Boris Nikolayevich Chicherin: works, political views, photo, biography

Boris Chicherin was one of the largest Westerners of the second half of the XIX century. He represented a moderate liberal wing, being a supporter of compromise with the authorities. Because of this, he was often criticized by contemporaries. The Soviet authorities did not like Chicherin for criticizing socialism. Therefore, only today one can impartially evaluate the significance of his activities.

early years

Boris Nikolaevich Chicherin was born on June 7, 1828. He came from a Tambov noble family. His father became a successful businessman who sold alcohol. Boris was the first child of his parents (he had six brothers and a sister). All children received a high-quality education. In 1844, Boris, along with his brother Vasily (the father of the future People's Commissar for Foreign Affairs of the USSR) moved to Moscow to enter the university. The teacher of the young man was a prominent liberal Westerner, Timofei Granovsky. He advised his protege to go to the law department, which he did.

Boris Nikolayevich Chicherin graduated from the University in 1849. For the period of his studies, the flowering of the Nicholas reaction came after the defeat of the Decembrists. Freedom of speech was limited, which, of course, did not please the liberal-minded population. Boris Chicherin belonged precisely to this stratum. Another important event of his youth was the European revolutions of 1848, which significantly influenced the formation of his views.

The most striking were the events in France. The young man at first happily perceived the news of the revolution, but later became disillusioned with this kind of social development. Already at the venerable age he was inclined to the idea that the state can not progress with leaps. The revolution is not an option. We need gradual reforms, and not the "quackery of demagogues" who are at the head of the dissatisfied crowd. At the same time, despite the disappointment in the revolution, Boris Nikolaevich Chicherin remained a liberal. For Russia, he actually became the founder of constitutional law.

In Nicholas Russia

The starting point for the political and philosophical views of the thinker was the teaching of Hegel. Chicherin over time rethought his metaphysical system. The thinker believed that there are four absolute principles: the original cause, the rational and material substance, and also the spirit or idea (that is, the ultimate goal). In society, these phenomena have their reflection - civil society, family, church and state. Hegel argued that matter and reason are only a manifestation of the spirit. In politics, this formula meant that the state absorbs all other entities (family, church, etc.). Boris Nikolayevich Chicherin made a start from this thought, but did not agree with it. He believed that all four of the above phenomena are equivalent and equivalent. His political views throughout his life were based precisely on this simple thesis.

In 1851 Chicherin passed the exams and became a master. His thesis was devoted to the theme of public institutions in Russia in the XVII century. The views of professors of that era fully corresponded to the sacred idea of Nicholas I about "Orthodoxy, autocracy and nationality". Therefore, these conservatives did not accept Chicherin's thesis, since he criticized the state system of the 17th century in it. For several years the young man unsuccessfully studded the thresholds of professors, so that the text still "passed". This was done only in 1856. This date is not accidental. In that year Nicholas I was already dead, and on the throne was his son Alexander II. For Russia a new era began, during which such "frontier" theses were accepted on a par with the rest.

Westernist and statist

From the ideological point of view, the biography of Chicherin Boris Nikolaevich is an example of the life and activity of the Westernizer. Already at a young age, he drew the attention of the country's intellectuals. His articles, published at the beginning of the reign of Alexander II, in 1858 were collected in a separate book "Experiments on the history of Russian law." This collection is deservedly considered the basis of the historical-legal or public school in the domestic jurisprudence. Chicherin became its initiator on a par with Konstantin Kavelin and Sergei Solovyov.

Representatives of this area believed that state power is the main driving force of the whole country. Also Chicherin developed the theory of enslavement and liberation of classes. His point of view was that at a certain stage of historical development, Russian society allowed the emergence of serfdom. This was due to economic and social reasons. Now, in the middle of the XIX century, this need has disappeared. Historians-statists advocated the liberation of the peasants.

Public activity

Alexander II, who came to power in 1855, on the lost Crimean war realized that the country needs reforms. His father kept the Russian society in a frozen, so to speak, canned condition. Now all the problems have come out. And first of all - the peasant question. Change felt immediately. A public discussion began. It unfolded in the pages of newspapers. The liberals had a "Russian Herald", among the Slavophiles "Russian Talk". Chicherin Boris Nikolayevich also became involved in the discussion of social and economic problems.

The Westerner quickly became a popular and recognized publicist. Already in his youth, he developed his own style, which consisted of numerous references to the centuries-old history of the Russian state. Chicherin was not a radical liberal and a "fighter against the regime." He believed that the autocracy would be able to cope with the accumulated problems if it conducted effective reforms. The publicist saw the task of supporters of democracy in the help of the government, and not its destruction. The educated stratum of society must instruct the state and help to make correct decisions. These were not empty words. It is known that Alexander II read the newspapers of all political organizations every day, analyzing them and comparing them. The autocrat was also familiar with the works of Chicherin. By its nature, the king was not a Westerner, but his pragmatism forced him to make concessions to the "advanced public".

