The article analyzes the processes of formation and evolution of political traditions and mentality of Ukrainian society, their impact on public sentiment and political decision-making, which can be both supportive and legitimate foundation, as well as rejection and denial, and an obstacle to political and economic development. Due to the peculiarities of its historical development and geopolitical location, Ukraine has strong ties with European countries and shares similar values, and is geographically part of Europe. Ukrainian political traditions are based on support for democratic principles and freedoms, rejection of dictatorial authoritarian practices, the ability of Ukrainian society to self-organize and build effective horizontal ties, and individualism. Ukrainians, like Europeans, consider the dignity of the human person as a fundamental value, and violence as unacceptable and humiliating. During national revolutions and in times of war, Ukrainians bravely defend the Motherland, protecting their freedom even at the cost of their lives. These fundamental features of the Ukrainian political mentality contributed to the formation of the Ukrainian political nation, and in combination with Cossack military traditions, the experience of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army and a number of patriotic organizations, they influence the heroic military confrontation with Russia today. However, the long stay of Ukrainian lands as part of other state entities, the imposition of different models of seeing the world, values, beliefs, the extermination of the political elite and patriotic activists and their families, etc. also reflected in the political traditions, moods, preferences, patterns of behavioral reactions of Ukrainian society. Especially destructive was the influence of Russian state entities, the period of being part of the USSR, which shaped the consciousness of homo soveticus – a cog in a totalitarian state system with limited rights and opportunities.
Read full abstract