The land policy of P. Skoropadsky in Ukrainian dissertation research: contemporary approaches and interpretations
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Abstract
Abstract. Purpose. Given the considerable number of scholarly works devoted to the Ukrainian Revolution of 1917–
1921, as well as to the activities of Hetman Pavlo Skoropadskyi, the objective of this paper is to analyze the state of research
and scholarly assessments of the land policy pursued by the Hetmanate in academic dissertations.
Scientific novelty. The research novelty lies in evaluating the informative value of dissertation studies on the history
of the Ukrainian Revolution of 1917–1921 in terms of their coverage of land issues during the Hetmanate period. The paper
examines researchers’ approaches to the study of agrarian policy, identifies shared and divergent perspectives in their interpretations,
and outlines prospects for further scholarly inquiry in this area.
Conclusions. This problem remains one of the most thoroughly studied areas in contemporary Ukrainian historiography,
particularly within the context of dissertation research. Scholars have addressed the principal aspects of Hetman and his government’s
activities in the agrarian sphere, making use of a wide range of thematic sources, including archival documents and
the memoirs of Pavlo Skoropadskyi. Researchers have been only partially influenced by the historiographical traditions of the
two opposing camps — the “Ukrainian People’s Republic” and the “Hetmanite” schools, offering their own interpretations
of Skoropadskyi’s liberal-conservative reforms and the reasons for their failure. In most works, particular attention is paid to
the legislation of the Council of Ministers and the role of German and Austro-Hungarian forces in the implementation of land
reform. Common shortcomings include insufficiently critical historiographical overviews, uneven use of historical sources
— particularly archival materials — and weak personalization of the key figures involved in designing and executing these
reforms, as well as their opponents within the Hetmanate’s government circles.
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