Миленко Веснић као правник и ангажовани интелектуалац
Milenko Vesnic as a Jurist and Engaged Intellectual

Summary/Abstract: Milenko Vesnic (1862-1921) was a Serbian and Yugoslav statesman and a diplomat. He was also a prominent scholar and writer. During his long term career he occupied a post of ambassador (in Rome 1901 and Paris from 1904 to 1919), minister of Education (1893-1894) and Foreign affairs (1920) as well as of Prime minister (1920). He had accomplished his doctoral degree in Law at Munich University (1888) thus he was among the best educated elite of Radical Party. Vesnic was the founder of an academic journal Pravnik (The Jurist) in 1892 and professor on International law at Belgrade University since 1893. As a professor he was dedicated to apply the innovations from abroad into Serbian law practice. He translated textbooks with his comments or introductions. In addition he reviewed works of great importance in law but also in history. He also wrote studies in law of his own, as well as historical and political ones. So his personal bibliography is considerable one. As engaged intellectual he was very much concerned in promotion of civil society in his native Serbia. He criticized the relicts of the past such as prejudices, witch tells, and the crimes as their consequences. In spite his poor decent he strongly opposed a socialist ideology and its promoters. He was strict follower of legitimacy and he complied with that throughout his tenure. Vesnic shared standard political goals of his Radical party, especially in national-liberation policy, not only for the sake of party discipline, but for his conviction that small country pushed by two non friendly Great Powers has no chance for prosperity. He dedicated several studies on that issue. As a diplomat he took advantage to present his views in host countries by publishing small studies on Serbian and Yugoslav question or by giving lectures on various occasions. That was his practice especially in war time Paris, but during Paris Peace Conference as well. Vesnic was fully aware of differences among Yugoslavs who enrolled in common state for the first time in 1918. He did his best to expose his scientific views and beliefs in good prospect. By comparing Italian, French, Spanish and German history of unification he suggested that Yugoslavs had more in common than many locals in listed countries at the time. He expressed Serbian view and what had shaped it, what historical experience endorsed it. In that way, in good fait, he wanted to decline suspicion among Yugoslav brothers and politicians in Serbian intentions.

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