The Democratic Party (DS) was re-established during December 1989 in SFR Yugoslavia by a diverse group of Serbian intellectuals with longtime track records in various social arenas or distinguished academic careers. Some of them were motivated into political action by what they perceived to be unsatisfactory national position of ethnic Serbs and Serbia within Yugoslavia while others felt that activity in a political party could help address concerns about what they thought to be deteriorating state of democracy and human rights in the country. Up to that point in time, the former primarily acted through the Writers' Club (Udru enje knji evnika) while the latter channeled their activities through Social Sciences Institute (Institut dru tvenih nauka) and Philosophy Club (Filozofsko dru tvo). Sprinkled among the members of the newly re-established party were also some surviving members of the pre World War II DS party. Though the grip of the Communist League (SKJ), the only constitutionally allowed party in Yugoslav one-party political system, was not nearly as strong as it once was, DS members still feared the authorities reaction to the announcement of the DS party creation.