Theoretical and legal foundations of Ukrainian statehood in the views of Vasyl Kuchabskyi
Authors: Golovko D. V. 
Published: December 2023

The article examines the theoretical and legal foundations of Ukrainian statehood in the views of Vasyl Kuchabskyi. It is emphasized that Vasyl Kuchabskyi understood the state not as a consequence of the technical organization of the people, but primarily of the spirituality of the people. The thinker’s views on the fact that the existence of civil society is a necessary prerequisite for the functioning of a democratic state, but democracy is a destructive factor, are singled out.

Vasyl Kuchabskyi is an outstanding historian, politician, sociopolitical and military figure. He studied at the Department of Law and Political Science of Lviv University. He was one of the organizers of the secret organization “Mazepin Military Course”, under whose influence he published a number of manuals on military matters. The ideas of Stepan Tomashivskyi and Vyacheslav Lypynskyi had a decisive influence on the formation of his worldview.

Vasyl Kuchabskyi was in exile in Czechoslovakia, Germany, and Poland. He became close to the representatives of the hetman movement. He carried out active public, scientific and journalistic activities. As a member of the Ukrainian Union of Farmers-Statesmen, he developed his own doctrine of conservatism and monarchism – the monarchy was supposed to become the most suitable, effective and expedient form of government for Ukraine, where the main role should be played by the leading strata (elite), which would be formed from people with a military spirit and organization.

The theoretical and legal foundations of Ukrainian statehood in the opinion of Vasyl Kuchabskyi were based on the fact that Ukrainian statehood will be possible when the internal organization of the state and its leadership will take place, which will show the desire to fight for their own national rights. The main idea permeated the work of representatives of Ukrainian conservatives, including Vasyl Kuchabskyi, was the assertion that the success of the liberation struggle depends on the ability of the Ukrainian people to consolidate on the basis of territorial patriotism, that is, a sense of unity and solidarity between the inhabitants of Ukrainian territories and the organization of the state ruling class, his ability to direct state-building activities.

Vasyl Kuchabskyi was in exile in Czechoslovakia, Germany and Poland. Befriended representatives of the hetman movement. He was active in public, scientific and journalistic activities. As a member of the Ukrainian Union of Farmers-Statesmen, he developed his own doctrine of conservatism and monarchism – the monarchy was supposed to become the most expedient, effective and favorable form of state government for Ukraine, in which the leading class (elite) played the main role, uniting people with a military spirit and organizations.

In the theoretical and legal views of Vasyl Kuchabskyi, a certain criticism of the people as an effective source of power and a certain mistrust of it, uncertainty in the political competence and ability of the people to manage the state can be traced.

Key words: Vasyl Kuchabskyi, historian, politician, social and political activist, military, doctrine, Ukrainian statehood, national idea, elite, monarchism, democracy, people, class, hetman movement, civil society