The Statehood of Croatia as a Basis for Its Liberation and Independence

• In Event: The Process of the Liberation of Croatia since 1945

Abstract

This paper will focus on the 1945, 1963 and 1974 Yugoslav and the 1947, 1963 and 1974 Croatian Constitutions. The latter contained all the attributes of statehood (e.g., territory, citizenship, separate organization of government) of the Socialist Republic of Croatia and used legal terms such as “state“ and “statehood." The paper will examine how the Socialist Republic of Croatia used these attributes to gradually take over more and more responsibilities from the government of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, ultimately leading to its independence and liberation.

Author

• Željko Bartulović, U of Rijeka (Croatia)