Speransky public administration reforms. Political activities of Speransky

Of Speransky’s entire project of broad government reform, only the most unimportant part came into effect (January 1, 1810) - the establishment of the State Council. On May 1, 1810, it was supposed to call elections of deputies to the State Duma, and on September 1, it was supposed to open it. But these parts of Speransky’s reform were delayed and then canceled. The reason was the stubborn opposition of conservative dignitaries. They pointed out numerous particular shortcomings of Speransky’s reform project and the inadmissibility of such a broad and rapid state transformation in the face of the already brewing struggle with Europe united by Napoleon. The largest Russian writer Nikolai Mikhailovich Karamzin criticized Speransky’s reform in a special note “On the ancient and new Russia", proving the need to maintain a strong autocracy.

Opposition to Speransky at the top and widespread dissatisfaction with a number of his measures among the population forced Alexander I in March 1812 to dismiss the reformer from all posts and exile him to Nizhny Novgorod, and then to Perm. However, in 1819 Speransky again received a high position (Governor General of Siberia). In 1821 he was returned to St. Petersburg and made a member of the State Council established according to his own project. During the years of exile, Speransky revised many of his previous views and now often expressed opinions completely opposite to them.

At the beginning of the reign of Nicholas I, the experienced lawyer Speransky was entrusted with important work to streamline (without changes) existing state legislation. Such ordering has not been carried out since the publication of the Council Code of 1649. The result of this work by Speransky was the publication of the “Complete Collection of Laws of the Russian Empire” and the “Code of Laws Russian Empire"(1833).

Mikhail Mikhailovich Speransky was born on January 1 (12), 1772 in the Vladimir province. His father was a clergyman. From a young age, Misha constantly visited the temple and sorted through holy books together with his grandfather Vasily.

In 1780, the boy was enrolled in the Vladimir Seminary. There, because of his own abilities, he became one of the best students. After completing his studies, Mikhail becomes a student at the Vladimir Seminary, and then at the Alexander Nevsky Seminary. After graduating from Alexander Nevskaya, Mikhail began his teaching career there.

Already in 1995, social, political and social activity Speransky Mikhail Mikhailovich, who becomes personal secretary high-ranking Prince Kurakin. Mikhail is rapidly moving up the career ladder and quickly receives the title of actual state councilor.

In 1806, Speransky had the honor of meeting Alexander I himself. Due to the fact that Mikhail was wise and worked well, he soon became municipal secretary. Thus, his intensive reform and socio-political work begins.

Speransky's activities

Not all the plans and ideas of this progressive figure were brought to life, but he managed to achieve the following:

1. The growth of the economy of the Russian Empire and the economic attractiveness of the state in the eyes of foreign investors helped to create strong foreign trade.
2. In the domestic economy, he established a good infrastructure, which enabled the country to rapidly develop and prosper.
3. The army of civil servants began to function more efficiently with minimum quantity spent municipal resources.
4. A stronger legal system was created.
5. Under the direction of Mikhail Mikhailovich, “ Complete collection laws of the Russian Empire" in 45 volumes. This act includes laws and acts of the state.

Speransky had a huge number of opponents among the top officials. He was treated like an upstart. His ideas often faced aggressive attitudes from the conservative rulers of society. This was reflected (1811) in Karamzin’s famous “Note on Ancient and New Russia” and (1812) in his two secret messages to Emperor Alexander.

Particular bitterness against Speransky was due to By 2 decrees he carried out (1809):

1. About court ranks - the ranks of chamberlains and chamber cadets were recognized as differences with which practically no ranks were associated (primarily they provided the ranks of the 4th and 5th classes according to the Table of Ranks).
2. On examinations for civilian ranks - it was ordered not to promote to the ranks of collegiate assessor and civil adviser persons who had not completed an institute course or had not passed a certain test.

She rose up against Speransky a whole army ill-wishers. In the eyes of the latter, he was considered a freethinker and a revolutionary. There was awkward talk in the world about his hidden connections with Napoleon, and the proximity of the war increased anxiety.

Starting from 1812 and until 1816, Mikhail Mikhailovich was in disgrace with the tsar due to his activities as a reformist, as a circle of a significant number of high-ranking people was affected. But starting in 1919, Speransky became governor-general of the entire region in Siberia, and in 21 he returned to St. Petersburg again.

After the coronation of Nicholas I, Mikhail acquired the post of teacher of the future sovereign Alexander II. In addition, during this period Speransky worked in " High school jurisprudence".

Unexpectedly, in 1839, on February 11 (23), Mikhail Mikhailovich Speransky died of a cold, without completing many of his progressive reforms.

Speransky's political reforms

Speransky was a reformer of the state. He believed that the Russian Empire was not ready to say goodbye to the monarchy, but was a supporter of the constitutional order. Mikhail believed that the management organization should be changed, introducing the latest legislation and regulations. According to the decree of Emperor Alexander I, Mikhail Speransky created a broad program of reforms that could change the government and lead Russia out of the crisis.

