.
Accordign to Huntington the future of world politics will be determined by lines of cultural differences rather then by economic issues. He argues that the world had passed the stage in which the conflicts were about princes, nations or ideologies. The focus has shifted from Inter-European wars to conflicts between the West and non- Western civilizations. What is the meaning of the term civilization? A civilization is a cultural entity, defined by common elements like language, religion customs,institutions and it is the highest level to which people can identify themselves to. .
Huntington gives six reasons why future conflicts will take place along these lines of cultural divisio, or faultlines, as he calls them. First, the differences between civilizations are the result of centuries of different history, which cannot by wiped out in a matter of years. Next, people will become more aware of differences and similarities in the civilizations, since they constantly interact in this modern world. Civilizations will also be more united through the substitution of religion for the nation state as source of identification for the individual.Fourth, the fact that the Western civilization is on its peak has a detrimental effect on the acceptation of this civlilization and causes other civiliations to turn inwards. Fifth, it is simpy harder to solve differneces in culture then it is to solve differneces on economical or political issues. Finally, the appearence of economic regionalism can inforce civilization-consciousness, but will probably only succesfull when it is founded in common civilization (Huntington,1993, pp. 25-27). .
For Croatia, cultural differences became clear after the death of communist president Tito and the period of desintegration that followed with the collopase of communism. The strong nation state in which religion had been suppressed had disapeared and there was space again to pratice religion.