I was trying to do some online research about the Free Territory last night and I couldn't find any information at all about what life was like for the citizens of Ukraine. What was the economy like? Did it get better or was it worse? Poverty go up or down? Were the workers truly in charge of the companies? Were there any atrocities committed towards the people? There seems to be information pointing towards atrocities and some against. Any information would be appreciated.
I've just started to collect informations about it by myself and all I can tell you is that I've saved this if there'd hopefully be any answers. This and the daily life under Khmer Rouge regime, would be so interesting to me.
Anyway, to at least give you some information: Search for "Free Territory" and "Nestor Makhno" in Anarchist subreddits. They mostly view him very critically and offer great sources, even warning you about bias in the source.
All I can offer you is some insight in things that at least affected daily life via the following links. As a spoiler: It was better than the Soviet economy, I can't really tell about poverty, the workers effectively weren't in charge of the companies but had more freedoms, I also don't know about atrocities, but as two Anarchists were executed for beating Jews, the death penalty was used. Different politic ideas were allowed, as knowingly Menshevik, Bolshevik etc. delegates were elected, while political parties themselves were abandoned, so you had freedom of thought and a real right to vote. Still, Makhno seized control over the press and also introduced some mostly moral laws, as far as I know by himself, but I don't know which and how they were enforced.
On Nestor Makhno and his organization of political and economical life, critical reception