Too bad the West did not understand, did not want to seize such historical opportunity to open itself and welcome, in full frankness and mutual respect, this world from the East that came peacefully seeking a reciprocal coexistence. Then, history did nothing else but repeat itself. They were probably in a state of mind similar to that of the Amerindians at the beginning of the conquest of the far West very naive. A myth that had suddenly become touchable, within hand’s reach. They imagined and persuaded themselves that the Western world was a world suspended between earth and sky. In the East, they had believed in it so much that, led by illusions, they began to dream with their eyes wide-opened of a new world of coexistence and sharing. No more divisions or hostility, no longer this imminent fear of a forthcoming war. A world of happiness for all, in which we were finally going to live together. A new start for a world without wars, without poverty. At least, that was what we thought at that time. The year 1989, right after the Berlin wall had fallen, was meant to be the year « 0 » for the whole of mankind. I had just discovered that the media of my country were much more objective, more moderate, less lying, and overall more democratic. Yugoslavia often was simply lumped together with the other countries of the Eastern block. The others, Eastern countries, were systematically criticized and slandered. These media were full of glorification of the Western society, undoubtedly presented as being superior in every aspect. I was first struck by the amount of falsehood and manipulation in the written or broadcast media.
Inevitably, I compared this new world I was discovering to the world I had just left. I will not say more about it now because I would like to keep this topic for another article. I remember, my eyes wide open, being astonished by all of these ostentatious signs of wealth, by the presence of banks everywhere.Īlthough I was not born within capitalism, a question worried me: how can all of these banks be profitable? I finally understood, much later. I landed in the middle of an economic boom. In 1970, I was among those who followed the course of it. When this situation reached its apex, there were in the West up to 2.5 million Yugoslavian workers according to estimates. Many Yugoslavians became « gastarbeiters », immigrant workers. The country was invaded by entrepreneurs and businessmen from Germany, Austria, Netherlands, Switzerland, all attracted by low cost manpower. In short we became an easy prey, exploitable at will. Poorly prepared and ill protected, State companies rapidly went into an economic crisis. Monastery of Gornjak, in Serbia (14th century)Īs early as 1960, socialist Yugoslavia was been forced by the West and the IMF to open itself to market economy, and to start making economic reforms.
Enough for me to be able to perceive and understand the life of my country, engage in my studies and in my first experiences. I was born and lived there the first twenty years of my life. Above all, an untroubled and peaceful country. I was born, a long time ago, in a country that was said to be situated between two blocks: that of the East and that of the West. He emigrated to the West in the 70s, and tells us of his disillusionment on the Western model as well as that of an entire people.ġ989, The year when the West did everything wrong, by Filo We are pleased to publish this first testimony of a francophone reader of vineyardsaker.
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