Practices and Leisure Structure of the Workers of Ukraine in the Context of Industrial Transformations in the Late Nineteenth – Early Twentieth Centuries (Based On Materials of Katerynoslav Province)

Abstract

The purpose of the research is to define the basic leisure forms of industrial workers of Katerynoslav province in the late nineteenth – early twentieth centuries.

The research methodology is based on principles of historicism, objectivity and systemacy. In this work such historical methods were used as historical-genetical, retrospective, historical-typological. The authors follow the civilizational approach and methodological foundations of the everyday life history.

The scientific novelty is based on a wide range of sources that characterizes the socio-cultural field of the worker’s of region everyday life and also their leisure, rest and holiday traditions.

Conclusions. It is noted that the post-reform era caused significant changes in the life of Katerynoslav province workers, influenced their views and behavioural realities. The entertainment culture was the important element of the history of proletarians’s everyday routine. Thereby, the main forms of metallurgists's and miners's leisure activities were highlighted. The typical of them were drinking vodka, gambling and also the comrade-circle talking. The alternative free time spending offside a taverns for most part of workers was no desired and often unattainable. But at the same time there was a tendency to the resting variety of proletarians, mostly metalworkers and miners, whose cultural level had became to increase. The attention is paid the books and periodicals became popular among lettered workers of Katerynoslav province. Moreover, biggest number of workers had became to visit cinemas or public lectures. The workers of Katerynoslav province in the early twentieth century generally didn't perceive themselves as a part of the contemporary society, but on the contrary, rather as an actively opposed force.