In his reform program he suggested:

• equalization before the law of absolutely all classes;
• reducing costs for all municipal departments;
• transformations in the domestic economy and trade;
• introduction of the latest tax order;
• creation of the newest legislative law and the formation of the most advanced judicial organizations;
• changes in the work of the ministry;
• division of legislative power into judicial and executive bodies.

Conclusion:

Speransky sought to develop the most democratic, but still monarchical government agencies, a system where any citizen, regardless of his origin, would have ability to rely on protection the state's own rights.

Not all of Michael's reforms were carried out due to Alexander I's fear of such drastic changes. But even those changes that were made significantly boosted the country’s economy.

The political views of Mikhail Speransky were outlined by him in 1809 in an extensive note occupying the volume of a book, “Introduction to the Code state laws", where he presented a program of sweeping reforms.

While developing reform projects in Russia, Speransky turned to the political experience of European states, which showed that Europe was characterized by a transition from feudal rule to republican rule. Russia, according to Speransky, followed the same path as Western Europe.

The reform was based on a strict division of power into legislative, administrative and judicial, as well as the division of powers into local and central. The vertical and horizontal division of the entire state political mechanism created a consistent system, starting in the volost institutions and ending with the highest government institutions of the empire. The lowest unit of administration and self-government was the volost. The volost administration was divided into bodies of legislation, court and administration, and the district, provincial and state administrations were also divided.

The central government consisted, according to Speransky, of three independent institutions: the State Duma (legislative power), the Senate (judicial power) and ministries (administrative power). The activities of these three institutions were united in the State Council and through it ascended to the throne.

The highest judicial institution of the empire was the Senate, which was divided into criminal and civil departments and had its seat in St. Petersburg and Moscow (two departments each). In the later edition, even four locations were supposed - St. Petersburg, Moscow, Kyiv and Kazan. Senators were supposed to hold their positions for life, and Senate meetings were planned to be public. All judicial cases must be subject to review by the Senate.

In 1809, Speransky in judicial reform in general outline outlined what was partially implemented in the Russian Empire in the judicial statutes of 1864 - the separation of amicable mediation proceedings (volost judges) from the general formal one, three courts of the general judicial system; jury trial for the first instance and partly for the magistrate court; independence of the court (either election or life); publicity.

According to Speransky, the judicial hierarchy was supplemented by the Supreme Criminal Court, which was attached to the Senate and convened to judge state crimes, as well as crimes committed by ministers, members of the State Council, senators, and governors general. The Supreme Criminal Court was composed of members of the State Council, the State Duma and the Senate.

The State Council, according to Speransky's reforms, limited the decisions of the emperor. The emperor may not have approved the opinions and decisions of the council, but their very wording “having heeded the opinion of the State Council” showed that replacing these opinions and decisions would be inconsistent with the situation.

The State Council was given broad powers - consideration and approval of general internal measures (in an executive manner), control over foreign policy, state budgets and reports of all ministries, powers in emergency cases. Members of the Council of State could be present at the Supreme Criminal Court. The most important positions in the administrative and judicial hierarchy, if they were not elected, were filled by ministers with the approval of the Council of State.

The proposals outlined by Mikhail Speransky looked very radical for that time, reflecting Masonic ideas (Speransky, like many outstanding personalities of the Russian Empire, was a member of the Masonic lodge).

At the beginning of 1810, the State Council was established, where Mikhail Speransky became Secretary of State. The Council, as suggested by Speransky, was divided into four departments: 1) laws, 2) military affairs, 3) civil and spiritual affairs, and 4) state economy. Each department was represented by its own chairman. In the general meeting, the chairmanship belonged to the emperor or a person by his annual appointment. To carry out the affairs of the council, a state office was established consisting of secretaries of state under the main direction of the secretary of state, who reported at the general meeting, presented the journals of the council at the highest discretion and was in charge of the entire executive part. The position of Secretary of State, which Speransky held at that time, actually gave the powers of the second government official after the emperor.

Being himself one of the most important officials of the state, Speransky understood the importance of the bureaucratic army for future reforms and therefore sought to make it highly organized and efficient. In August 1809, a decree prepared by Speransky on new rules for promotion to civil service ranks was published. From now on, the rank of collegiate assessor, which previously could be obtained based on length of service, was given only to those officials who had a certificate of successful completion of a course of study at one of the Russian universities or passed exams under a special program. It involved testing knowledge of the Russian language, one of the foreign languages, natural, Roman, state and criminal law, general and Russian history, state economics, physics, geography and statistics of Russia. The rank of collegiate assessor corresponded to the eighth grade of the Table of Ranks. From this class onwards, officials had great privileges, high salaries and the right of hereditary nobility.

