Fourth Universal of the Ukrainian Central Council
| Fourth Ukrainian Central Council | |
|---|---|
| Purpose | To announce and explain independence of Ukrainian People's Republic |
The Fourth
Description
The document proclaimed that "henceforth, the Ukrainian People's Republic is an autonomous, independent, and sovereign state of the Ukrainian people." It also expressed a commitment to peaceful coexistence with neighboring states and emphasized that these states had no right to intervene in its internal affairs.
The Universal urged the government and citizens of Ukraine to resist Bolsheviks and other "adversaries" who had devastated the land during the Ukrainian–Soviet War.[3] It proposed the dissolution of the national armed forces,[b] and the establishment of a people's militia in their place.[3]
In the economic sphere, the aim was to transition industrial enterprises to a peaceful state, with the anticipation of establishing state control over banks, major branches of trade, export-import activities, and implementing state monopoly on strategic products like metal and coal.[3] Plans were underway for a land law that would redistribute land to the laboring peasantry without compensation, as part of the cancellation of private property and socialization efforts before the start of spring fieldwork.[3]
The document also reaffirmed all public liberties declared in the Third Universal of the Ukrainian Central Council, scheduled re-elections to the people's councils, and called on all citizens to participate actively in the elections to the Ukrainian Constituent Assembly.[3] The Fourth Universal of the Ukrainian Central Council explicitly outlined the establishment of a sovereign country as the ultimate goal for all Ukrainians. [3]
International recognition
On 22 January [O.S. 9 January] 1918 the United Kingdom officially recognized the Ukrainian People's Republic.[7] John Picton Bagge, the former British consul-general for South Russia in Odesa, was appointed as temporary chargé d'affaires and arrived in Kyiv.[7] He met with Oleksander Shulhyn, the General Secretary of International Affairs of Ukraine.[7]
See also
Further reading
- Doroshenko, D. My recollections about the recent past (Мої спомини про недавнє минуле) Archived 2021-01-17 at the Wayback Machine. Lviv 1923-24. (in Ukrainian)[4]
- Yakovliv, A. Fundamentals of the Constitution of the Ukrainian People's Republic (Основи Конституції УНР). Paris 1935. (in Ukrainian)[4]
- Hrushevskyi, M. At the doorstep of a new Ukraine: ideas and dreams (На порозі нової України: гадки і мрії). Kyiv 1991. (in Ukrainian)[4]
- Myronenko, O. Declaration of Independence of the Ukrainian People's Republic in January of 1918 (Проголошення самостійності УНР у січні 1918). Kiev 1997. (in Ukrainian)[4]
- Ukr. parliamentarian: past and modernity (Укр. парламентаризм: минуле і сучасність). Kyiv 1999. (in Ukrainian)[4]
Notes
References
- ^ 22 January 1918 Ukrainian Central Council declared independents of Ukraine (22.01.1918 – Українська Центральна Рада проголосила незалежність УНР). Museum "Territory of Terror" website. 22 January 2013
- ^ Rough draft copy. Central State Archives of Higher Organs of State Power and Administration of Ukraine. (in Ukrainian)
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Fourth Universal of the Ukrainian Central Council (ЧЕТВЕРТИЙ УНІВЕРСАЛ УКРАЇНСЬКОЇ ЦЕНТРАЛЬНОЇ РАДИ). Poltava Raion State Administration.
- ^ a b c d e f g Myronenko, O. (ЧЕТВЕРТИЙ УНІВЕРСАЛ УКРАЇНСЬКОЇ ЦЕНТРАЛЬНОЇ РАДИ). Legal Encyclopedia.
- ^ Ukraine in the Flames: "1917 in Kyiv" by Serhii Plokhii. Ukrainian Research Institute (Harvard University). (in English)
- Ukrainian Weekly. January 31, 1993. (in English)
- ^ Ukrayinska Pravda). 26 January 2015
External links
- Universal of the Ukrainian Central Council (IV) (Універсал Української Центральної Ради (IV)). Verkhovna Rada. (in Ukrainian)
- Taras Hunczak. Appendix: The Four Universals. (in English)
- Shurkhalo, D. The Fourth Universal of the Ukrainian Central Council – declaration of independence of the Ukrainian People's Republic (IV Універсал Української Центральної Ради – проголошення незалежності УНР). Pavlo Hai-Nyzhnyk personal website from Radio Liberty. 21 January 2013.
- Melnyk, Ihor. The first day of Independence (Перший день Незалежності). Zbruc. 25 January 2017
- On 22 January Ukraine will celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the declaration of Independence of the Ukrainian People's Republic (22 СІЧНЯ УКРАЇНА ВІДЗНАЧАТИМЕ 100 РОКІВ ПРОГОЛОШЕННЯ НЕЗАЛЕЖНОСТІ УКРАЇНСЬКОЇ НАРОДНОЇ РЕСПУБЛІКИ). Ukrainian Institute of National Remembrance. 2018
- Zinchenko, Oleksandr. Independence No.1: When Hrushevskyi announced it, why Vynnychenko doubt it and Yefremov was against it (Незалежність №1: Коли Грушевський її оголосив, чому Винниченко сумнівався, а Єфремов був проти). Istorychna Pravda (Ukrayinska Pravda). 26 January 2015
- Polishchuk, Lyubov. This first year may be also the last. Newspaper "Den". 25 January 2008.