HISTORY OF THE UKRAINIAN COOPERATIVE MOVEMENT IN THE STEPAN GELEJ’S CREATIVE LABORATORY

Abstract

The aim of this study. To show S. Gelej’s contribution to the study of the history of the Ukrainian cooperative movement, to find out the conceptual foundations of his works, and, therefore, to prepare the prerequisites for the creation of a scientific biography of a scientist. Research methodology is based on the principles of historicism, systemicity, and objectivity. In solving specific problems, methods of historiographical analysis and synthesis were applied. Scientific novelty of the research consists in the fact that the factual level and qualitative completeness of the historical information of the analyzed historiographic sources are determined, the personal contribution of the scientist to the cooperative science is singled out. Conclusions. In the creative heritage of Professor S. Gelej – dozens of studies about social and economic processes in the pre- Soviet and Soviet Ukraine, the cooperative movement of Ukrainians in modern times. The texts of the researcher clearly trace the historical-theoretical, historical and socio-economic aspects of the past and modern the Ukrainian cooperations. The scientist gave the cooperative science, specialistscooperators, heads of business organizations, students of institutions of higher education and the wide readership the necessary knowledge about the essence of consumer cooperation, its place and role in historical and economic processes, revealed the main stages of development of the cooperative movement and its influence on the economic and public life of the country. The researcher showed the contribution of cooperations in the Ukrainian national movement and the practice of state formation, traced the development of the Ukrainian cooperative idea in the context of the pan-European and world cooperative movement, substantially supplemented the existing ideas about the traditions of the domestic cooperative movement. In addition, S. Gelej became the organizer and ideological inspiration for studying the history of Ukrainian cooperation, as evidenced by the textbooks published under his leadership, historical sketches of cooperative leaders, a series of serial scientific publications, materials of scientific conferences. The scientist evaluates cooperations as a social discovery of modern civilization, based on the natural properties of man, on economic interest and most fully corresponds to the ideals of justice and freedom.