Mykhailo Drahomanov

Mykhailo Drahomanov

Mykhailo Petrovych Drahomanov (Ukrainian: Михайло Петрович Драгоманов; August 30, 1841, Hadiach – July 2, 1895, Sofia) was a Ukrainian political theorist, economist, historian, philosopher, ethnographer and public figure in Kiev. Born to a noble family of Petro Yakymovych Drahomanov who was of a Cossack descent. Mykhailo Drahomanov started his education at home, then studied at the Hadiach school, Poltava senior school and Kiev University. He was also an uncle of Larysa Kosach (Lesya Ukrainka) the great Ukrainian poetess and brother - Olha Drahomanova-Kosach (Olena Pchilka).

He lectured at Kiev University from 1870 to 1875, but because of the repressions against the Ukrainian movement peaking up in 1876 with Ems Ukaz was forced to leave the Russian Empire and emigrated to Geneva. In emigration he continued his political, scholarly and publishing activities. In 1885–95, he was a professor at the University of Sofia. Drahomanov wrote the first systematic political program for the Ukrainian national movement. He himself defined his political convictions as "ethical socialism," and was deeply impressed by socialist literature as a teenager.