A peasant society in transition: Ukrainian peasants in five East Galician counties: 1880-1900

In: http://hdl.handle.net/1993/20385

Abstract

While late nineteenth century Galicia has been the subject of attention of many writers, past literature about East Galicia has generally given a limited and at times distorted picture of this region. It has rarely been treated separately, and generalizations about its society have been made, and perpetuated, on the basis of erroneous data or inadequate and/or unsystematic study of the sources. The picture which has emerged has been of a people living in extremes of political and socio-economic deprivation; particularly pervasive has been the view that material poverty was a general feature of that society. This dissertation challenged the accepted interpretations through an examination of some aspects of East Galicia, specifically focussing on the Ukrainian peasantry in five Southern Podillian counties. Contrary to the received version of its history there were evident signs of change and improvement. In the area of education, there were more elementary schools, more teachers, and the teaching of a more varied and modern curriculum; greater activities of the Ukrainian enlightenment societies; a growing popular didactic press and a large increase in the number of reading clubs. All of these contributed to substantial improvements in literacy and an expanded knowledge base for that society. The effect was most evident in the agricultural sector, the main source of income for the population. Average sizes of landholdings were not in any case as small as has been supposed. Significant improvements in yields of cereal grains and other field crops were achieved. Also there was a movement towards production of other commercial crops. Particularly significant was the increased attention devoted to animal husbandry by the smallholding peasants. Expansion of agricultural education contributed to the general improvement in agricultural productivity; particularly notable is the fact that larger numbers and better quality animals were being raised by the peasantry of the region. Better marketing opportunities were made ...