Albania’s History of Communism and Postcommunism Has a Message for Our Time
From its late break with the Ottoman Empire to the Cold War rule of Enver Hoxha, Albania has followed an unusual path through modern history. But the country’s experience of communism and postcommunism is full of valuable lessons for the politics of today.
A detail shot of the Communist-era mosaic above the entrance to the National Historical Museum in Tirana, Albania. (Adam Jones / Flickr)
For much of the last century, Albania has seemed like Europe’s odd one out. It was the last country in the Balkans to gain its independence from the Ottoman Empire and the only Muslim-majority state west of Turkey. It followed a unique path during the Cold War under the long rule of Enver Hoxha.
Lea Ypi grew up in Albania during the last years of Hoxha’s rule. Her acclaimed memoir, Free: Coming of Age at the End of History, discusses Albania’s experience of communism and postcommunism during the 1980s and ’90s. She argues that for all its unusual features, Albanian history contains some vital lessons for anyone who wants to change the world for the better.
Lea Ypi is a professor of political theory at the London School of Economics. This is an edited transcript from Jacobin Radio’s Long Reads podcast. You can listen to the episode here.
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