcntation
ol parliamcntarism and modcrn dcmocracy. 8cginning with thc Constitu
tion ol +888, lollowcd by a scrics ol lcgal documcnts which had spccicd
thc principlcs cstablishcd by thc Constitution, thc Radicals rcalizcd much
ol thcir political programmc.
8
Finally, thcy collaboratcd with thc Libcrals
and with thc King. Tis mcant that thcir partisan cxclusivcncss, which still
cxistcd among ccrtain circlcs in thc Party, had bccn gcncrally climinatcd.
Tcy cntcrcd thc phasc in which thcy undcrstood and acccptcd thc rulcs ol
thc political gamc, thcy wcrc not as innoccnt and clcan as thcy had bccn in
+88+. !nstcad, thcy bccamc succcsslul and powcrlul.

Tc phasc ol Scrbian Radicalism lrom +8 to +o was markcd chicy
by pcacclulncss and unsucccsslul attcmpts to rcturn to powcr, bccoming
known as thc pcriod ol ovcrpowcrcd Radicalism. Tc political work ol thc
Radical lcadcrs was mainly conccntratcd on journalistic activitics. Trough
thcir lcading political organ Odjek, thc ncwlystartcd Narod (Tc Pcoplc)
and thc litcrarypolitical magazinc Delo (Tc ccd), thc Radicals wcrc ablc
8o
Avakumovi, Mcmoirs, +:.
8l
Ibid.
8:
Avakumovi, Mcmoirs, no. :8/!!!, +.
8
Jovanovi, !lada leksandra Obreno.ia, !!, :o::+.
8
Milivojc Popovi, Poreklo i postanak usta.a od :. godine (8clgradc, +), o+.
8alcanica XXX\! 146
to rcmain a prcscncc in daily politics. 8csidcs cvcryday issucs, thcir attcn
tion turncd to qucstions ol uropcan political thcory. uring this pcriod,
thc Radicals acccptcd thc thcory ol 8ritish parliamcntarism, rclying on
thc work ol two ol thcir political writcrs: Stojan Proti and Milovan j.
Milovanovi.
8
ncc again, thc major Radical objcctivc was thc dcmand lor a ne.
constitution. Tc govcrnmcnts attcmpts to lorm a constitutional commit
tcc ol all thrcc political partics dcnitcly lailcd in +86 as a rcsult ol thc
Radicals vigorous opposition to collaboration with thc Progrcssivist gov
crnmcnt ol Stojan Novakovi couplcd with thcir prcssurc to rcinlorcc thc
Constitution ol +888.
86
Tc summcr ol +86 was markcd by a massivc Radical mccting hcld
in 8clgradc on :8 July. According to Odjek, bctwccn and o thousand
pcoplc wcrc prcscnt.
8
Most ol thcm wcrc pcasants who camc lrom all ovcr
Scrbia.
88
ivan ivanovi, a promincnt Libcral, claimcd that this had bccn
thc most massivc political mccting cvcr organizcd in Scrbia.
8
At thc cnd ol +86 thc Radicals cntcrcd thc cabinct again. Altcr an
arrangcmcnt with thc King, jordjc Simi, onc ol thc lcss important Radi
cals in thc party hicrarchy and a mcmbcr ol its lcast militant wing, lormcd a
govcrnmcnt consisting ol ncutrals and compromising Radicals. Tc Radical
ministcrs wcrc Mihailo \uji, Pcra \climirovi, Andra Nikoli and Milovan
Milovanovi.
o
8chind this group stood Nikola Pai as a sccrct advisor ol
thc govcrnmcnt.
+
As a part ol thc dcal with thc King, thc Radicals agrccd
to postponc constitutional rclorm lor onc wholc ycar. Radical pragmatism
bccamc morc than obvious. !ntcnt to rcmain in powcr, thcy tcmporarily
bctraycd thcir most important political objcctivc and principlc: thc dcmand
lor thc rcinstitution ol thc +888 Constitution. Tis cabinct was lorccd to
rcsign in thc lall ol +8, largcly bccausc cxKing Milan brcnovi rc
turncd to Scrbia. Tc ncxt ycars markcd thc timc ol thc pcrsonal rcgimc ol
King Alcxandcr supportcd and adviscd by his lathcr Milan. Tc govcrn
mcnt was hcadcd by Milans intimatc old lricnd \ladan jordjcvi. cspitc
all thcir prcvious attcmpts to collaboratc with thc Crown, thc Radicals wcrc
again out ol powcr, and morc importantly, out ol thc political mainstrcam.
8
Slobodan Jovanovi, Moji sa.remenici (Vindsor, Canada, +), +:8.
86
Scc Novakovi, Usta.na borba.
8
Odjek, o July +86.
88
Ibid.
8
ivanovi, Politika istorija, !!!, o+o.
o
Jovanovi, !lada leksandra Obreno.ia, !!!, +8++.
+
Ibid.
M. St. Proti, Tc Scrbian Radical Movcmcnt 18811903 147
Tc majority ol thc laws passcd undcr Radical rulc wcrc changcd or sup
prcsscd.
Tc nal attack on thc Radical Party camc in +8. An abortivc at
tcmpt on thc cxKing Milans lilc madc by a youngstcr lrom 8osnia was
uscd by thc govcrnmcnt as a prctcxt to arrcst thc Partys most outspokcn
lcadcrs, accusing thcm ol inspiring and organizing thc attcmptcd assassina
tion. Tc Radicals imprisoncd wcrc Nikola Pai, Kosta Taunovi, Stojan
Proti, Ljuba ivkovi and thc pricst Milan juri.
:
Tc prosccution pa
pcrs statcd that during thc mccting ol thc Radical Main Committcc Nikola
Pai opcnly thrcatcncd cxKing Milan, that Ljuba ivkovi was thc author
ol Tc cmon ol Scrbia, which alludcd to cxMilan, and praiscd Karad
jordjc, thc lcadcr ol thc First Scrbian !nsurrcction, and that thc cntirc public
lilc ol Stojan Proti was thc lilc ol a rcvolutionary.

