UKRAINIAN SOCIAL DEMOCRATS IN THE MOVEMENT FOR THE REFORM OF THE GALICIAN REGIONAL DIET (1908–1914)

Abstract

The article is devoted to the problem of the participation of Ukrainian social democrats in the movement for the reform of the Galician Regional Diet (Seym) in Austria-Hungary in 1908–1914.

The Ukrainian Social Democratic Party of Galicia and Bukovyna (USDP) as a component of the multinational, federal Austrian Social Democracy acted based on its ideology and program. Hopes for peaceful, step-by-step socialist transformations in society by legal means as a result of gaining a majority in the parliament and other legislative and representative bodies were one of the key factors in the practical political activity of the party. Since victory in the elections was hindered by the old, anti-democratic political system, it is quite logical that since the end of the 19th century the main goal and central point of the party’s political struggle became the universal suffrage – first to the parliament, and later to the Diet.

After the implementation of the parliamentary reform in 1907, the Galician Regional Seym was at the epicenter of the struggle. The struggle for the democratization of elections to the Seym was officially recognized as one of the primary political tasks of the USDP. As part of this struggle, in 1908–1913, the party held numerous mass events in many cities and villages of Galicia, actively cooperated with Polish and Jewish social democrats, as well as with Ukrainian political forces, in particular radicals

At the same time, the outdated, undemocratic system of voting in elections to the Seym caused the fact that the actual party representation of the Ukrainian Social Democrats in the Galician Regional Seym was episodic in nature and, in general, despite significant organizational efforts and the presence of bright personalities, was mostly the result of a favorable coincidence of circumstances.

Keywords: social democracy, Galician Regional Seym, deputy, elections, electoral reform, Galicia, Austria-Hungary.

and national democrats.