engleski

Consumers as the Vehicles of Socialism. Consumer Protection in the System of Yugoslav Self-Management and Associated Labour

Although consumer councils in Yugoslavia were established during the fifties, immediately after self-management was introduced, their influence gradually faded and, by early sixties, they largely terminated their operations. Their revival ensued in late sixties in local community offices, but it gained momentum after the adoption of the 1974 constitution which guaranteed consumers the right to protection. The role of the working man and citizen as a producer and a consumer was additionally regulated by the 1976 Associated Labour Act, and a number of other regulations. These activities coincided with the end of the decade when the purchasing power and the standard of living increased. At the republican level, the protection system was coordinated by the Consumer Council within the Republican Conference of the Socialist Alliance of Working People of Croatia, which in turn relied on counterpart councils in municipalities and consumer councils in local community offices. Most of the work was in fact done at that lowest level. Social compacts and self-management agreements with companies and hospitality associated labour organizations in their respective areas of operation were made in an effort to align the interests of consumers and producers. These mostly concerned the density of the retail network and price policies, the need for longer working hours, the quality of merchandise and services, and better staff decorum. The archives of the republican Consumer Council is the key historical source in this regard: Council’s documents, downward communication and minutes from meetings are evidence of the accomplishments and failures in establishing the protection system, activating citizens and raising their awareness of consumer rights.

consumer protection, SSRN-SAWP, socialism, Croatia, Yugoslavia

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