Reformist activity of M. Speransky: ideas and results

The accession to the throne of the young Emperor Alexander I coincided with the need for cardinal changes in many spheres of Russian life. The young emperor, who received a fine European education, set out to reform the Russian system of education. The development of basic changes in the field of education was entrusted to M. M. Speransky, who showed himself worthily in the transformation of the country. The reformist activity of M. Speransky showed the possibility of transforming the empire into a modern state. And it's not his fault that many wonderful projects have remained on paper.

short biography

Speransky Mikhail Mikhailovich was born in the family of a poor rural clergyman. Having received a good home education, Speransky decided to continue his father's business and entered the St. Petersburg Theological School. After graduation from this educational institution, Speransky worked as a teacher for some time. Later, he was fortunate enough to take the post of personal secretary of Prince Kurakin, who was one of Pavel's closest friends. Soon after assuming the throne of Alexander I, Kurakin received the post of prosecutor general under the Senate. The prince did not forget about his secretary - Speransky was also given the post of state official. Extraordinary intelligence and excellent organizational skills made the former teacher practically indispensable in the Senate. Thus began the reformist activity of M. Speransky

Political reform

Work in the Secret Committee prepared M. M. Speransky for work on the introduction of political and social transformations in the country. In 1803, Mikhail Mikhailovich outlined his vision of the judicial system in a separate document. "The note on the organization of government and judicial institutions in Russia" was reduced to a gradual restriction of the autocracy, the transformation of Russia into a constitutional monarchy, the strengthening of the role of the middle class. So, the official suggested taking into account the danger of the repetition of "French madness" in Russia - that is, the French revolution. To prevent the repetition of the power scenarios in Russia and to soften the autocracy in the country - this was the reformist activity of M. M. Speransky.

Briefly about the main

In political transformations MM Speransky's reformist activity was reduced to several points that would allow the country to become a law-governed state. Alexander I as a whole approved the "Note ...". The commission created by him began to work out a detailed plan for new transformations, which was the beginning of MM Speransky's reformatory activity. The ideas of the original project were repeatedly criticized and discussed.

The reform plan

The general plan was drawn up in 1809, and its main theses were as follows:

1. Three branches of state power should rule the Russian empire : the legislative power should be in the hands of a newly created elective institution; The levers of executive power belong to the relevant ministries, and the judiciary is in the hands of the Senate.

2. M. Speransky's reformist activity laid the foundation for the existence of yet another authority. It was to be called the Advisory Council. The new institution was supposed to be outside the branches of power. Officials of this institution should consider various bills, take into account their reasonableness and expediency. If the Advisory Council is in favor of a final decision, it will be adopted in the Duma.

3. M. Speransky's reformatory activity was aimed at dividing all the inhabitants of the Russian Empire into three great estates-the nobility, the so-called middle class and the working people.

4. Only the representatives of the higher and middle classes could govern the country. The property classes were given the right to vote, to be elected to various authorities. Working people were granted only general civil rights. But, in process of accumulation of personal property for peasants and workers there was an opportunity to pass in property classes - all over again in merchant class, and then, probably, and in nobility.

5. Legislative power in the country was represented by the Duma. Reformist activities of M. Speransky served as the basis for the emergence of a new election mechanism. The deputies were asked to choose in four steps: first, volost representatives were elected, then they determined the composition of the district councils. At the third stage elections were held to the legislative council of the provinces. And only the deputies of the provincial councils had the right to take part in the elections to the State Duma. The chancellor appointed by the tsar was to lead the work of the State Duma.

These brief theses show the main results of the painstaking work that MM Speransky's reformatory activity brought to life. The summary of his note has grown into a long-term plan developed step by step to transform the country into a modern power.

Action plan

Fearing revolutionary movements, Tsar Alexander I decided to implement the announced plan in stages, so as not to cause violent cataclysms in Russian society. The work on improving the state machine was proposed to be carried out for several decades. The final outcome was to be the abolition of serfdom and the transformation of Russia into a constitutional monarchy.

The promulgation of the Manifesto on the creation of a new authority, the State Council, was the first step along the road of transformation, which was laid by the reformist activity of M. M. Speransky. The summary of the Manifesto boiled down to the following:

• All projects aimed at the adoption of new laws should be considered by the representatives of the State Council;
• The council assessed the content and rationality of the new laws, assessed the possibility of their adoption and implementation;
• Members of the State Council were to participate in the work of the relevant ministries and make proposals for the rational use of funds.

Closing reforms

In 1811, the reformist activities of M. Speransky led to the appearance of a draft of the Code of the Government Senate. This package of documents was to be the next stage of political transformation in the country. Separation of branches of power assumed that the whole Senate would be divided into the Government and Judiciary branches. But this transformation was not allowed to happen. The desire to give peasants the same civil rights with the rest of the people caused such a storm of indignation in the country that the tsar was forced to curtail the project of reforms and send Speransky to resign. He was sent to a settlement in Perm and lived there for the rest of his life on a modest pension of a former official.

Results

On behalf of the tsar, M. Speransky worked on drafts of financial and economic reforms. They provided for limiting the expenditure of the treasury and increasing taxes for the nobility. Such projects aroused sharp criticism in society, against Speransky were many well-known thinkers of the time. Speransky was even suspected of anti-Russian activity, and against the background of Napoleon's strengthening in France such suspicions could have very profound consequences. Fearing open indignation, Alexander sends Speransky to resign.

Relevance of reforms

It is impossible to deny the significance of the projects, which gave rise to the reformist activity of M. M. Speransky. The results of the work of this reformer became the basis for fundamental changes in the structure of Russian society in the middle of the XIX century.