In April 1809, a decree was issued that changed the order introduced during the reign of Catherine II, according to which nobles, even those who were not in public service, received the rank of chamber cadet or chamberlain and certain privileges. From now on, these titles were to be considered as simple distinctions that did not provide any privileges. Only those who performed public service received privileges. The decree was signed by the emperor, the authorship is attributed to Speransky.

On the initiative of Mikhail Speransky, in order to educate an enlightened elite of society, the Imperial Lyceum was created in 1811 near St. Petersburg. Among the first lyceum students were Alexander Pushkin, Konstantin Danzas, Anton Delvig.

The upper strata of Russian society perceived Speransky's projects as too radical, and, ultimately, the reforms he proposed were not fully implemented.

Under the influence of personal circumstances at the very beginning of the 1800s, Speransky became interested in mysticism, which corresponded to the public mood. For ten years he studied the works of Theosophists and Church Fathers. Denying Orthodox Church and preaching an internal church, he linked church reform with Christianization public life on the basis of universal Christianity, which Alexander I partially tried to implement when creating the “Holy Alliance”.

(Additional

Speransky's reforms

SPERANSKY Mikhail Mikhailovich (01/01/1772– 02/11/1839) – statesman, count (1839).

M. M. Speransky was born in the village. Cherkutin, Vladimir province, in the family of a parish priest. Mikhail received his last name upon entering the Vladimir Seminary from his uncle Matvey Bogoslovsky ( Latin word"speranta" means "hope"). From Vladimir in 1790, Speransky was transferred to the St. Petersburg Alexander Nevsky Seminary, considered the best in Russia, for excellent studies and exemplary behavior. In 1795, Mikhail Mikhailovich graduated from it and remained to teach there.

For 12 years, from 1795 to 1807, Speransky went from a teacher at the Alexander Nevsky Seminary to the Secretary of State of Emperor Alexander I. In this he was helped by independence and strength of character, the ability to get along with everyone and understand the characters of people and his unique abilities . He quickly and clearly expressed his thoughts on paper and knew how to draw up the most complex documents. At first, he served as a home secretary to the Prosecutor General, Prince A. B. Kurakin. By the beginning of the reign of Alexander I, in 1801, he was already an active state councilor (which corresponded to military rank general). Then he met the “young friends” of Alexander I, with whom he considered plans for state reforms. Speransky became the manager of the office of the Permanent Council, created by the emperor to develop reforms. At the same time, Speransky was in the service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, State Secretary of its head V.P. Kochubey, who began sending his secretary with reports to the emperor.

Alexander I appreciated Speransky's talents and appointed him in 1808 as a member of the commission for drafting laws and as a comrade (deputy) minister of justice, and as his chief adviser on state affairs. Now all documents addressed to the emperor passed through M. M. Speransky. In 1809, he prepared a project for government reforms in the Russian Empire, which included the gradual elimination of serfdom, the introduction of jury trials and the creation of a bicameral parliament. However, this project was not implemented. In 1810, Speransky began financial reform. At the same time, on his initiative, the State Council was created. Speransky's political opponents organized a court intrigue; they began to accuse him of undermining the state foundations of Russia, calling him a traitor and a French spy. As a result, in 1812 he was exiled to Nizhny Novgorod under strict police supervision, and from there to Perm, where he lived until 1816.

Started in 1816 new stage Speransky's bureaucratic career. Alexander I appointed him Penza civil governor. Speransky thought that he would return to St. Petersburg, but in 1819 Alexander I appointed Mikhail Mikhailovich governor-general of Siberia. Only in 1821 did he return to St. Petersburg and become a member of the State Council and the Siberian Committee, as well as the manager of the Commission for Drafting Laws. Speransky was the compiler of the Manifesto of December 13, 1825 on the accession to the throne of Emperor Nicholas I. He participated in the work of the Investigative Commission on the Decembrist case.

In 1826, Speransky headed the II Department of His Imperial Majesty's Own Chancellery, which was engaged in the codification of laws - the systematization and revision of existing laws. By this time, there were no other laws in the Russian Empire other than the outdated Council Code of 1649. In the beginning. 30s 19th century M. M. Speransky led a group of officials involved in compiling the “Complete Code of Laws of the Russian Empire” in 45 volumes, as well as the “Code of Laws” in 15 volumes. He also participated in the activities of a number of secret committees in the 20s and 30s. 19th century, taught a course in legal sciences to the heir to the throne, the future Emperor Alexander II.

In 1838, Nicholas I appointed him chairman of the Department of Laws of the State Council. On January 1, 1839, the emperor granted Speransky the title of count, but soon, on February 11, 1839, Speransky died. He is buried in the cemetery of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra in St. Petersburg. I.V.

SPERANSKY'S REFORM is the name of the plan of state reforms prepared and partially implemented by M. M. Speransky during the reign of Alexander I.

