The communist heritage in Albania includes a considerable body of historical writing praising the “achievements of Albanian people under the leadership of the Communist Party.” After the fall of the communist system, researchers had to deal with this historiographical legacy, which was deeply distorted, ideologically loaded, and primarily focused on political history. This situation partly accounts for the focus on the political history of communist Albania during the transition. Nonaj’s book is a welcomed addition to the increasing number of publications on the social history of communist Albania. Based on the case study of the Kombinati metalurgjik “Çeliku i Partisë” (Metallurgical Plant “Steel of the Party”) in Elbasan, the monograph aims to examine whether totalitarian theories are suitable for investigating the history of communist Albania. The research concentrates on the strategies and measures undertaken by the central party and state institutions and their local representatives in Elbasan for the construction and operation of the Kombinati and the results of such policies from a historical-economic and social-cultural perspective. The goal is not only to gain new knowledge on state socialism in general but simultaneously to discover more about Stalinism as a form of rule.

Nonaj uses various sources, such as official files from the Central State Archive in Tirana and the Regional State Archive of Elbasan, published documents of the Party of Labor of Albania, the memoirs and speeches of Enver Hoxha, newspaper articles, and a series of interviews with contemporary witnesses. While official reports and documents produced by the state apparatus are primarily used for analyzing the political and administrative aspects of labor organizations, interviews serve as the main source for discussions of everyday life. These oral histories are used as a complement for topics that do not appear in official documents, especially in the last chapter. Methodologically, it would have been advantageous if more information on the social background of the interviewees was included in the analysis, which would have contextualized the relevance of the information gathered.

The first chapter is dedicated to Albania’s path to industrialization. After a short overview of the economic and industrial development of Albania before the end of World War II, the author analyzes the different views and attitudes on industrialization within the leadership of the Communist Party of Albania (from 1948, the Party of Labor of Albania) during the first years of communist rule and later phases of the state-planned economy. The analysis is integrated into the framework of international relations of Albania and the influence of shifting foreign alliances on the industrialization process and fulfillment (or not) of its five-year plans.

The second chapter investigates the operational development of the Metallurgical Plant, starting with construction plans and then shifting to the later phases of building and operating the plant. Nonaj argues for the symbolic role of the plant within the communist industrialization project and the legitimization of the establishment of Communist Party rule. The chapter provides detailed information on each of the phases and problems faced, which were caused by a variety of factors that included planning issues, the supply of raw materials, and the unavailability of an adequately trained labor force. Broader issues emerged in relation to political implications and the international relations between Albania and China. The analysis clearly reflects the discrepancy between the wishful planning of the party and state institutions and reality.

The third chapter analyzes the labor force and employment, revolving around problems related to worker recruitment and the measures state institutions employed to find solutions. Nonaj describes the gap between the proposed legislation and its implementation in the recruitment process. Some of the difficulties included the impossibility of filling in the jobs with the local population, the lack of qualified workers, and the shortage of adequate housing and transport. Other topics analyzed are related to measures for the ongoing training of workers, the employment of women, migration and challenges related to it, work discipline and efficiency, and health and environmental issues. The work includes discussions of the position of foreign specialists engaged in the plant and their relations with Albanians, the surveillance of Albanians visiting China, problems caused by deteriorating official relations between Albania and China, the departure of Chinese experts, and the arrival of experts from Western European countries. The author also shows how a sabotage discourse was used not only to justify shortcomings and failures but also for personal purposes, for example, to increase one’s power within the plant or for personal revenge.

The fourth chapter is dedicated to the dynamics of labor relations, beginning with a description of functions and relations between party organizations and labor union. The duality between them was strategically adapted to transfer responsibility for failures, as is demonstrated by a wealth of examples from labor management and the lack of clear division of duties and competencies between them. Nonaj considers the role of the union as functioning primarily for the achievement of compromises between workers and plant management rather than serving as an authentic representative of workers’ interests by showing the limited possibilities that the union had to put pressure on plant managers. The chapter demonstrates the entanglements of work and efficiency and highlights politically and ideologically motivated measures, such as an emphasis on the moral motivation of workers rather than a financial one, the adoption of vanguard workers as models used by party propagandists for the education and indoctrination of workers, competitions among workers and working brigades as means for addressing workforce shortcomings or other production deficiencies. Other topics include the positions held by party members within the plant, how a shortage of consumer goods stimulated stealing and embezzlement, and how the combination of both factors contributed to the establishment of social networks and clientelism, which were used by workers to express their displeasure.

The final chapter concentrates on Elbasan and its new inhabitants, analyzing the impact of the construction of the Kombinati on the urban and demographic development of the town. The chapter integrates the discussion of work into the everyday life of workers. More specifically, it showcases the strategies implemented for workers’ indoctrination, not only at the workplace but also in their leisure time, through activities that were supposed to educate the “new man,” imbued with communist principles and virtues. Nonaj analyzes the changing urban landscape and housing policies, the communal feeling that resulted from collective work and leisure time, and the fight against so-called “religious remnants” and “backward customs,” processes related to the communist emancipation project for society. Aspects of everyday life related to the shortage of housing, transport, and food supplies, the mobilization and indoctrination of workers through collective leisure activities, and the definition of deviant behaviors and the attempts to discipline violators are also analyzed.

Nonaj has meticulously researched and interpreted relevant primary and secondary sources to shed light on a broad range of topics, from the construction and operation of the plant to the dynamics of labor relations and the social life of workers in the town. He also addresses some still under-researched and sensitive aspects of everyday life. These include sexual harassment in the workplace, which was recognized as a problem in the internal reports of labor unions and led to measures such as the opening of a separate cafeteria for women employees (p. 206), and uncontrolled migration within the country despite very restrictive legal provisions (p. 213). Although such aspects are not dealt with in-depth, touching upon them draws attention to their potential for a greater understanding of everyday life and the implications and limits of state policies.

The case study of the Kombinati clearly demonstrates the dominance of ideology and politically motivated decisions over the practical economic needs of the country and the primacy of party line over professional expertise, which eventually undermined the system and brought about the economic disaster of the 1980s. The monograph offers important insights into the numerous actors involved in labor relations, the political and personal motives of these actors and their entanglements with one another, and the coping strategies of individuals and collectives to manage problems at work and in everyday life. It provides a valuable contribution to Albanian economic and labor history and opens new perspectives for future social-historical research on communist Albania.