Milovan Djilas Nova Klasa.pdf ((free))

If you are looking for specific , chapter summaries , or comparisons between Đilas and other political theorists like Trotsky or Marx, please let me know how you would like to expand your research. Share public link

The central argument of Nova Klasa directly challenged Orthodox Marxist theory. Karl Marx predicted that a communist revolution would abolish the class system, creating a classless society where the means of production were owned collectively by the proletariat (the working class).

The rise of communist regimes in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union in the 20th century brought about a new class of rulers who claimed to represent the interests of the working class. However, as these regimes consolidated power, it became increasingly clear that the ruling elite had developed its own interests, often at odds with those of the working class. One of the most astute observers of this phenomenon was Milovan Djilas, a Yugoslav communist leader and writer, who in his seminal work "Nova Klasa" (New Class), published in 1957, critiqued the emergence of a new ruling class in communist societies.

Critics of Djilas (mostly Trotskyists and orthodox Marxists) argued that his thesis was a "pamphlet of betrayal"—a disgruntled ex-communist justifying his split. They claimed that the bureaucracy was a "degenerated workers state" that could be reformed, not a permanent new class. Milovan Djilas Nova Klasa.pdf

His realization was apocalyptic: The revolution had not created a classless society. It had merely replaced the old capitalist exploiters with a new, more voracious political elite.

Djilas describes the New Class as a specific type of bureaucratic elite. He argues that this class is more oppressive than previous ruling classes because it monopolizes not just the economy, but all aspects of life, including ideology, culture, and education. He famously describes the Communist Party as "the greatest parasite in history."

He famously wrote:

If you are downloading this PDF today, you are likely looking for insights into authoritarianism or the corruption of ideals. The book remains relevant because it describes the universal tendency of bureaucracies to serve themselves.

Milovan Djilas’s 1957 work, The New Class (Nova Klasa) , provides an insider critique of communist regimes, arguing that party bureaucracy replaced private capitalists as a privileged ruling class [1, 2]. The text, which explores how state control leads to exploitation by a privileged elite, remains a key resource for analyzing bureaucratic power and state capitalism [3, 4]. For further research, scholars and students often explore digital archives for a PDF copy of the text. Share public link

While reading the , pay close attention to the following sections, which are the most frequently highlighted by scholars: If you are looking for specific , chapter

This is a profound revision. Orthodox Marxism held that class disappears when private ownership of productive forces is abolished. Djilas counters that . The state, under communism, becomes the sole proprietor. Those who administer the state—the party officials, directors, secret police, and military commanders—thus wield ownership power collectively. Hence, “the new class appropriates the national income not through direct ownership but through the monopoly of administration” (Djilas, 1957, p. 45).

Political science courses on "Totalitarianism," "Comparative Politics," and "The History of Communism" frequently assign excerpts. Searching for the PDF allows students to bypass expensive anthologies that often only reprint two chapters.

The Heretic’s Blueprint: Milovan Djilas and the Anatomy of the ‘New Class’ The rise of communist regimes in Eastern Europe