Milan Stojadinovic
Encyclopedia
Milan Stojadinović (August 04, 1888 – October 26, 1961) was a Yugoslav
political figure and a noted economist
.
Stojadinović was born in Čačak
in central Serbia
, and went to school in Užice
and Kragujevac
. In 1910 he graduated from the University of Belgrade's Law School
, and gained a Ph.D.
in economics
in 1911. He subsequently spent three years of post-graduate studies in Germany, Britain and France before he returned to Serbia in 1914 to work at the Ministry of Finance.
He would rise to the position of Minister of Finance of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia
in 1922–1924, 1924–1926, 1934–1935. As a member of the People's Radical Party
, he was also elected to the Parliament in 1923, 1925, 1927.
In 1935 he founded a new party, the Serbian Radical Party, which with some other parties formed coalition Jugoslovenska Radikalna Zajednica (Yugoslav Radical Union
, JRZ) and won the elections. On June 24, 1935, he was elected Prime minister
and Minister of Foreign Affairs. He was the victim of a failed assassination attempt by the Macedonian Damjan Arnautović in 1935.
Stojadinović recognized the military threats from National Socialist Germany
, Fascist
Italy and surrounding countries as imminent. He viewed the Kingdom of Yugoslavia's future only as sustainable if a neutral status akin to that of Switzerland
could be established. His foreign policies pushed consistently towards this goal. Examples are the non-aggression treaty with Italy
and Yugoslavia's extension of its treaty of friendship with France
. Also, the attempted Concordat
with the Holy See
, which however caused severe protests from the Serb Orthodox Church in 1937, and was thus never ratified.
In late 1938 he was re-elected, albeit with a smaller margin than expected, failed in pacifying the Croats
, raised a military-like legion of his own followers ('Green Shirts'), and did not formulate any clear political programme, providing the regent Paul with a welcomed pretext upon which to replace Stojadinović on February 5, 1939, with Dragiša Cvetković
.
Following his replacement, the Prince Regent went further by detaining Stojadinović without proper cause until he had managed, with the help of his strong personal ties to King George VI of the United Kingdom (who had been the Prince Regent's best man in 1923) to enlist the support of the United Kingdom
to have Stojadinović sent into exile to British controlled Mauritius
, where he was kept during World War II.
In 1946 Stojadinović went to Rio de Janeiro
, and then to Buenos Aires
, where he was reunited with his family. Stojadinović spent the rest of his life as presidential advisor on economic and financial affairs to governments in Argentina
and founded the financial newspaper El Economista, (not to be associated with the Mexican newspaper of the same name).
In 1963, two years after his death, "El Economista" published a commemorative edition entitled "NI RAT NI PAKT - JUGOSLAVIJA IZMEDJU DVA RATA", Milan Stojandinović's extensive Memoirs written in his native tongue.
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
political figure and a noted economist
Economist
An economist is a professional in the social science discipline of economics. The individual may also study, develop, and apply theories and concepts from economics and write about economic policy...
.
Stojadinović was born in Čačak
Cacak
Čačak is a city in central Serbia. It is the administrative center of the Moravica District of Serbia. Čačak is also the main industrial, cultural and sport center of the district...
in central Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
, and went to school in Užice
Užice
Užice is a city and municipality in western Serbia, located at the banks of the Đetinja river. It is the administrative center of the Zlatibor District...
and Kragujevac
Kragujevac
Kragujevac is the fourth largest city in Serbia, the main city of the Šumadija region and the administrative centre of Šumadija District. It is situated on the banks of the Lepenica River...
. In 1910 he graduated from the University of Belgrade's Law School
University of Belgrade Faculty of Law
The University of Belgrade Faculty of Law , also known as the Belgrade Law School, is one of the first-tier educational institutions of the University of Belgrade, Serbia...
, and gained a Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
in 1911. He subsequently spent three years of post-graduate studies in Germany, Britain and France before he returned to Serbia in 1914 to work at the Ministry of Finance.
