SERBIA ON THE ROAD TO NORMAL STATEHOOD
SERBIA ON THE ROAD TO NORMAL STATEHOOD

Author(s): Milan Podunavac
Subject(s): Politics / Political Sciences, Politics, Governance, Government/Political systems
Published by: CEDET Centar za demokratsku tranziciju
Keywords: Order; non-order; legitimacy; legitimacy deficit; constitution; sta­tehood; dual state; consensus; nationalism; constitutional patrio­tism
Summary/Abstract: This paper analyzes the political dynamics in Serbia in the last decade of the past century. A reconstruction of the process of destroying and renewing order is attempted. The basic nucleus of the political order in the former Yugo­slavia consisted in the system of charismatic power and charismatic legitimacy. When this order was destroyed, in Serbia a regime (called here non-order, as contrary to order) was established characterized by usurpation, corruption, caesarism, propaganda and production of fear. The “great transformation” which happened with the ousting of this regime was a constitutional chance that the Serbian political and civil societies have failed to take advantage of. Similarly, they have not used the broad possibilities of constitutional choice. In conclusion, an analysis of the failure of the establishment of normal statehood in Serbia is offered. On the basis of a normative view that there is a generic connection between modern state and polyarchy (constitutional democracy), the assumptions are offered on which the establishment of modern statehood is feasible. The establishment of a modern order grounded in the formative principles of law is possible only in a well-ordered state. Only on these grounds is it possible to shape the institutions and values of constitutional democracy (freedom, limited and controlled government, democratic legitimacy) that are identified as the summum bonum of a well-ordered community. The shaping of the basic consensus on liberal values would enable the building of the minimum framework for the modern state.

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