Cynical Generation

A problem that President Josip Broz Tito worries out loud about from time to time is the widespread cynicism of Yugoslav youth toward his own particular brand of Communism."They do not think enough that their duty is to give to the community what they can," says Tito. Most students scorn Tito's voluntary "youth brigades" for road building, and they duck army service as long as possible by taking an average of seven years to complete a five-year university course. Many drift into the gangs of delinquents who make a living scalping sports tickets or stealing parts from parked automobiles. They join the Communist Party, if at all, out of a desire to get ahead.

A recent opinion poll of the 3,300 students at Zagreb University confirmed the party's worries. Though fear of official displeasure probably distorted the results in the regime's favor (43.6% of the students thought Yugoslavia the world's most democratic country), 32.8% thought the system had "crippling" flaws. In defining democracy, 28.4% said it meant citizens deciding all questions for themselves, 25% said freedom of expression was necessary, and only 19% gave the orthodox answer of "workers' self-government." Only 52.5% subscribed unconditionally to the tenets of Marxism—considerably less enthusiasm than the students show for premarital sex (65% in favor).