The plan for state reforms was prepared by order of Alexander I in 1809 and set out in the “Introduction to the Code of State Laws.” The goal of the reforms, according to Speransky, was to establish the rule of law in Russia. It was assumed that these laws in the form of a constitution would be granted to Russia by the emperor himself. According to the project, the head of the state was to be a monarch vested with full power. New legislative bodies were also created: the State Council - an advisory body of dignitaries appointed by the monarch, and the elected State Duma - the highest representative body of power in the country. A system of local city and provincial councils was created. The role of the highest court was to be played by the Senate, appointed for life from among the representatives elected in the provincial dumas. According to the plan, ministries became the highest body of executive power.

The electoral system of M. M. Speransky was based on property qualifications and division into classes. The entire population of Russia was divided into three categories: the nobility, which had all civil and political rights; people of “average status” (merchants, townspeople, state peasants) who had only civil rights - property, freedom of occupation and movement, the right to speak on their own behalf in court; as well as “working people” - landowner peasants, servants, workers who have practically no rights. A person’s belonging to a class was determined by his origin and the availability of property. Speransky formulated the rights and responsibilities for each of the classes. Only representatives of the first two classes had voting rights, that is, political rights. For the third estate, the "working people", the reform project represented some civil rights.

Speransky’s reforms did not abolish serfdom, because Speransky believed that serfdom will gradually die out with the development of industry, trade and education.

Emperor Alexander I allowed the implementation of only certain minor offers Speransky's plan. In 1810 the State Council was established, and in 1811 the ministries were reorganized. At the same time, the Ministry of Commerce was abolished, the affairs of which were distributed between the Ministries of Finance and Internal Affairs. To resolve issues of internal security of the country, the Ministry of Police was formed. This is where the reforms ended. The plan to transform the Senate was never implemented, despite being discussed in the Council of State.

Speransky's reform efforts aroused discontent among the nobility. This was one of the main reasons for Speransky’s resignation and exile in 1812.

Ultimately, the reform of M. M. Speransky came down to a partial transformation of the state apparatus, which did not have a significant impact on the socio-economic and socio-political development of the country. I.V.

THE STATE COUNCIL is the highest legislative institution of the Russian Empire, since 1906 it has been the upper legislative chamber.

The State Council was founded by Emperor Alexander I on January 1, 1810, instead of the previously existing Permanent Council, an advisory body under the emperor, consisting of senior government dignitaries. The Emperor appointed the chairman and members of the State Council. Ministers were members of the council ex officio. Membership in the State Council was virtually lifelong.

In 1812–1865 The chairman of the State Council was simultaneously the chairman of the Committee of Ministers. During the 19th century. the number of members of the State Council increased from 35 in 1810 to 60 in 1890.

According to the “Plan of State Transformations” by M. M. Speransky, the State Council was supposed to present projects to the emperor final decisions on the most important legislative, administrative and judicial matters. Draft laws and regulations discussed in the departments of the State Council were submitted to the general meeting and, after approval by the emperor, became law. At the same time, the emperor could approve the opinion of both the majority and the minority of members of the State Council or make his own decision (“special resolution”), independent of the opinion of the State Council.

The State Council considered drafts of both new laws and amendments, new interpretations of existing laws, as well as estimates of departments, general state revenues and expenses (since 1862 - the state list of income and expenses, i.e. the state budget) and other issues , requiring the highest approval. Under Emperor Nicholas I in 1827, annual reports of ministries and issues of control over the activities of higher and local administrations were removed from the jurisdiction of the State Council. This erased any resemblance to European constitutional institutions. The State Council retained its jurisdiction only over matters of legislation and the budget. Later, in the 60-80s, the emperor often carried out legislative matters that required a speedy decision, bypassing the State Council - through the Committee of Ministers and other authorities.

At first, the State Council consisted of a general assembly and four departments. The Department of Laws was in charge of national bills. The Department of Civil and Religious Affairs dealt with issues of rights various categories population - classes, nationalities, religious denominations, etc. Department of State Economy - bills on finance, industry, trade, science. The Department of Military Affairs (existed until 1854) monitored the implementation of military and naval regulations. In 1817, a Provisional Department also operated to consider a number of projects, regulations and statutes, and in 1832–1862. – Department of the Kingdom of Poland (in 1866–1871 – Committee for the Affairs of the Kingdom of Poland). In 1901, the Department of Industry, Science and Trade was established. In addition, over the years, commissions and Special Presences were created under the State Council to discuss matters of great national importance - legislative, judicial, military, peasant.

All cases from the State Council were transferred to the State Chancellery. Its head - the Secretary of State (with the rank of minister) - transferred the projects considered in the council for approval by the emperor. After the reorganization, 2 departments remained in the State Council: the 1st department considered administrative, civil and judicial issues; 2nd department – ​​financial and economic affairs.

In 1906, after the convening of the State Duma, the State Council was transformed into the upper legislative chamber, which had equal rights with the Duma. Operated until 1917 Sun. IN.