Tc cxKing Milan took

thc advantagc ol thc cvcnt to dcstroy thc lcadcrship ol thc Radical movc
mcnt.

At rst, hc insistcd on thc dcath pcnalty lor Pai and Tauanovi

in rctaliation lor all past and prcscnt conicts and clashcs. 8ut, whcn thc
Scrbian and uropcan, cspccially Russian public as wcll as govcrnmcnts
rcactcd against thc govcrnmcnt accusations, nding that thc arrcstcd Radi
cals wcrc innoccnt, thc cxKing dccidcd to makc a bargain with Pai. Pai
agrccd to accusc somc ol his Party comradcs (Proti and ivkovi) ol anti
dynastic attitudcs and possiblc inspiration lor thc attcmptcd assassination
and, in rcturn, his and Tauanovis livcs wcrc sparcd. !n thc cnd, thc ac
cuscd Radicals wcrc scntcnccd to twcnty ycars ol hard labour, Tauanovi
to +o ycars and Pai to only vc ycars in prison.

Tcsc mcasurcs wcrc

accompanicd by organizcd attacks on thc Radicals. Tcy wcrc bcing rcd,
pcrsccutcd, and purgcd throughout Scrbia.
!n +o+, thc Radical movcmcnt rccmcrgcd in Scrbian politics with
thc dcath ol thcir archcncmy, cxKing Milan brcnovi. And oncc again,
as many timcs bclorc, thc Radicals insistcd on constitutional rclorm.
Sincc +8 thc country had bccn virtually without a constitution.
Tc documcnt ol +888 had bccn voidcd in lavour ol thc old Constitution
ol +86 without an ocial proclamation. !n Fcbruary +o+, thc Radical
lcadcrs Mihailo \uji and Milovan Milovanovi cntcrcd thc govcrnmcnt.
At thc cnd ol March, \uji lormcd a coalition cabinct with thc Progrcs
sivists and immcdiatcly addrcsscd thc constitutional qucstion. Tc king oc
troycd thc ncw Constitution in April +o+. Tis cvcnt was prcccdcd by a
RadicalProgrcssivist agrccmcnt, known as thc Fusion, which camc as a
:
AS, \ladan jordjcvi Fond, 8, no. :.

