Slovenian Economic Republicanism at the Formative Stage of Self-Government Socialism (1950–1953)

Abstract

The article analyzes the impact of the 1950–1953 reforms on the economic conflicts between the leadership of Slovenia and Yugoslavia. The reforms and the economic crisis intensified the contradictions between Slovenia and the federal center. Initially they manifested themselves in traditional forms: struggles to reduce targets, concealment of reserves, and struggle for coupons. The crisis gave rise to new struggles over money supply and the construction of key facilities, and reinforced the tendency to close regional markets. However, as the reforms progressed, old sources of conflict gradually lost their role and were replaced by new ones. The struggle over natural resources and manpower diminished, but the struggle for value indicators, primarily for investment, intensified. Slovenia donated significant funds, from which capital investments were made in other regions, and this circumstance gave rise to discontent in the republic. The federal government tried to reform the investment policy in order to alleviate the discontent in Slovenia, but these attempts failed in the period under review.