GURYEV Dmitry Alexandrovich (1751–09/30/1825) – count, statesman.

D. A. Guryev was born into a family of poor nobles and received a home education. He began serving as a soldier in the Izmailovsky regiment. Thanks to the patronage of Prince G. A. Potemkin, in 1794 he became master of ceremonies at the court of Grand Duchess Alexandra Pavlovna, eldest daughter Paul I. In 1799 he was appointed senator, but soon Paul I dismissed him.

Alexander I again accepted Guryev into service, and until the end of his life he served as manager of the Emperor’s Cabinet. A cunning and dexterous man, he became close to the young reformers who surrounded Emperor Alexander I. He received a number of prominent appointments: until the end of his life he was Minister of Udelov, in 1810–1823. Member of the Council of State and Minister of Finance.

Together with M. M. Speransky, Guryev developed a plan for the financial and economic recovery of Russia, which provided for a balance of government revenues and expenses and a change in the tax system (increasing old ones, introducing new ones). To add value banknotes, 236 million rubles were withdrawn from circulation. paper money(notes). But Guryev failed to strengthen the country’s economy.

Guryev established the State commercial Bank. In 1819 he introduced the state sale of wine in 20 provinces. In 1818–1819 headed the work of the Secret Committee, which prepared projects for peasant reform. Guryev did not enjoy any special support and was retained as Minister of Finance thanks to A. A. Arakcheev. According to contemporaries, he “had a slow mind,” was a fan of the culinary arts and a great gourmet. HE.

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From the book Textbook of Russian History author Platonov Sergey Fedorovich

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From the book Domestic History: Lecture Notes author Kulagina Galina Mikhailovna

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From the book National History. Crib author Barysheva Anna Dmitrievna

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From the book Cheat sheet on the history of political and legal doctrines author Khalin Konstantin Evgenievich

61. POLITICAL AND LEGAL VIEWS OF M.M. SPERANSKY M.M. Speransky (1772–1839) – prominent political figure in the history of Russia. In 1826, Emperor Nicholas I entrusted him with the compilation of the Code of Laws of the Russian Empire. This Code was incorporated by a commission led by Speransky

From the book History of Political and Legal Doctrines. Textbook / Ed. Doctor of Law, Professor O. E. Leist. author Team of authors

§ 2. Liberalism in Russia. Projects of state reforms by M. M. Speransky Alexander I, who ascended the throne as a result of the assassination of Paul I, at the beginning of his reign promised to rule the people “according to the laws and according to the heart of his wise grandmother.” Main concern

Means of education: illustrations: portraits of Speransky, Alexander I, diagram “Organ system state power according to Speransky’s project” (Appendix 1), diagram “The central government system of the Russian Empire in the first half of the 19th century” (Appendix 2).
Advance task: read the relevant material in the textbook and additional literature, prepare reports on the topic.
Lesson plan:

1. Repetition of the reform activities of Alexander I.
2. The main milestones in the biography of M.M. Speransky.
3. Political reform project: intentions and results.
4. Reasons for Speransky's resignation.
5. Summarizing

The purpose of the lesson: consider the prerequisites and content of Speransky’s reform projects, analyze the reasons for their incomplete implementation. Determine the consequences of decisions made based on his proposal. To characterize Speransky not only as statesman, but also as a person. Emphasize such traits as intelligence, hard work, desire to serve for the benefit of Russia. Based independent work with sources, develop the ability to express judgments about cause-and-effect relationships, search for necessary information, explain what the motives, goals and results of people’s activities in history were. Explain the meaning and significance of historical concepts.

Basic concepts: reform, separation of powers, legislative power, executive power, judicial power, civil rights, voting rights.

Main dates: 1809 – “Introduction to the Code of State Laws.”
1810 - Creation of the State Council.
1812 - Speransky's resignation.

In his opening remarks the teacher emphasizes that in terms of intelligence and talent, Speransky is undoubtedly the most remarkable of the statesmen working with Alexander I. Napoleon saw Speransky in Alexander’s retinue in Erfurt. The French emperor quickly appreciated the modest secretary of state, who outwardly did not stand out in any way in the Russian delegation. “Would you be willing, sir,” he asked Alexander, “to exchange this man for some kingdom?” To update students’ knowledge at the beginning of the lesson, you can organize work on the following questions:

1. Why did the first period of the reign of Alexander I go down in history as the “era of liberalism”, and was described by Pushkin as “the wonderful beginning of Alexander’s days”?
2. Why was it created? Secret committee"? Why didn't it become an official body? Who was on this committee?
3. List the first decrees of Alexander I. Which of them do you consider the most important?
4. List the measures that Alexander took to soften serfdom. Were these measures effective?
5. Describe the system of central government of the Russian Empire in the first half of the 19th century.
6. Which body was created on Speransky's initiative?

