Albania's Cultural Revolution

[Gott]

Was it true that in 1966-68 Hoxha initiated their own Cultural Revolution, similar to what Mao did in China? Any details?

[Korbius]

Hi gott, the cultural revolution was based on Mao's revolution that happened in China. Since Albania was closely allied with China, it tended to do the same things that Mao did. Religion was abolished, churches and mosques were closed, many were destroyed. In the military the epaulettes were abolished and all officers descended in rank to a normal private. Foreign merchandise and movies were banned, people had to dress in a certain way that wasn't provocative, there was a certain hair length limit, etc., pretty much the same things that happened in China.

[White_Trader]

but still it was not like china where all had to wear blue dresses (like workers).

[ckleisch]

Did the experiment with the Maoist style of Communism produce any benefits for the country or people at all? Like the other systems after the death of the leader it appears the people have shed it. Is this true or does communism continue in another name? What are the main import/exports of Albania today? What would improve the lifestyle of its peoples; or does it not need improvement in their eyes. Cant always believe what you see on TV these days.

[Korbius]

but still it was not like china where all had to wear blue dresses (like workers).

Actually you had, and it could be noticed that the majority wore in such way

[Gott]

but still it was not like china where all had to wear blue dresses (like workers).

They wore green.

[Korbius]

Did the experiment with the Maoist style of Communism produce any benefits for the country or people at all? Like the other systems after the death of the leader it appears the people have shed it. Is this true or does communism continue in another name? What are the main import/exports of Albania today? What would improve the lifestyle of its peoples; or does it not need improvement in their eyes. Cant always believe what you see on TV these days.

Hi Ckleisch, the Maoist style of Communism could only be enforced when Enver Hoxha was alive, the leader of the communist party, as he used his iron fist but once he died, his successor became more liberal which led to the complete overthrowing of the communist regime. Today albania is a parliamentary democracy. The two links below can give you an idea of import/exports and other specifc questions you might have.

http://www.csis.org/ee/presentations/020927.htm

http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/fac ... os/al.html

[Gott]

How do the people in Albania nowadays view Hoxha and the communist regime?

[Korbius]

How do the people in Albania nowadays view Hoxha and the communist regime?

The majority of the generation that fought in WWII as partisans, they are nostalgic of the era when Hoxha was in power, and they are the ones that usually vote for the communist party. Anyways it's only the veterans that miss Hoxha's rule since the military was the priority nr.1 in Albania during those days. But the vast majority of the people hate communism, even though sometimes they miss certain things that were available during those times.

[SerbTiger]

Hi Korbius,

Was the "Cultural Revolution" one of the reasons for the high rate of Albanians immigrating into Yugoslavia especially Serbia?

[Korbius]

Hi Korbius,

Was the "Cultural Revolution" one of the reasons for the high rate of Albanians immigrating into Yugoslavia especially Serbia?

Not really, the borders were sealed, none got out and none got in during Hoxha's regime and many people died trying to either flee Albania or the foreign trained albanians infiltrating that were supposed to overthrow Hoxha's government.

[SerbTiger]

Ok, Thanks,
I thought that many Albanians immigrated to the West and around the world during this time, but it must have been before the Cultural Revolution.

[Korbius]

Ok, Thanks,
I thought that many Albanians immigrated to the West and around the world during this time, but it must have been before the Cultural Revolution.

From '49 to '91, when the communists had a firm grip over Albania, no one was allowed to leave the country. Many of them left before '49 and a few did succeed escaping throughout 4 decades.

[Gott]

Hi Korius,

Thanks for replying.

I have another question. Is it true that Albanians gangsters are getting so much power they have crossed to Italy where they are even more dangerous than the Italian mafia?

[Korbius]

Hi Korius,

Thanks for replying.

I have another question. Is it true that Albanians gangsters are getting so much power they have crossed to Italy where they are even more dangerous than the Italian mafia?

Every country has its own mafia that is more powerful than the foreign ones, usually the countries that have a history of mafia such as Italy, but usually it's a collaboration between the two. There's an official U.S dept. list that I unfortunately don't remember the name, where it rates the organized crime in each of the countries in Europe. There are 3 categories and each country belongs to at least one of them. Janusz Bogajski who is a Polish-American expert on the Balkans, he described the situation and below is an exerpt from his analysis:

Unfortunately, Albania and Kosova have been depicted by some propagandists inside and outside the region as the engine of these negative phenomena. It is important for both Tirana and Prishtina to dispel both of these stereotypes through a full-scale commitment at all political levels in combating international crime and terrorism and working with their neighbors to undermine these international scourges.