Hirik S. Sources for Research on the Ideological Principles of the Ukrainian Communist Party (Borotbists), 1918-1920

The thesis focuses on the sources for research on the Borotbism, i.e. the ideology of the Borotbists' party. This political force was one of the most influential leftist movements operating in Ukraine during the revolutionary period of 1917-1921, especially in 1918-1920. This topic is extremely poorly studied in both Ukrainian and Western historiography. Our study is based on the archival collections and published documents of the UCP(B), the Communist Party (Bolsheviks) of Ukraine, The Russian Communist Party (Bolsheviks), and other political forces. Also it appeals to the government documentation, memoirs of political figures, and other historical sources. Author studies the sources for research on the ideological principles of the Ukrainian Party of Socialists-Revolutionaries (Communists)/ the Ukrainian Communist Party (Borotbists) and defines the vectors of an evolution of its leaders' views on the key questions of the internal and foreign policy of the Soviet Ukraine during 1918-1920. On the basis of the documents of the Communist International (the Comintern) author traces the history of the UCP(B)'s attempts to be admitted into this organization and defines the causes of their failure. Using the propagandist materials such as leaflets and media author investigates the specificity of the representation of the Borotbists' ideology (Borotbism) by the party functionaries and political writers. This party was created after the Ukrainian Party of Socialists Revolutionaries split in May 1918 during its Fourth Congress. Its left wing (also known as "Borotbists" by the name of the newspaper "Borot'ba" ("The Struggle") issued by its leaders) gained control over the party's Central Committee and began to call for cooperation with Bolsheviks. The name of the Party was changed into "Ukrainian Party of Socialists-Revolutionaries (Communists) in March 1919. On August 6, 1919 it had unified with the left wing of the Ukrainian Social Democratic Labour Party (Independentists). The new party was given the name "Ukrainian Communist Party (Borotbists)" (UCP(B)). It made an effort to join the Comintern, but its application was rejected. The Comintern had recommended to the UCP(B) to liquidate the party. The leaders of Borotbists were forced to decide to merge with the Bolsheviks. The ideology of the Borotbists' party initially was rooted in the old "narodnik" tradition and was impacted by the Marxism afterward. The Borotbists' leaders paid great attention to the peasant question that was especially acute on the Ukrainian territories of the former Russian Empire. Borotbists called for the socialization of the agrarian property then. This position was modified later under the influence of the Bolsheviks. Besides that, among the main items of their unofficial program were the creation of a separate Ukrainian Red Army (closely allied with the Russian one), the protection of the Ukrainian language through cultural and educational policy, and the creation of the World Federation of Soviet Republics on the principles of equal rights of its members.