Social doctrine of UGCC Metropolitan Andrei Sheptytskyi as a factor of economic growth of Galicia in the late XIX – early XX century

Abstract

The article deals with the principles and elements of social teaching as well as socio-economic activities of the UGCC Metropolitan Andrei Sheptytskyi in the context of their influence on economic development and formation of cooperative movement in Galicia in the late XIX – early XX century. It has been shown that the development of appropriate agricultural and cooperative education as well as active support of the private initiative by UGCC clergy appeared to be the key prerequisites for the successful cooperation. Andrei Sheptytskyi became not only an influencer but also initiator and active leader of the implementation of social teaching principles into practice of socio-economic transformations that prompted a rapid modernization of the economic and increased efficiency of economic and social processes. Thanks to the implementation of ideas and principles of social teaching, a real revolution occurred in many public spheres such as education, banking, cooperation and entrepreneurship. However, the crucial results of spreading social teaching ideas were changing in the economic culture and activities of Ukrainians, who henceforth considered not only their personal interest but tended to develop such a model of economic interaction, which creates a "positive sum” effect for other society members and for society as a whole. The optimal organizational form that allowed combining interests of different economic agents was cooperation, which, thanks to the ascetic work of the Metropolitan, covered almost all spheres of Ukrainian society life, became an economic base for solving most economic and social problems, and shaped an effective national business environment.