INFLUENCE OF JOVAN RISTIĆ ON THE POLITICAL SYSTEM OF SERBIA IN THE SECOND HALF OF THE 19TH CENTURY

Abstract

Considering his entire political engagement, Jovan Ristić (1831-1899) definitely figures as one of the most important protagonists of constitutional and political reforms implemented in the second half of the 19th century in Serbia. The reason for this should be sought in the fact that he held important state functions on several occasions in the period from 1868-1893, starting from being a member of the Regency in two terms, through the Ministerial Council President, to the minister of foreign affairs. The reforms, in which Ristić participated, transformed the political order of Serbia in the spirit of moderate liberalization and democratization. The first significant reform undertaking implemented with Ristić's management note was the adoption of the Constitution in 1869, by which the people’s representation became an integral part of regular political life. This slightly opened the door to democracy in Serbia. He realized a great deal of ideas from early political essays with the constitutional reform of 1869, which indirectly enabled the resulting of the Constitution of 1888 because the introduction of the people’s representation in the regular political life transferred the focus of political struggle there to. Ristić also played an important role in the preparation of the Constitution of 1888. As a leader of the Liberals, he was one of three Vice-Presidents of the Constitutional Committee formed by King Milan Obrenović, who was the initiator of the constitutional reform. In this Committee’s work, Ristić advocated for those institutional solutions that were on the track of moderate parliamentarianism. Immediately after the adoption of the Constitution, King Milan abdicated in 1889 and the Regency was formed with Ristić at its head, which was abolished by the "court revolution" in 1893. The end of the Regency was also the symbolic end of Ristić's political career. In summary, Ristić based his political work on etatism (a strong state administration without local self-government), elitism (limitation of the legislative power of the people’s representation in 1869/ qualified MPs in 1869/1888), realpolitik pragmatism (bypassing the constitutional obstacles in 1861, during the implementation of constitutional reforms in 1868/69, transfer of legislative function from the State Council to the People’s Assembly in 1869 due to the pressure of the MPs, the abandonment of the bicameral people’s representation, the agreement with the Radicals in 1886, and the acceptance of moderate parliamentarianism in 1888). The political explanation of results of Ristić's reformism, in terms of absence of major democratic reforms, consists of a balanced combination of moderate variants of etatism, elitism and realpolitik pragmatism. The valuable political legacy of Jovan Ristić in our century is a conviction of the necessity of gradual institutional reforms, whose successful realization certainly needs them to origin from real social needs, and their holders to have adequate expertise.