Hrvati i njihov seljački pokret

The author, the grandson of the famous poet Petar Preradović, was a politically engaged intellectual who deeply studied social processes, especially those related to the Croatian peasantry as the fundamental social stratum.

In his work, Preradović focuses on the peasantry as a key driver of social changes in Croatia, especially in the 19th and first half of the 20th centuries. The book provides a historical overview of peasant uprisings, political struggles and social turmoil through several periods:

Analysis of the Peasants' Revolt of 1573 under the leadership of Matija Gupca, which is considered a symbol of the peasants' struggle against feudal oppression. The injustice of the feudal system and the difficult position of serfs who fought for the right to land and human dignity are emphasized.

Preradović investigates how the ideas of Illyrianism and national revival were reflected on the peasantry, which at that time remained on the margins of political processes despite their numbers and importance. It emphasizes the need to include the peasantry in political life in order to achieve true national emancipation.

The central part of the book deals with the 20th century, when Stjepan Radić with the Croatian Peasant Party (HSS) became the spokesman of the peasantry. Preradović analyzes Radić's politics and his struggle for the rights of the peasants, as well as the efforts to establish the peasantry as the basis of political and social life in Croatia. Considers the impact of agrarian reform, industrialization and migration on the Croatian countryside. He critically analyzes how political elites often neglected the needs of the peasantry, which led to social tensions and dissatisfaction.

This work is an important contribution to the understanding of the role of the peasantry in Croatian history and politics of the 19th and 20th centuries.