nsification of the struggle
against religious ideology and especially for the eradication of every
religious influence or belief among students, who were still under the
influence of parents. The older generation, according to the leadership,
continued to entertain the religious beliefs that everything in nature
has been created with a predetermined purpose by God. The press has also
reported on several occasions that there was strong resistance to the
closing of places of worship and that the clergy resorted to all kinds
of subterfuge to continue their religious activities.

CHAPTER 6

GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE AND POLITICAL SYSTEM

Political power in 1970 was solely in the hands of the ruling elite,
that is, the leadership of the Communist Party (officially the Albanian
Workers' Party). No political, economic, or social activity occurred
without the sanction of the Party. Although the facade of a people's
republic under constitutional rule was established in 1946, the reality
of a rigid police state was clearly evident from the beginning, and no
true democratic processes had been allowed to develop. The greatly
heralded People's Assembly, people's councils, and people's courts were
elected from a list of Party candidates; only one candidate was
presented for each office, and there was no popular selection or popular
choice. In effect, the Party was the government and directed all aspects
of the lives of the people--from the cradle to the grave.

The governmental structure and political system of the Albanian People's
Republic have their roots in the National Liberation Movement, which
came into existence during the Italian and German occupations of World
War II. Communist Party members dominated the leadership and, while
combating Italian and German occupiers, fought against other national
resistance groups for postwar control of the country. Enver Hoxha, first
secretary of the Albanian Workers' Party in 1970, and Mehmet Shehu,
premier and second ranking Party member, were wartime leaders of the
Communist resistance forces. Superior organization and the establishment
of crude governing bodies called national liberation councils
facilitated the Communist takeover of the country after the cessation of
hostilities. These councils later became the basis of the postwar
governmental structure.

The Communists moved rapidly after the end of the war to prevent the
reestablishment of the monarchy and to secure their ow