Central Council of Ukraine

The Tsentralna Rada or Central Rada () (central council or soviet (in English)) at first was the All-Ukrainian council that united political, public, cultural, professional organizations. Later after the All-Ukrainian National Congress (19–21 April 1917) that council became the revolutionary parliament of Ukraine. According to the Soviet encyclopedia it was a counter-revolutionary united body of bourgeoisie and minor-bourgeoisie nationalistic parties in Ukraine from 1917-1918.

Overview

From its beginning the council directed the Ukrainian national movement and with its four Universals led the country from autonomy to full sovereignty. During its brief existence from 1917 to 1918, the Central Rada, which was headed by the Ukrainian historian and ethnologist Mykhailo Hrushevsky, evolved into the fundamental governing institution of the Ukrainian People's Republic and set precedents in parliamentary democracy and national independence that were never completely forgotten during Soviet times and are still remembered today.

Establishment

The Central Rada was founded in Kiev on March 17 (old style 4), 1917 by the initiative of the Society of Ukrainian Progressionists with participation of various Ukrainian political parties, Ukrainian military activists, workers, religious activists, students, entrepreneurs, public and cultural organizations such as the Ukrainian Science Association, the Ukrainian Pedagogic Association, the Association of Ukrainian......
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