In 1956 Milovan Djilas, the Yugoslav communist turned dissident shook the world with the publication of his book, The New Class. It argued that the new communist elites had simply usurped the privileges of the old ruling classes and indeed replaced them.
Today Djilas is rolling in his grave. Slip into Rade’s restaurant, a new, chic Belgrade eatery and observe the clientele; media folk, politicians, playwrights and human rights activists. With the fall of Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic, Serbia’s new ruling class looks very much as if it has every intention of enjoying the fruits of its labours over the last, grim, thirteen years.
