„Titophany”. Forms of Symbolic Presence of Josip Broz Tito in the Socialist Yugoslavia

Abstract

Text is an analysis of symbolic strategies, serving creation of Josip Broz Tito’s authority as the leader of the socialist Yugoslavia; it also reveals their cultural and political motivations. Author indicates three dominant factors in the process of cult creation, which are characteristic for the cult of personality in totalitarian systems; as such they also remain a specific continuation of traditions as a base of the local power culture. In this perspective, the Tito’s cult and political mythology as its frame is an endemic embodiment of mythological provincionalism with universal aspirations – typical for communism. The function of this cult is a consolidation of multi-nation community and legitimization of federal state formula in the conditions of immaturity of the local political culture.