Ukrainian Legislation on National Language Policy and the Reality of Social Processes (1917–2021)

Abstract

The relevance of the study of Ukrainian language legislation is determined by its mononational orientation and social inadequacy. The purpose of the article is to uncover the veiled basis of Ukrainization, starting from its terminological understanding by M. Hrushevsky (1907) to the legal consolidation at the level of state building, which covers three stages: the stage of revolutionary and chaotic Ukrainization (1917–1919), the stage of partial Ukrainization within the USSR (1920–1991), and the stage of full Ukrainization of independent Ukraine (since 1991). The latter demonstrates previously hidden directions and methods of modern Ukrainization – the isolation of territories from the Russian world on the basis of the “national idea”, which requires a separate consideration of the Ukrainian legislation that accompanies this process. From the social point of view, its legitimacy is problematic, as it does not contribute to the development of the national language. The definitions of the main functional components of the national-language policy: the concepts of languages of nationalities, native, state, official, regional and non-territorial languages are offered as tools to preserve its cultural potential. It is proven that the contradiction between their objective nature and the subjectivity of ideological interpretations lead to social conflicts, destroying the foundations of the state and law. The conclusion is made that the status of languages in a multinational state is established not by political declarations, but by the idea of cultural potential preservation of all national communities, regardless of their residence territory and national linguistic identity of its citizens.