His transition from a revolutionary zealot to a democratic socialist and human rights advocate remains a testament to the power of self-reflection. Milovan Đilas didn't just write a book; he dismantled the myth of the classless society from the inside out.
He posited that "Socialism" and "Communism" became mere slogans used by the bureaucracy to justify their grip on power and to suppress any opposition from the actual working class.
Furthermore, Đilas’s framework has been adapted by Western thinkers to critique their own societies. Conservatives argue that a "New Class" of liberal bureaucrats, NGO directors, and media professionals has emerged in the West—a meritocratic elite that no longer represents the working class.
Milovan Dilas, Novi Razred, The New Class, Milovan Đilas communism, communist bureaucracy critique, Yugoslav dissident.
"The new class may be said to be made up of those who have special privileges and economic preference because of the administrative monopoly they hold."