PAINTING IMPERIALISM AND NATIONALISM RED The Ukrainian Marxist Critique of Russian Communist Rule in Ukraine, 1918–1925 This page intentionally left blank Painting Imperialism and Nationalism Red The Ukrainian Marxist Critique of Russian Communist Rule in Ukraine, 1918–1925 STEPHEN VELYCHENKO UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO PRESS Toronto Buffalo London © University of Toronto Press 2015 Toronto Buffalo London www.utppublishing.com Printed in the U.S.A. ISBN 978-1-4426-4851-7 Printed on acid-free, 100% post-consumer recycled paper with vegetable-based inks. _____________________________________________________________________ Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication Velychenko, Stephen, author Painting imperialism and nationalism red : the Ukrainian marxist critique of Russian communist rule in Ukraine, 1918–1925 / Stephen Velychenko. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-1-4426-4851-7 (bound) 1. Nationalism and communism – Ukraine – History – 20th century. 2. Communism – Ukraine – History – 20th century. 3. Communism – Russia (Federation) – History – 20th century. 4. Marxist criticism – Ukraine – History – 20th century. 5. Ukraine – Colonization – History – 20th century. 6. Ukraine – Politics and government – 1917–1945. I. Title. DK508.812.V44 2015 947.7084 C2015-902598-2 _____________________________________________________________________ University of Toronto Press acknowledges the financial assistance to its publishing program of the Canada Council for the Arts and the Ontario Arts Council, an agency of the Government of Ontario. Funded by the Financé par le Government gouvernement of Canada du Canada Vouloir leur donner la liberté avant de l'avoir nous-mêmes conquise, c'est assurer à la fois notre servitude et celle du monde entire. Maximilien Robespierre (1792) Save Communism from Muscovite imperialism. Vasyl Mazurenko (1921) This page intentionally left blank Contents Introduction 3 Chapter 1 Historical Background 19 Ukrainian Anti-colonialist Thought to 1917 37 Bolsheviks, Colonialism, and Ukraine 42 Chapter 2 Bolshevik Politics and Ukraine 54 Rationalizing Russian Domination 70 Imperial and Other Preconceptions 86 Red Russian Imperialism 103 Chapter 3 The Emergence of National Communism 119 Red Nationalists vs Red Imperialists 125 Ukrainian Marxists and National Liberation 137 Ukrainians and the Comintern 153 Conclusion 161 Appendix: Translated Documents 174 1 Temporary Organization Committee of Independentists, 1918 Resolution 174 2 Four Ukrainian Left-SD Anti-Bolshevik Leaflets, Central Ukraine, 1919 175 viii Contents 3 Leaflet issued by Otaman Zeleny to Red Army Troops, 1919 179 4 Anonymous, Khto taki Kommunisty-Borotbysty, 1919? 180 5 Memorandum of the Moscow-Based Bolshevik “Ukrainian Communist Organization” to Lenin, 1919 183 6 Resolution Prepared by Federalists for the Kyiv City Section of the CPU, 1920 186 7 Program of the Ukrainian Communist Party, 1920 190 8 Four Letters from Former Bolshevik Party Members 196 9 V. Vynnychenko, Ukrainska Kommunistychna partiia (UKP) i Kommunistychna partiia (bolshevyky) Ukrainy, 1921 201 10 Resolution on the National and Colonial Question, 1920 209 11 Anonymous, Vzgliad na polozhenie na Ukraine, 1920 212 12 Ivan Vrona, Resolution on Russian Bolshevik Colonialism, 1920 214 13 Vasyl Blakytny. Analysis of CPU, 1920 216 14 A. Richytsky, “The Economy and Culture,” 1920 217 Notes 219 Index 269 Illustrations follow page 88 PAINTING IMPERIALISM AND NATIONALISM RED The Ukrainian Marxist Critique of Russian Communist Rule in Ukraine, 1918–1925