In the late 19th century part of
the nationalists (narodovtsi), led by
Oleksandr Barvinskyi, spoke, contrary to the majority, in favor of the
continuation of the Polish-Ukrainian reconciliation policy (the so-called New
Era), as well as against the political alliance with the Russophiles. Supported bythe
Metropolitan Sylvestr Sembratovych, the Catholic Ruthenian People's Union (CRPU)
was formed on 14 October 1896. From 1897 to 1914, the Ruslan newspaper was its the main mouthpiece..
Social Christian movement's key features were defined in that period. Their main objectives were the same as those of
other Ukrainian parties, such as establishment of a national self-government and a Ukrainian university, as well as declaration of
national unity with Ukrainians in the Russian Empire. Their practices
and approaches differed, however, involving compromises with the Poles, and a total rejection of Russophilism.
The social Christians were in fact the only
group who consistenty promoted the social doctrine of the Catholic Church. Influenced
by untramontanism, they substantiated clergy's role in public life, the right
to peaceful strikes and assembly, the need to raise wages for workers, the
restriction of large capital and land ownership.
Loyalty to the Catholic Church led to a
positive perception of the entire "Latin" civilization space, which
included the Greek Catholic part of the Ukrainian people. It was in this light
that social Christians interpreted the need for a Ukrainian-Polish compromise, calling
to introduce positive Western achievements
in economics, ethics, and social life. In fact, it was the only Ukrainian
political group of that time to uphold the "European vector."
Instead, in the mass perception of the early 20th
century, the party's ideas became growingly unpopular. Catholic universalism began to be perceived as "indifference to national affairs"; compromises with the Poles as
treason, criticism of Drahomanov's and Franko's leftist ideas, an infringement
on the popular prophets' thought. The group remained small in number and its
electoral prospects deteriorated in proportion to democratization of electoral
law.
Thus, out of the nine Ukrainian ambassadors
elected from Galicia to the Austrian State Council (Parliament) in 1897, six
represented the CRPU and joined the Slavic Christian National Club. Later, the
party started to loose ground: in the 1901 elections to the Galician Diet the
group under the brand of "Ruthenian Community" was not supported by
Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytskyi. Oleksandr Barvinskyi, the sole candidate from
the social Christians, was not elected in 1904. In the 1907 elections, the
party did not win a single mandate again.
At that time, an antagonism between promoters
of pro-Western trend and followers of a pro-Eastern policy became pronounced within
the Greek Catholic Church. The social Christians were on the side of Bishop Hryhoriy
Khomyshyn, a less popular bishop, and opposed
the Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytskyi. The "Westerners" established the
Christian Social Union (CSU) in 1911, a clerical political party. This caused a
lot of negative feedback in Ukrainian press. "Polish
inspirations" aimed at drawing off peasant sympathies from the nationalists;
the "Trojan horse" of Ukrainian politics, were among the names they
received in press.
The CSU was not a
large party (approx. 300-500 members) and did not play a significant role in
political life. In fact, during the Austrian period the party could be
identified with a kind of elite club of Lviv's successful Ukrainian
intellectuals. Oleksander Barvinskyi, professors Anatoliy Vakhianyn and his
son-in-law Kyrylo Studynskyi were among its most important members. Studynskyi, in fact, managed the Ruslan newspaper, while Barvinskyi
secured its financial support through his connections in Vienna.
In 1918, the social
Christians supported the ZUNR.
During the interwar
period, in 1925, a new structure was created under the leadership of Stepan
Tomashivskyi.The Ukrainian Christian Organization (UCO) opposed both Bolshevism
and integral nationalism. In the 1930s, part of the Christian community merged with
the UNDO, some of them founded the Ukrainian Catholic People's Party (UCPP),
which in 1932 was renamed the Ukrainian People's Renewal (UPR). The party functioned
mainly in the territory of the Stanisławów and Przemysl dioceses of the Greek
Catholic Church, receiving support from the bishops and spreading its ideas
through the Nova Zoria (New Star) newspaper.
In the territory of the Lviv Archdiocese, patronized by Metropolitan Andrey
Sheptytskyi, the Ukrainian Catholic Union (UCU), which supported the UNDO, prevailed
among the "clerical" organizations.
