AGRICULTURE DEVELOPMENT IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF NIKŠIĆ (1945-1991)

The economic development of Montenegro in the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes/Yugoslavia (1918–1941) failed to bring about substantial progress, and as a result, Montenegro was the most underdeveloped part of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, along with Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia and Southern Serbia. The lack of a developed industry meant that most of the population of Montenegro was oriented towards agriculture. According to the 1931 census, the agricultural population accounted for 79.6% of all Montenegrins. Economic backwardness and material poverty were further deepened by the wartime devastation from 1941–1945 which hit Montenegro and what was then called the District of Nikšić. In socialist Yugoslavia (1945–1991), Montenegro and the Municipality of Nikšić underwent major socio-economic changes that would eventually have a profound impact on the position and status of agriculture in the economies of Montenegro and the Municipality of Nikšić. One period saw strong economic development, but this was not evenly distributed across all branches of industry. From 1945–1991, agriculture could not keep pace with industry. This can be attributed to several factors. The Municipality of Nikšić is a quintessential example of socio-economic transformation from a typically agrarian environment into an industrial environment under the socialist socio-economic model.