Cooperative congresses in solving problems of consumer cooperation Left-bank Ukraine in the second half of XIX - early XX century

Based on comprehensive analysis of decisions, resolutions cooperative congresses and meetings, review the terms of their conduct investigated the contribution of these gatherings in solving urgent problems of the cooperative movement and consumer cooperatives in particular left-bank Ukraine. Consumer society faced with organizational and legal problems since the birth of the cooperative movement in the region. These issues should pay attention to several key that troubled co-operative society. The first thing to remember inadequacy of the legal procedures for establishing the consumer society, the introduction of so-called "normal statute" in 1897 did not deprive the founders of consumer societies be heavy procedure of " chain of command". Also on the beginning of twentieth century was an acute problem of combining purchases societies and creation of associations of a higher type, such as consumer associations. The creation of such unions needed a careful coordination and preparatory work which could be launched only at congresses. Equally was important the problem of the interaction of consumer societies other type of cooperatives, especially with credit. Cooperators were disturbed withthe sale of goods to external customers (not members of the cooperative). Namely: was it applicable to external customers as well as to charge bonuses to members of the cooperative. Not less acutewas problem of instructor helpbecause inexperience of leaders rural consumer societies often leded to mistaces in the work. Therefore the cooperative congresses helped in sharing the experience and developing necessary recommendations for solving the issues of the cooperative movement. It has been determined that those were the congresses and conferences, which served to the cooperative community of the region as a platform for exchanging experience and decision-making, necessary for steady development of the consumers’ cooperation of the studied region. Thus, the cooperative congresses and conferences, which were taking place during the studied period, can be divided into two categories ? the common Russian and the regional ones. At the congresses of the former category ? the Moscow one of 1908 and the Kyiv one of 1913 ? the participants considered the issues of the consumers’ cooperation of the whole country, including those related to the development of the consumers’ cooperation in Left-Bank Ukraine; while the regional congresses were concentrated on the problems of building the consumers’ cooperation in this region. The resolutions of these congresses were of a very great importance, because they pushed the cooperative resources of the region to the right direction. Holding of those congresses promoted tight unity of the cooperative community of the region in solving the vital issues of building the consumers’ cooperation.