Ibid.

Ibid. Scc also Kosta Jczdi, I.andanski atentat i Nikola Pai (8clgradc, +:6).

Jovanovi, !lada leksandra Obreno.ia, !!!, :.

8alcanica XXX\! 148
rcsult ol King Alcxandcrs dcmand.
6
Tc Constitution was a compromisc
solution bctwccn thc two prcvious Scrbian highcst chartcrs, ol +86 and
+888. Tc Constitution ol +o+ cstablishcd a bicamcral Parliamcnt with a
Scnatc and National Asscmbly. Tc Scnatc as thc Uppcr Housc was only
partially clcctivc most ol its mcmbcrs (o) wcrc appointcd by thc King,
whcrcas only +8 wcrc choscn by thc votcrs.

Tc lcgislativc initiativc was

dividcd bctwccn thc King and thc Parliamcnt. Tc Constitution cnlargcd
thc prcrogativcs ol thc Statc Council as thc suprcmc administrativcjudicial
body. lcction by sccrct ballot was rccstablishcd, whilc thc Constitution
guarantccd only limitcd civil libcrtics.
8
Tc Fusion with thc Progrcssivists, a compromisc on thc constitu
tional qucstion, bccamc thc major causc lor thc split in thc Radical movc
mcnt. A group ol youngcr Radical intcllcctuals lclt thc bulk ol thc Party
and startcd thc !ndcpcndcnt Radical Party in +o+.

Tis was thc rup

turc bctwccn thc oldcr gcncration and thc youngcr mcmbcrs ol thc Radical
movcmcnt rathcr than an idcological division bctwccn thc two groups. Tc
!ndcpcndcnt Radicals insistcd on rcturning to thc original political pro
grammc ol +88+ and on thc rcstoration ol thc +888 Constitution. From this
point on, thc !ndcpcndcnt Radical Party playcd an outstandingly important
rolc in Scrbian politics. Altcr +o, thc ld Radicals and thc !ndcpcndcnt
Radicals bccamc two lcading political camps in Scrbia. Tc old political
groups, Progrcssivists and Libcrals, gradually disappcarcd lrom thc political
sccnc. Tc !ndcpcndcnt Radicals wcrc lcd by thrcc Ljubomirs: Ljubomir
ivkovi, Ljubomir Stojanovi and Ljubomir avidovi.
+oo

Tc turning point in modcrn Scrbian history camc in +o. Tat ycar was
markcd by thc assassination ol King Alcxandcr and Quccn raga by a group
ol young Scrbian occrs.
+o+
Tis cvcnt markcd thc cnd ol thc brcnovi dy
nasty which had rulcd Scrbia with intcrruptions lor morc than scvcnty ycars
(+8+: and +88+o), but morc importantly, it opcncd thc door lor a
constitutional parliamcntary dcmocracy. !n Junc +o, only a month altcr
thc Kings dcath, a ncw constitution, with csscntially thc samc tcxt as that
ol +888, was passcd by thc Grand National Asscmbly. Tc Karadjordjcvi
6
Ibid., 8+8.

Ibid.
8
Ibid.

Ibid., +.
+oo
Ibid.
+o+
For morc dctails, scc \asi, :,c.
M. St. Proti, Tc Scrbian Radical Movcmcnt 18811903 149
dynasty rcplaccd thc brcnovis Pctcr Karadjordjcvi, thc grandson ol
Karadjordjc, bccamc King ol Scrbia. Tc Radical Party cntcrcd its Goldcn
Agc. Altcr ovcr twcnty ycars ol strugglc, rcbcllion, crisis, compromisc and
succcss, it bccamc powcrlul and maturc cnough to dominatc Scrbian poli
tics and dccisivcly contributc to Scrbias cmcrgcncc as a dcmocratic uro
pcan statc.
Institute for Balkan Studies UDC :,.:.:(-:&.,:)(c,:)!:::,c
Serbian cademy of Sciences and rt ,,(,,.::)::,
Belgrade