Jovan Pavlovic as a liberalism paradigm in the history of Serbian press

Abstract

This paper is focused on a celebrated Serbian journalist and liberal, Jovan Pavlovic, who founded and edited, in the second half of the 19th century, the following newspapers: Pancevac, Granicar and Novi Granicar. Pavlovic turned his newspapers into the most militant and the most liberal media printed in Serbian language in Austria-Hungary in the second half of the 19th century. This paper analyzes the beginnings of Serbian liberal thought and individuals who were significant for the development of liberal ideas in the 19th century. The work of Vladimir Jovanovic and other liberals in Serbia has been considered, including the influence of Svetozar Markovic and Serbian liberals in Austria-Hungary. The authors analyzed Pavlovic?s articles in Zastava, Pancevac, Granicar, and Novi Granicar. Pavlovic?s newspapers supported very liberal and militant attitudes unlike other printed media throughout the history of Serbian journalism. Pavlovic was very incisive when writing in anticlerical spirit, and in many of his articles he criticized church hierarchy. The Eastern question was also extensively dealt with in his articles. In the history of Serbian journalism, Jovan Pavlovic has been remembered as a great supporter of human rights, national liberation and emancipation, as well as a significant representative of liberal ideas.