We turn to this man’s reform activities today in class.
At the second stage of the lesson students do short messages on the main stages of Speransky’s activities, which were prepared at home (3-4 people). The class is given the task of writing down in a notebook the main milestones of Speransky’s life, listing the personal qualities that helped him make a career.

Material for student messages.
MM. Speransky was born into the family of a priest in the village of Cherkutino, Vladimir province. From the age of seven he studied at the Vladimir Seminary, and from 1790 - at the main seminary at the Alexander Nevsky Monastery in St. Petersburg. His extraordinary abilities made him stand out among his students, and at the end of the course he was left as a teacher of mathematics, physics, eloquence and philosophy. Speransky himself, without any patronage, managed not only to get out among people, but also to get acquainted without outside help with the best political, economic and legal essays on French which he mastered to perfection. In 4 years, from Prince Kurakin's home secretary, he managed, solely by virtue of his talents, to become the emperor's secretary of state (since 1807). And in 1803, he already became director of the department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, taking this general post at the age of 31. However, Speransky did not like to brag. He was hardworking, modest, restrained and striving for one goal: the reconstruction of the Fatherland in the interests of the Fatherland. In 1803 - 1807 Speransky compiled several projects government reforms, and in 1809, on the instructions of Alexander I, he prepared a plan for state reforms - “Introduction to the Code of State Laws.” But the reforms he planned were never implemented. In 1812 he was exiled to Nizhny Novgorod, and then to Perm. He returned to St. Petersburg only in 1822. In relation to him, Alexander I was crafty. With one hand he elevated him, gave him awards (count title, Order of St. Alexander Nevsky), with the other he accepted denunciations against Speransky, entrusted the Minister of Police with secret supervision of him and people close to him.

Speransky knew many Decembrists and was very popular among them. The Decembrists proposed to include him in the provisional government, operating until the elections to the new government bodies. Although Speransky himself did not have the slightest idea about this. But now - a turn of history, and the reformer of the beginning of the century in 1825 judges the Decembrists, who came to Senate Square because Speransky’s reforms were not completed. He was a member of the Supreme Criminal Court over the Decembrists, was a member of a number of higher state committees in the 20s - 30s, and in 1833 he completed the compilation of the 15-volume “Code of Laws of the Russian Empire”. Having abandoned dreams of a constitution, Speransky now sought to establish order in government, without going beyond the framework of the autocratic system. Emperor Nicholas I was present at the approval of the Code of Laws by the State Council, removed the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called from himself and placed it on Speransky. And one more ironic smile of history: in 1835 - 1837. MM. Speransky taught law to the heir to the throne, the future Emperor Alexander II, who abolished serfdom and even set out to sign the Constitution (which was prevented by a terrorist explosion). Speransky's religious searches are interesting. He was from a real Russian priestly environment. At the age of four I already read “The Apostle” and studied with honors at the Vladimir Seminary. His English wife died after giving birth to his daughter. Left with the baby in his arms, Speransky again turned for consolation to religion - but not his own, Orthodox, in which he was brought up, but rather to Protestantism. And it took gossip, accusations of espionage, exile to Novgorod and Perm for Speransky to turn to Orthodoxy again.

At stages 3 and 4 of the lesson, laboratory and practical work is organized in group form.
Group assignment: Based on the diagram “System of public authorities according to Speransky’s project” and the texts of documents, characterize the main directions of Speransky’s political reform and its principles.
1 group.
“Speransky argued that in order to prevent revolution it is necessary to give the country Constitution, which, without affectingautocratic rule, would introduce elective legislativebodies and principles of separation of powers in the organization of state authorities. “Constitutions in almost all states were created in different times in fragments and mostly amidst violent political transformations. The Russian Constitution will owe its existence not to the inflammation of passions and extreme circumstances, but to the beneficent inspiration of the supreme power, which, by arranging the political state of its people, can and has all the means to give it the most correct forms.” However, Speransky’s plan did not provide for the introduction of a constitutional system in Russia similar to Western European countries, that is, limiting the power of the monarch by the Constitution. The goal of the project, as Speransky clearly defined it, was “to clothe autocratic rule with all external forms of law, leaving in essence the same power and the same space of autocracy.” Autocratic power the emperor acting within the framework of the law was completely compatible with the new one he proposed political structure countries. In Speransky's plan, the basis government structure the principle of separation of powers was established - into legislative, executive and judicial (of course, under the supremacy of the power of an autocratic monarch.” The emperor appoints ministers, members of the Senate and the State Council.

