Vojvodina's identity in history

by Saša Stanko Marković

With regard to the historic perspective of Vojvodina, we have distinguished several periods of time limited to historical events of higher importance, assuming, at the same time, that continuity in the interaction with newly established circumstances was subject to both changes and preservation of certain values. The first period deals with the establishment of Vojvodina  and its political life in the Habsburg/Austro-Hungarian Monarchy. In this time the recognition of Vojvodina identity was linked to the Serb national movement that oscillated within political amplitude from national romanticism to rigid national politics of the monarchy with frequent turns to the principality/Kingdom of Serbia.

The second period in the history of defining Vojvodina comes after World War I. It is characterised by the loose of national romanticism and by increased questioning of its existence from the aspect of its economy and constitution. Civil-society political pluralism was cherished for some time and consequently had significant influence on the articulation of Vojvodinians' interests. The integral idea of Yugoslav nationality increasingly attracted masses of population, what proved their sustainability to authority. 
      
Ideologically unified state with one-party system was established after World War II. From the very beginning, the state showed respect towards the federal status of Vojvodina. However, uneven economy initiated discussions about political integrity of Vojvodina, which was limited by polity and lack of democracy. Political control of the state of Vojvodina in 1974, partly justified by economic reasons, became the structural element of the deep crisis of Yugoslav society after 1980. The victory of nationalisms led to the dissolution of Yugoslavia through a war cataclysm and temporarily flooded the overall society with populism and authority. The fall of the regime in October 2000 enabled the development of democracy and pluralism that were overloaded with many weaknesses of transition. Vojvodina political identity was largely influenced both by attitudes and ideas of nationalistic provenience that advocated Vojvodina permanent ties with Serbia geo-strategic position, and by attitudes of former political elite that offered the 'melancholy of past times' of good and stable life.   
 
This was the path that winded between ’hysteria’ of nationalism which stemmed from the mythology of instrumentalized past and ideology of autonomaštvo from 1974. Gradually, independent and in discontinuity with the past a new political establishment developed; it was deprived from such identities and showed respect for the reality of multi-nationalism, without any sign of ’hysteria’ of historically non-grounded identity. This establishment turned to the idea of European regionalisation looking for a political compromise. It was recognized and supported by the citizens and thus opened the door of a promising Vojvodina and Serbia. 
 
The paper is in Serbian language.