Chicherin Boris Nikolayevich remained a supporter of absolutism also because he considered this system effective when it came to making unpopular decisions. If the autocratic power decides to carry out reforms, it will be able to do this without looking back at the parliament and any other form of opposition. The decisions of the tsar were executed by the vertical system quickly and unanimously. Therefore, among the supporters of the centralization of power, there was always Chicherin Boris Nikolaevich. The Westerner closed his eyes to the vices of this system, believing that they will pass by themselves when the state makes the first fundamental changes.

Disputes with colleagues

In Soviet textbooks, the biography of Chicherin Boris Nikolayevich was considered in passing and incompletely. Socialist power contradicted many of the ideas advocated by this jurist. At the same time, during his lifetime, he was criticized by many of his fellow Westerners. This was due to the fact that Chicherin was in favor of a compromise with the authorities. He did not aspire to drastic changes, mindful of the year 1848.

For example, the writer believed that in an ideal state there should be representative authorities, including the parliament. However, in Russia he did not see the conditions for the creation of such institutions. The society was not yet sufficiently developed for their appearance. It was a balanced position. In serf Russia, with its mass illiteracy of the peasantry and public passivity of the majority of the population, there simply was not a political culture that could be compared with the standard western one. Most of the liberals and haters of the autocracy thought differently. These people considered Chicherin almost an accomplice of the regime.

For example, Herzen compared him to Saint-Just - the mastermind of terror and the Jacobin dictatorship in revolutionary France. Chicherin met him in London in 1858. Herzen lived in exile, from where, thanks to his active journalistic work, he exerted a powerful influence on the state of Russian minds. Chicherin in response to criticism of the author of the novel "Who is to blame?" Replied that he "does not know how to keep to the reasonable middle". The controversy between the two most prominent writers ended in nothing, they parted ways, not agreeing in anything, although they had mutual respect for each other.

Criticism of the bureaucracy

The historian and publicist Boris Nikolaevich Chicherin, whose works did not criticize the basis of the autocratic system (the monarch's sole authority), highlighted other obvious problem areas of the Russian state. He realized that a serious flaw in the administrative system was the rule of the bureaucracy. Because of this, even the intellectuals, in order to achieve something in life, have to go to the bureaucracy, believed Chicherin BN.

The biography of this man is a life story of a descendant from a noble family, who achieved success due to his diligence and talents. It is therefore not surprising that the writer saw the need for a cohesive layer of influential landlords who advocated liberal reforms. It is these enlightened and rich people that could become an obstacle to the dominance of bony officials, on the one hand, and anarchy organized by the lower classes, on the other.

The bureaucratic inactive and inefficient system was repugnant to many, and in these ranks, no doubt, was Chicherin BN. The biography of the writer includes an interesting and revealing fact. After he became a professor, he was relegated to the rank of State Councilor. However, the publicist refused him and did not receive a mark in the table of ranks even "for a tick". He inherited from his father a part of the family estate. Being a calculating and neat landlord, Chicherin was able to keep the economy. Throughout his life, the writer remained profitable and yielded income. This money allowed to spend time not on the public service, but on scientific creativity.

After the abolition of serfdom

On the eve of the peasant reform, Boris Nikolaevich Chicherin (1828-1904) went on a trip to Europe. When he returned to his homeland, the country became completely different. Serfdom was abolished, and society was torn from disputes about the future of Russia. The writer immediately joined in this controversy. He supported the government in its endeavor and called the Regulations of February 19, 1861 "the best monument of Russian legislation." Then in the two main universities of the country (Moscow and St. Petersburg) the student movement became more active. Young people spoke with a variety of slogans, including political ones. The administration of higher educational institutions hesitated for some time and did not know how to react to the unrest. Some professors even sympathized with the students. Chicherin advocated the satisfaction of students' demands concerning their direct educational process (improvement of conditions, etc.). But the anti-government slogans the writer criticized, considering them an ordinary youthful fervor, which will lead to nothing good.

Chicherin Boris Nikolayevich, whose political views, of course, were Western, nevertheless believed that the country first of all needs order. Therefore, his liberalism can be called conservative or conservative. It was after 1861 that Chicherin's views were finally formed. They took the form in which the descendants remained. In one of his publications, the writer explained that protective liberalism is a reconciliation of the beginning of law and power and the beginning of freedom. This phrase has become popular in the highest state circles. It was highly appreciated by Prince Alexander Gorchakov, one of the closest associates of Alexander II.