2nd group.
“In every volost center (village or small town), every three years a meeting is formed of all owners of real estate (regardless of their class) - the volost duma. The parish council elects deputies to the district council. The district duma, in addition to electing the chairman, his chief secretary, the district council and the district court, elects deputies to the provincial duma and considers issues of local needs within the boundaries of its body. Every three years, from among the deputies from the district duma, the provincial duma also meets, electing the chairman, secretary, provincial court and deputies to the highest representative body of the country - the StateDuma The Chairman (or “Chancellor”) of the Duma was appointed “ supreme power” (Emperor) from among its three candidates presented by the Duma. The Duma meets annually in September and sits for as long as the agenda requires. The emperor retains the right to interrupt the session of the Duma or dissolve it completely. The “proposal” for consideration by the Duma of laws “belongs to one sovereign power.” Thus, the State Duma, according to Speransky’s project, did not have the right of legislative initiative. The Duma was limited in its control over the activities of ministers. Thus, although the State Duma was called by Speransky a “legislative institution,” it was, in essence, a consultative, advisory body. Even in this scenario, the Duma will not be created.”

3rd group.
“The principle of election was also used in the formation of the judiciary, but only in its first three instances: volost, district and provincial courts. The highest court (“the supreme court for the entire empire”) was Judicial Senate (in unlike the governing Senate). It consisted of four departments - two for civil and two for criminal cases, one each in St. Petersburg and Moscow. The Senate reform proposed by Speransky was not implemented.
The executive branch was formed on the same principle as the judges. Its first three authorities (volost, district and provincial administrations) were elected at volost, district and provincial assemblies. “Public administration” (ministries) as the highest authority was formed from among persons appointed by the emperor and responsible to him. In this part of the project, Speransky outlined the principles that were later embodied in the legislative acts of 1810 - 1811, which completed the ministerial reform. The responsibilities of ministers and the areas of activity of ministries were precisely defined.

4th group.
“According to Speransky’s plan, the highest body, which was designed to unite the activities of the legislative, judicial and executive powers, should be State Council.“In the order of state establishment, the Council represents a body,” wrote Speransky, “in which all the actions of the legislative, judicial and executive parts in their main relations are connected and through it ascend to sovereign power and flow from it. Therefore, all laws, charters and institutions in their first drafts are proposed and considered in the State Council and then, through the action of the sovereign power, they are carried out for their intended implementation in the legislative, judicial and executive order.”

The State Council was created on January 1, 1810. State Council:
a) assessed the content of the laws and the necessity itself
reform;
b) explained the meaning of the laws;
c) took measures to implement them.

5 group.
“In his project, Speransky proposes to grant civil rights to the entire population, although to an unequal extent:
"1. No one can be punished without trial.
2. No one is obliged to perform personal service at the discretion of another,
but according to the law determining the type of service according to condition.
3. Anyone can acquire movable property and
immovable property and dispose of it according to law.
4. No one is obliged to perform public duties on
arbitrariness of another, but according to the law or voluntary conditions.”

The nobles retained the right to own serfs, although in principle Speransky was against serfdom and developed a project for its gradual elimination.
Voting rights should be granted to everyone who owns property, that is, to the first two estates. Accordingly, he established a new class division:

1. nobility;
2. “average condition” (merchants, burghers, government
   peasants);
3. “working people” (landowner peasants, domestic servants, etc.)

A transition from a lower “state” to a higher one through the acquisition of real estate was allowed.

Summarizing the group work on the third point of the lesson plan, The teacher draws conclusions after the students' performances. Students write in their notebook:

Basic principles of Speransky’s political reform project:

1. The head of the state is the monarch, who has full power.
2. Objectively, the first step towards limiting autocratic power.
3. Implementation of the principle of separation of powers.
4. The three branches of government converge in the State Council, an advisory body appointed by the emperor.
5. Executive power belongs to ministries.
6. Legislative power belongs to representative assemblies at all levels.
7. Four-stage elections to the State Duma.
8. The State Duma had to discuss bills proposed to her from above, which were then submitted for approval by the State Council and the Emperor.
9. The work of the Duma was to be led by a chancellor appointed by the Tsar.
10. Judicial functions belonged to the Senate, whose members were appointed by the emperor for life.
11. Suffrage could only be owned by persons who owned movable and immovable property.

Assignment to groups on point 4 of the lesson plan: Based on the text of the documents, find out the reasons for the resignation of M.M. Speransky.

1 group.
“The mystery of his fall is not so mysterious. Alexander disagreed with Speransky on the merits. Disappointed in his “plan for universal public education”, which did not solve the desired problem of an agreement between the autocracy and law-free institutions. Alexander was also disappointed in Speransky’s financial plan. Speransky was also dissatisfied with Alexander for being “too weak to rule and too strong to be controlled.”
“For one year I was alternately a champion of Freemasonry, a defender of freedom, a persecutor of slavery... A crowd of clerks persecuted me for the decree of August 6 with epigrams and caricatures; another similar crowd of nobles with all their retinue, wives and children are persecuting me, who neither by my family nor by property belonged to their class... they tried to cover up their personal enmity in the name of state enmity.”
“The difficulty of Speransky’s position was his seminary origin. If he were the natural son of some nobleman, all the reforms would be easier for him. Popovich, the secretary of state and confidant of the sovereign, was a thorn in everyone’s side - not one of the smartest dignitaries, Rostopchin, nor even Catherine’s aces could stomach him.”

