Abstract
The authors use three sets of Croatian survey data (1984, 1989, and 1996) in order to analyse the reproduction and circulation of elites. The essence of the approach is to compare the extent of circulation of elites during the communist period with the circulation that happened after the fall of communism. The result is that the quantity of circulation in the eight post‐communist years in Croatia is not different from that in two observed communist periods (1978–84 and 1982–89). Although the quantity of circulation is the same the quality (measured by some key characteristics of the elite members) differs. The main detected differences are: the national composition of the elite changed from an overrepresentation of the Serbian minority to its disappearance; and an increase in the numbers of returned emigrants included in the elite. Contrary to our expectations, the new post‐communist elite had lower educational levels and is older then the communist elite. Overrepresentation of the ruling party members in the managerial elite indicates a new patronage system that has replaced the old communist nomenclature system.
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