Marian Mudryj
Prace Historyczne, Numer 144 (2), 2017, s. 255 - 275
https://doi.org/10.4467/20844069PH.17.014.6257The question of identity among the Ruthenian political elites in Galicia
The article refers to the necessity of a scientific understanding of the concept of “political elites” in relation to the Ukrainian movement in Galicia in the 19th century. The author considers the concepts of identity which existed among the Ruthenian-Ukrainian elites in Austrian Galicia. These were: Austrophilism, Polonophilism, Russophilism and Ukrainophilism. The author argues that the only coherent criterion for determining the Galician-Ruthenian elites was the ability of certain groups and individuals to conceptualize the dimension of nationality, and also to deploy activities on behalf of the national community. The creation of the Galician-Ruthenian elites was a part of the wider modernization processes experienced by the Galician Ruthenians. These elites were forced to solve not only questions of national identity, but also ideological dilemmas that had arisen on the verge of tradition and innovation, conservatism and democracy. Therefore, the formation of Ruthenian political elites was related not only to the support of the existing environments’ influence on the government and society, but also to designing completely new units of public activity. The representatives of the new intelligentsia became the main figures in these cells, which consisted mainly of the clergy, peasants and unrich tradesmen.