Political Struggle and Institutional Reorganization in Yugoslavia
One of the most salient, if less remarked upon, characteristics of Communist regimes is the frequency with which basic political institutional arrangements are overhauled. Almost every Communist country has had at least two constitutions; some (such as the Soviet Union) have had three, and Yugoslavia is now under its fourth constitution since the Communists came to power. In most cases the leader, originally simply general-secretary of his respective party, later became premier as well, then dropped the premiership, retaining only the secretaryship. Finally, in most cases over the course of the 1970s, the leader would add the title of president (head of state). These and other analogous changes were usually explained as symptoms of the process of "building communism," a process that, apparently by definition, has to involve regular institutional adjustments. In reality, however, the changes have had almost nothing to do with building anything, and reflect rather the pervasive instability in monocratic systems. When there are no organizational alternatives, political competition-which might otherwise be expressed in the struggle between rival organizations is naturally transferred into the monopoly party itself and therefore expresses itself in part as a struggle over organizational forms. It is thus symptomatic of a popular misconception to believe that the most significant question in Communist succession struggles is: "Who will lead?" Quite the contrary; far more important is the intensification of the struggle over institutional forms that invariably emerges in conditions of political fluidity. The