The role of the elite of Podilya in the introducing of cooperative institutions in Podilsk province at the end of XIX - early XX century

Abstract

Introduction. Finding out the role of the regional elite in the spread of the cooperative movement in the Podolsk province
is important in terms of such factors. Provides an opportunity to trace what actions they took to improve the socio-economic
situation of the population. And can show their personal contribution to solving social and economic problems in the province
at the turn of the century. The study of the role of regional elites in the history of Ukraine is important for the development of
the modern Ukrainian state.
Purpose. The purpose of the study is to determine the role of representatives of the regional elite of Podillya in the
dissemination and implementation of ideas of cooperative management among the population of the province in the second half
of the nineteenth – early twentieth century. To achieve the purpose of the study, we focus on solving the following tasks. Find
out the reasons that led to the search for a new management system. Describe the development of the cooperative movement
in the Podolsk province in the specifi ed chronological framework. To trace the participation of economic sector fi gures in
the dissemination of cooperative ideas among the population of the region and assistance to peasants in the organization
of cooperative societies. Find out their personal contribution to the development of cooperation in Podillya and outline the
social usefulness of their activities. Methods. The study is based on the use of such methods as: concrete-historical and using
a social approach. The principles of objectivity and comprehensiveness allow the best use of methods of analysis and synthesis
to achieve the objectives.
Results. The article reveals the role of the regional elite of Podolsk province in the introduction of various types of
cooperatives among the population of the region. In particular, the main emphasis is placed on materials that highlight their
repeated explanations to the villagers of the usefulness of such types of farms in conditions of scarcity of land and lack of
resources for a full and profi table one-man farm. It is noted that thanks to the persistence and hard work of some fi gures of the
economic sector of the province, it was possible to successfully promote and implement the ideas of cooperative management
among the rural population of Podillya.
Originality. An element of scientifi c novelty of the study is an attempt to outline and analyze the personal contribution
of representatives of the regional elite, including socio-economic fi gures of Podolsk province, who, not showing indifference
to economic problems, tried to improve the life of the population and the general state of economic relations in the province.
Conclusion. The introduction of cooperative institutions in the Podolsk province was not easy. Although the rural
population later became interested in this innovation and tried to create and develop various cooperative societies, not many
cooperatives worked properly. Activists of the Podolsk economic sector predicted from the very beginning that this case would
move forward with signifi cant problems. However, observing the problem of scarcity of land, the problem of lack of funds for
productive labor in agriculture and the destruction of individual farms due to credit debts, they understood that the situation
needed to change.
Persons such as J. Voloshinovsky, V. Vornikov, M. Trublaevich, R. Renning, D. Zosimato, P. Severenchuk and many others
tried to raise the level of economic activity of the population and the general economic situation in the Podolsk province. This
was also done with the help of some landowners. Earl D. Heyden provided signifi cant assistance for the development and
maintenance of cooperative institutions. Governor О. Eyler was also interested in spreading this type of management.
In general, we can state that the above-mentioned persons, due to active participation in socially useful work, have
become bright fi gures of Podillya in the socio-economic sphere of the region. The vector of research proposed in our study does
not exhaust the whole problem, but only reveals additional opportunities for further study of the activities of the elite of Podillya
in the second half of the 19th - early 20th centuries.