True, such a principle has not become fundamental for future government decisions. Weak power and shy measures - that's how Boris Nikolayevich Chicherin described it in one of his publications. A brief biography of the writer says that his life was soon marked by an important event. His articles and books were popular with the tsar. A direct consequence of this attitude was Chicherin's invitation to become a mentor and teacher of Nikolai Alexandrovich, heir to the throne. The historian gladly agreed.

Teacher of the Cesarevitch

However, soon there was a tragedy. In 1864, Nikolai Alexandrovich went on a traditional journey through Europe. Among his escort was Chicherin Boris Nikolaevich. The photo of this writer more often fell on the pages of newspapers, he became a significant figure among the Russian intelligentsia. But in Europe he had to stop his journalistic activities for a while. He was busy with the heir and, in addition, in Florence, fell ill with typhus. The state of Chicherin was terrible, but he suddenly recovered. But his pupil Nikolai Alexandrovich was less fortunate. He died of tuberculous meningitis in Nice in 1865.

The story of his own recovery and the unexpected death of the heir to the throne strongly influenced Chicherin. He became more religious. In Nikolai Alexandrovich, the teacher saw a man who could continue his liberal reforms in the future. Time has shown that the new heir turned out to be a completely different person. After the assassination of Alexander II, Alexander III curtailed the reforms. With him began another wave of state reaction (as in the case of Nicholas I). Chicherin lived to this era. He was able to see firsthand the collapse of his own hopes concerning the children of the Tsar-liberator.

Teacher and writer

After recovering and returning to Russia, Chicherin began to teach at Moscow University. He began the most fruitful period of scientific creativity. Since the second half of the 60's. Regularly published fundamental books, authored by Boris Nikolaevich Chicherin. The main works of the author concerned the state and social structure of Russia. In 1866, the philosopher and historian wrote the book "On the People's Representation." In the pages of this work Chicherin recognized that the constitutional monarchy is the best state system, but in Russia the conditions necessary for its approval have not yet developed.

His work remained almost unnoticed in the circles of the progressive public. Boris Nikolaevich Chicherin about the liberals of that time once spoke directly and frankly - writing deep scientific books in Russia is meaningless. Anyway, radical supporters of democracy and revolution will miss them or accept them as another reactionary work. The fate of Chicherin as a writer was indeed ambiguous. Criticized by his contemporaries, he was not adopted by the Soviet authorities, and only in modern Russia his books were first adequately, objectively evaluated outside the political conjuncture.

In 1866, Boris Chicherin graduated from teaching and completely devoted himself to writing scientific books. The writer resigned in protest. He and several other liberal professors (also demonstratively left their posts) resented the actions of the rector of Moscow University, Sergei Barshev. He, together with officials from the Ministry of Public Education, tried to prolong the powers of two conservative teachers, although these actions contradicted the charter.

After this scandal Chicherin moved to the family estate Karaul in Tambov province. He constantly wrote, except for the period 1882-1883, when he was elected the city head of Moscow. As a public figure, the writer was able to solve many of the economic problems of the capital. In addition, he took part in the ceremony of the coronation of Alexander III.

Major works

What are the most weighty books left behind by Chicherin Boris Nikolayevich? "Philosophy of Law", published in 1900, was his final generalizing work. In this book, the writer took a bold step. The idea that the legal system can have its own philosophy was challenged by influential positivists. But Chicherin, as always, did not look back at the opinion of the majority, but consistently and firmly defended his own position.

First, he condemned the widespread opinion that law is a way of confrontation between different social forces and interests. Secondly, the author turned to the experience of ancient philosophy. From ancient Greek writings he derived the concept of "natural law" by developing it and transferring it to the Russian realities of his time. Chicherin believed that legislation should proceed from the recognition of human freedoms.

Today we can safely say that the founder of Russian political science is precisely Boris Nikolaevich Chicherin. He wrote about liberalism and other ideological trends at a young age in numerous articles. In the 80-90's. The scientist was engaged directly in the theoretical side of politics. He wrote the fundamental books: "Property and the State" (1883), as well as the "Course of State Science" (1896).

In his works the researcher tried to answer various questions: what are the permissible limits of the activity of the administrative machinery, what is the "public good, what are the tasks of bureaucracy, etc. For example, when analyzing the role of the state in the economic life of the country, Chicherin criticized too much interference of power structures. The theorist believed that in this part of the economy in the first place should be a private initiative.

Boris Chicherin died on February 16, 1904. A week before that, the Russo-Japanese War had begun. The country finally entered its twentieth century, full of upheavals and bloodshed (the first revolution soon burst out). The writer did not find these events. But during his lifetime he was aware of the danger of political radicalism and tried with all his might to prevent a catastrophe.