Komunizam i čovjek: Odnos vlasti i pojedinca u Hrvatskoj (1958.–1972.)

In his book Communism and Man. The Relationship between the Government and the Individual in Croatia (1958–1972), historian Josip Mihaljević analyzes how the communist regime shaped relations between the state and citizens during the period of stabilization and crisis of Yugoslav socialism. He focuses on everyday life in Croatia, where the political, social, and cultural spheres were under the strong control of the Party. Through archival materials, minutes of political bodies, court cases, and personal testimonies, he shows how the system sought to form a “new man” loyal to ideology and the collective.

Mihaljević sheds light on the processes by which the regime and security services restricted freedom of thought and expression – from censorship and surveillance to repression of intellectuals, students, and believers. He pays special attention to the period of the Croatian Spring, when space was opened for social and national debates, but also shows how the government once again reacted with force and purges.

The author does not present communism only as a political system, but as a form of social order that deeply affects morality, identity, and interpersonal relationships. The book combines scientific precision with a humanistic approach, revealing what happens to a person under the pressure of an ideology that seeks to reshape their consciousness and freedom.