Ukrainian Christian social movement in Galicia at the end of the XIX – the first quarter of the XX centuries: ideology and political practices

Abstract

Ideological pursuits and political practices of Ukrainian Christian social movement in Galicia at the end of the XIX century - the first quarter of the XX century that was an important element of Ukrainian conservative tradition is analyzed in the article. This movement, headed by Oleksandr Barvinsky, emerged as a response to the rejection of the Polish-Ukrainian rapprochement, the “new era” of 1890-1894, by members of Ukrainian political movement of Narodovtsi (Ukrainophiles). The movement not only supported but also promoted conservative principals of national development in the Ukrainian society of Galicia. The principal motto of Christian social movement was created under the influence of a Krakow-based group of Polish conservatives known as “Stańczycy”. The principal core of the movement was the refusal from what they believe to be ineffective oppositional politics and implementation of “organic labour” concept with further contribution to raising political consciousness as well as the economic and level of the Ukrainian society in Galicia. Members of the Christian social movement paid considerable attention to religiosity and insisted on an important role played by the Greek Catholic Church in raising young people and political life. Following the ideals of the “New era”, Oleksandr Barvinsky and his followers attempted to find the Ukrainian-Polish path for understanding in Galician atmosphere that was becoming more and more strained. In practice, Christian social movement ended up attempting to create a functional political organization which turned out a disaster. Political failures of the movement were caused by adverse ideological and political climate of that time and the inner weakness of the very movement. Despite the termination of political activity of movement at the beginning of the First World War, Oleksandr Barvinsky fruitlessly tried to breathe new life into political structures of the movement during the war and until the early 1920s. Taking into consideration the new interwar reality where different radical movements proliferated, a conservative and moderate Christian social movement which remained a creation of the Habsburg era had no chance for success.