He would rise to the position of Minister of Finance of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia
Kingdom of Yugoslavia
The Kingdom of Yugoslavia was a state stretching from the Western Balkans to Central Europe which existed during the often-tumultuous interwar era of 1918–1941...
in 1922–1924, 1924–1926, 1934–1935. As a member of the People's Radical Party
People's Radical Party
The People's Radical Party of Serbia was a political party formed on January 8, 1881, which was active in the Kingdom of Serbia and the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes...
, he was also elected to the Parliament in 1923, 1925, 1927.
In 1935 he founded a new party, the Serbian Radical Party, which with some other parties formed coalition Jugoslovenska Radikalna Zajednica (Yugoslav Radical Union
Yugoslav Radical Union
The Yugoslav Radical Union was a conservative political party in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia.The party was formed by the Serbian politician Milan Stojadinović in 1935. It was made up by different groups, that could be divided in three parts: in Serbia, it was made mostly by former members of the...
, JRZ) and won the elections. On June 24, 1935, he was elected Prime minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
and Minister of Foreign Affairs. He was the victim of a failed assassination attempt by the Macedonian Damjan Arnautović in 1935.
Stojadinović recognized the military threats from National Socialist Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
, Fascist
Fascism
Fascism is a radical authoritarian nationalist political ideology. Fascists seek to rejuvenate their nation based on commitment to the national community as an organic entity, in which individuals are bound together in national identity by suprapersonal connections of ancestry, culture, and blood...
Italy and surrounding countries as imminent. He viewed the Kingdom of Yugoslavia's future only as sustainable if a neutral status akin to that of Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
could be established. His foreign policies pushed consistently towards this goal. Examples are the non-aggression treaty with Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and Yugoslavia's extension of its treaty of friendship with France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. Also, the attempted Concordat
Concordat
A concordat is an agreement between the Holy See of the Catholic Church and a sovereign state on religious matters. Legally, they are international treaties. They often includes both recognition and privileges for the Catholic Church in a particular country...
with the Holy See
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
, which however caused severe protests from the Serb Orthodox Church in 1937, and was thus never ratified.
In late 1938 he was re-elected, albeit with a smaller margin than expected, failed in pacifying the Croats
Croats
Croats are a South Slavic ethnic group mostly living in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and nearby countries. There are around 4 million Croats living inside Croatia and up to 4.5 million throughout the rest of the world. Responding to political, social and economic pressure, many Croats have...
, raised a military-like legion of his own followers ('Green Shirts'), and did not formulate any clear political programme, providing the regent Paul with a welcomed pretext upon which to replace Stojadinović on February 5, 1939, with Dragiša Cvetković
Dragiša Cvetkovic
Dragiša Cvetković was a Yugoslav politician.He served as the prime minister of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia from 1939 to 1941. He developed the federalization of Yugoslavia through the creation of the Banovina of Croatia by an agreement with Croatian leader Vladko Maček...
.
Following his replacement, the Prince Regent went further by detaining Stojadinović without proper cause until he had managed, with the help of his strong personal ties to King George VI of the United Kingdom (who had been the Prince Regent's best man in 1923) to enlist the support of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
to have Stojadinović sent into exile to British controlled Mauritius
Mauritius
Mauritius , officially the Republic of Mauritius is an island nation off the southeast coast of the African continent in the southwest Indian Ocean, about east of Madagascar...
, where he was kept during World War II.
In 1946 Stojadinović went to Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
, and then to Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
, where he was reunited with his family. Stojadinović spent the rest of his life as presidential advisor on economic and financial affairs to governments in Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
and founded the financial newspaper El Economista, (not to be associated with the Mexican newspaper of the same name).
In 1963, two years after his death, "El Economista" published a commemorative edition entitled "NI RAT NI PAKT - JUGOSLAVIJA IZMEDJU DVA RATA", Milan Stojandinović's extensive Memoirs written in his native tongue.