Democratization of Zemstvo Electoral System in Ukraine after February Revolution of 1917 ; Демократизация земской избирательной системы в Украине после Февральской революции 1917 года ; Демократизація земської виборчої системи в Україні після Лютневої революції 1917 року

Abstract

The paper analyzes the legislation of the Provisional Government of Russia of 1917 which ensured the democratization of the Zemstvo electoral system by introducing general, equal, direct elections by secret ballot. According to the transitional legislation of 1917, elections of county and provincial councillors were held according to the proportional electoral system. As a result of the elections, the provincial and county zemstvos were Ukrainized and democratized by involving peasants' representatives. However, given voters' low political culture and lack of political experience, this electoral system proved ineffective. Participation in the elections of mainly one public organization - the Peasants' Union, which received the right to elect provincial councillors, led to a decrease in the zemstvo governors' professional training level, which was one of the reasons for the zemstvo self-government decline. Elections of volost councillors on the resolution of county zemstvos representatives' congresses could be held under both majority and proportional electoral systems, which indicates the expansion of suffrage. On the territory of the Left Bank of Ukraine, the elections of volost councillors were held under the majority electoral system, which was quite justified, as voters were not ready for elections on the basis of the proportional system. Holding the volost elections showed a number of shortcomings, which, objectively, included insufficient level of election commissions' preparation and, as a result, violations of the law. The low level of voters' political and legal culture did not allow to ensure the proper conduct of the election campaign. Opposition by anti-democratic and anti-Ukrainian forces in the process of holding zemstvo elections led to absenteeism among voters. ; В статье проведен анализ земского законодательства Временного правительства России, которое установило всеобщие, равные, прямые, тайные выборы земских гласных. Выборы уездных и губернских гласных проводились по пропорциональной избирательной системе. Земства получили право самостоятельно решать по какой избирательной системе – мажоритарной или пропорциональной – избирать волостных гласных. Благодаря выборам 1917 г. произошел процесс демократизации земского самоуправления и сформировано волостное земство в Украине. ; Аналізується земське законодавство Тимчасового уряду Росії, котре впровадило загальні, рівні, прямі, таємні вибори земських гласних. Вибори повітових та губернських гласних відбувалися за пропорційною виборчою системою. Земство отримало право самостійно вирішувати за якою виборчою системою – мажоритарною чи пропорційною – обирати волосних гласних. Завдяки виборам 1917 р. відбувся процес демократизації земського самоврядування та сформовано волосне земство в Україні.