ABSTRACT
On 4 October 1988, several thousand workers met in front of the Federal Assembly in Belgrade demanding better economic opportunities and the resignation of the Federal government and trade union leaders.1 After federal officials failed to calm the crowds, they called for Slobodan Miloševic´, the chair of the League of Communists of Serbia. Addressing the demonstrators, he assured the workers of his support, promised reforms in the context of the struggle against bureaucracy and the division of the nation.2 Later an observer would note that ‘the protestors came as workers, and went home as Serbs’.3
