Quality of Life in the Hetmanate and Left-Bank Ukraine in the 18th–19th Centuries: Between ‘Subjective’ Narratives and ‘Objective’ Markers

This article aims to better understand the quality of life in Left-bank Ukraine during the 18th and 19th centuries through the analysis of a wide range of social, economic, and demographic indicators. The concept of ‘quality of life’ is considered as an interdisciplinary framework combining sociological, economic, historical, and demographic approaches. The study also evaluates the potential of various sources, including diaries, chronicles, statistics, and population censuses. Particular attention is paid to the subjective perception of well-being and its treatment in historical sources. The research demonstrates that quality of life in the region was closely connected with access to resources, education levels, infrastructure development, and professional medicine. A significant aspect of the study is the exploration of differences in perceptions of well-being among various authors. For instance, foreign travelers often romanticized or, conversely, criticized the everyday life of Left-bank Ukraine, depending on their personal views and experiences. The article analyzes key spheres affecting quality of life, such as social inequalities, population density, agrarian culture, and urbanization levels. The author emphasizes that quality of life did not always improve alongside modernization, and the expansion of urban infrastructure, for example, often adversely affected living conditions for certain groups as a consequence of inadequate water supply and sewage systems. The study highlights the necessity of analyzing historical transformations through the integration of subjective and objective data. The conclusions suggest that to objectively assess the quality of life in the region, researchers need measurable and comparable markers, as well as integral indicators reflecting the impact of various factors on human lives. Mortality rates and life expectancy are proposed as such indicators. Existing data for Left-bank Ukraine indicate a noticeably higher quality of life in the region compared to the provinces of European Russia at that time. However, this data is insufficient, referring only to the quality of life in Left-bank Ukraine at its ‘exit point’ from its ‘exit point’ from its situation of subjugation to empire. Without knowledge of mortality and life expectancy at its ‘entry point’, when the Hetmanate was still a distinct social and economic entity, such data can be interpreted in various contradictory ways, as is happening now. Therefore, the next stage of research would require studying these same indicators as they apply to the Hetmanate.