Political Economy of Croatia: Restoration of Capitalism as “Transformation” and “Privatization”

Rad se ponajviše bavi analizama hrvatskih ekonomista o procesu pretvorbe i privatizacije 1990-ih. Posljednjih desetljeća, posebno od prvih višestranačkih izbora u travnju 1990., proces političko-ekonomske transformacije presudno je utjecao ne samo na društveno-ekonomsku strukturu Hrvatske nego i na hrvatsku polit-ekonomsku misao. Pregledom znanstvenih radova hrvatskih ekonomista, polit-ekonomista i sociologa te njihovom daljnjom analizom rad ima ambiciju pridonijeti novom pristupu proučavanja procesa pretvorbe i privatizacije. Uza sve razlike u mišljenjima te istraživačkim zaključcima, hrvatski analitičari u jednom su suglasni – bez pretvorbe i privatizacije ne bi se razvio ni kapitalizam u Hrvatskoj. U ovom radu razvija se teza da je proces pretvorbe i privatizacije u suštini bio obnova kapitalizma putem primarne akumulacije kapitala. Ono što se još naziva i divljim kapitalizmom, crony, pa i tajkunskim kapitalizmom, zapravo je bio uobičajeni tijek nastanka i razvoja kapitalizma periferije. Pritom se njegova specifična osobina tiče nacionalne države kojoj je pripala uloga stvaratelja sistema i vladajuće klase, umjesto da se zbilo obrnuto – da je vladajuća klasa stvorila državu i ekonomski sistem. Istovremeno je namjera rada pokazati da nisu dovoljno precizne tvrdnje prema kojima je proces pretvorbe i privatizacije trebao i mogao biti pravedniji u slučaju pobjede druge političke opcije. Na temelju navedenog može se bolje razumjeti paradoks da je Hrvatska u proces pretvorbe i privatizacije ušla kao jedna od zemalja s najboljim pretpostavkama, a iz njega izašla kao jedan od najneuspješnijih primjera.The paper deals with various analyses by Croatian economists of the so-called process of transformation and privatization in the 1990s. In recent decades, especially since the first multi-party parliamentary elections in April 1990, the process of political-economic transformation has not only decisively changed the socio-economic structure of Croatia, but also influenced the Croatian polit-economic thought. By reviewing works by Croatian economists, political economists and sociologists, this paper has the ambition to make a contribution to a new approach of studying the process of transformation and privatization. This paper develops the thesis that the process of transformation and privatization was essentially a restoration of capitalism through primary accumulation of capital. What is also called wild capitalism, cronyism, and even tycoon capitalism – was in fact the usual course of the emergence and development of peripheral capitalism. Its specific feature is connected with the nation-state which had the role of system-maker as well as ruling-classmaker, rather than the other way around – that the ruling class had created its own state and economic system. At the same time, we reject as simplified various conclusions that the transformation and privatization process should have been and could have been more just and fair. In the end, one can better understand the paradox of Croatia starting the process of transformation and privatization as one of the countries with the best features and finishing as one of the most unsuccessful examples