Peasantry of Zolotonsky District in the Age of Revolutionary Shocks at the Beginning of the XX Century: Everyday Life And the Struggle For Land And Freedom

The article covers a peasant insurgency movement in the southern Ukraine, including the term of Mahnovschyna in the context of the Ukrainian revolution of 1917-1921 as well as the Peasant revolution of 1902-1922.  The attempt to compare the forms and methods of a struggle in the Sich Riflemen Army and the Revolutionary Insurgent Army of Makhno has been made. Ukrainian Revolution of 1917-1921 coincides with the “peasant revolution” of 1902-1922 at the same time. At that time, the peasantry was the main social strata in Ukraine. The peasants were dissatisfied with the incomplete agrarian reforms and this influenced the nature of socio-political mood in  Ukrainian villages. The fall of the Russian Empire in 1917 intensified the peasant’s hope of implementing the peasant slogan as “Land and Freedom!” The peasant uprising movement intensified on this basis in Ukraine. Immediately after the October coup, the Bolshevik government was repeatedly inviding Ukraine. The basis for such an expansion was the desire of the Bolsheviks to get the peasantry under their influence. The peasantry was the main supplier of grain and a bearer of Ukrainian identity. Socio-economic development of Ukrainian regions had a number of features that significantly influenced the development of socio-political situation on the ground. In the South of Ukraine, a massive rebel movement under the leadership of Nestor Makhno got their roots. Machno time is distinguished by its organization, scale, discipline, military art, the embodiment of peasant ideals in practice. Peasants saw in the Makhno movement the revival of popular social institutions and forms of governance in the times of the Cossacks. The ideas of the Makhno movement were extremely popular and supported in the peasantry. The fascinating social phenomenon of Makhno took a place of honor in the historical memory of the Ukrainian people.

Source: Kapustian H. (2018). Peasantry of Zolotonsky District in the Age of Revolutionary Shocks at the Beginning of the XX Century: Everyday Life And the Struggle For Land And Freedom. Ukrainian Peasant. №19: 31-36

Source web-site: http://ukr-selianyn-ejournal.cdu.edu.ua/article/view/2811/2996