Authors

Giannis Lainas¹;  ¹ University College Dublin, Ireland

Discussion

Amidst the upheavals of the interwar era, Yugoslavia and Greece faced unresolved crises, sowing the seeds for unique developments during World War II. Rooted in Ivan Berend's Crisis Zone thesis, this study asserts that the communist-led resistance movements, grappling with the Axis powers, concurrently assumed the challenging task of governance in newly liberated territories, addressing persistent issues. Channelling Michael David-Fox's concept of ''intelligentsia-statist modernity,'' I propose that of "partisan-people's modernity" to encapsulate the transformative initiatives in the Balkans during this crucial wartime phase. 

In contrast to the Russian model, where the intelligentsia and the assertive central power of the state had a perennial influence on the country's path to modernity, the Balkans saw the infusion of entrenched traditions of social banditry and local resistance against central authority into the fabric of the partisan movements. Here, guerrillas and local peoples' committees emerged as vanguards, guiding and legitimizing the shift towards modernity that their predecessors struggled to achieve. This distinctive wartime governance, deeply entrenched in local traditions and social structures, evolved as a response to the pre-war crises of the states and their subsequent inability to address them effectively. 

This paper will meticulously delve into the multifaceted dimensions of gender, ethnicity, and agrarian issues the Partisans and local communities tried to deal with. Concentrating on the instrumental roles played by the guerrillas and the people's committees, this essay aims to substantiate the validity of the ''partisan-people's modernity'' thesis, by focusing on their dynamic interplay of gender dynamics, ethnic considerations, and the complexities of agrarian life. Through thoroughly examining these issues, this paper aims to provide compelling evidence that underscores the accuracy of the partisan-people's modernity notion and highlights its utility for advancing further research in this historical domain.