Legal regulation of the activities of cooperative societies in Eastern Galicia in the interwar period at the beginning of the ХХ century

Abstract

Based on archival materials, legislative acts, and studies of contemporaries, the article attempts to highlight the role of legal regulation in the formation and development of the cooperative movement in the region. The study helps to better understand the complex interaction between political authorities and public initiatives in the context of socio-economic transformations of the interwar period in Eastern Galicia. The problem of legal regulation of the activities of cooperative societies in Eastern Galicia in the early twentieth century, in particular in the interwar period, is relevant and important for understanding the socio-economic processes of that time. A study of this issue will allow us to better understand the role and impact of the cooperative movement on the development of economic sectors and the lives of the local population. This article examines the legal environment in which cooperative societies operated in Eastern Galicia in the interwar period. The article analyses the legal acts regulating the status, rights and obligations of cooperative organisations and assesses their effectiveness and impact on the development of the cooperative movement (the Trade Law, the Law on Companies, the Ministry of Internal Affairs’ Order). However, the legal regulation of the activities of cooperative societies during this period remains poorly understood, especially in terms of their impact on community development and economic well-being of the region. The development of the Ukrainian cooperative movement in the nineteenth century coincided with the beginning of the capitalist industrialisation of Ukrainian lands. The Austrian government took this movement seriously, which was reflected in a large number of legislative initiatives of the Austrian Reichsrat. The government adopted various legal acts aimed at regulating the activities of voluntary associations, organisations and societies. Coverage of this topic will help to understand the mechanisms of functioning of cooperatives in the fields of production, trade and services, as well as their interaction with government agencies and other sectors of the economy. Further research on this topic could serve as a basis for developing recommendations for improving the legal environment for the development of the cooperative sector in modern Ukraine.