2nd group.
Speransky is assessed by the hero of the novel G.P. Danilevsky’s “Burnt Moscow” Basil Perovsky: “They finally got to the point where they removed from the throne and exiled, as a criminal, as a traitor, the only statesman, Speransky, and for what? For his open preference for the code of law of Yaroslav and Tsar Alexei over the code of genius of the one who dispersed the bloody Convention and gave Europe true freedom and a wise new system.”
“For failure to implement Speransky’s financial plan, which fell into the hands of the bad Minister of Finance Guryev, Speransky himself was blamed. There were voices that he deliberately came up with his financial plan in order to irritate the opposition, that he was in criminal ties with Napoleon. And Alexander could not withstand the onslaught of Speransky’s enemies. He considered it necessary then to strengthen the heightened patriotic mood, since he hoped to repel Napoleon only if the war had a popular character; he saw no opportunity to enter into explanations and decided to sacrifice his best employee to the fury of the privileged crowd. Speransky’s whole fault actually lay in the fact that through one official he received copies of all the important secret papers from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which he could, of course, in his position, receive by asking for official permission.”

3rd group.
“Serious opposition arose to Speransky’s reform activities. In St. Petersburg these are the literary salons of Derzhavin and Shishkov. In Moscow there is the salon of Alexander I’s sister, Ekaterina Pavlovna, where the leading place was occupied by one of the ideologists of the conservative movement, N.M. Karamzin and Moscow Governor Rostopchin. Society’s hatred of Speransky found a vivid and strong expression in the famous note: “On Ancient and New Russia” by Karamzin. The essence of this note was to criticize Alexander’s policies and to prove the need to preserve autocracy in Russia forever. Main mistake The legislators of Alexander's reign consisted, in Karamzin's opinion, in the fact that instead of improving Catherine's institutions, they undertook reforms. Karamzin spares neither the State Council nor the new establishment of ministries. He argued that instead of all the reforms, it was enough to find 50 good governors and provide the country with good spiritual shepherds.”
“Speransky’s active opponents were N.M. Karamzin and Grand Duchess Ekaterina Pavlovna. In 1809, she married Prince George of Oldenburg and lived with him in Tver. Here a circle of conservative tendencies formed around her. The Grand Duchess considered the constitution “complete nonsense, and autocracy useful not only to Russia, but also to Western European states.” In her eyes, Speransky was a “criminal” who had mastered the will of a weak-willed monarch. The princess's enmity was also explained by personal reasons. The “evil popovich” had the courage to speak out against Karamzin’s candidacy for the post of Minister of Public Education, nominated by Ekaterina Pavlovna. He also refused to support that Swedish political party, who predicted the husband of the Grand Duchess to take the Swedish throne.”

4th group.
“A hostile attitude developed against Speransky not only in court circles, but also in bureaucratic circles. It became especially aggravated due to two decrees on April 3 and August 6, 1809, which were attributed to direct influence Speransky. The first decree prescribed that all persons holding court titles should choose some kind of service for themselves. After this law, all court titles, which until then were considered positions, became only honorary distinctions. The second decree required that the ranks of collegiate assessor (VIII class) and state councilor (V class) be given only upon passing an exam for the rank or upon presentation of a university diploma.” Not only mid-level officials themselves, but also influential dignitaries were dissatisfied with the decree of August 6. After all, they were losing their well-trained executive subordinates. “The vice-governor must know the Pythagorean figure, and the warden in the madhouse must know Roman law,” N.M. mocked. Karamzin in “Note on Ancient and New Russia”.

5 group.
“Russia’s joining the continental blockade led to catastrophic consequences for its economy. Treasury revenues in 1808 amounted to 111 million rubles, and expenses - 248 million rubles. Under such conditions, Speransky received an order from the sovereign to develop a project for improving the economy. Such a plan was prepared by Speransky on January 1, 1810:

1. cessation of issuance of notes not secured by valuables;
2. sharp cuts in government spending;
3. the introduction of a new special tax on landowners and appanage estates, which was then directed to repay the state debt;
4. the introduction of an emergency additional tax for 1 year, which was paid by serfs and amounted to 50 kopecks per capita;
5. the introduction of a new customs tariff, which imposed huge duties on the import of imported goods into Russia

“As for the public, they drew very disappointing conclusions from Speransky’s financial plans:

1. that the country's finances were in bad shape;
2. that the treasury is involved in significant domestic debt;
3. that there are not enough ordinary funds to cover expenses,
   therefore, new taxes are coming;

Summing up new results of group work on the fourth point of the plan lesson, the teacher draws conclusions after the students’ performances. Students write in their notebook:

The main reasons for the resignation of M.M. Speransky:

1. Conservatives led by N.M. opposed the reforms. Karamzin and Grand Duchess Ekaterina Pavlovna.
2. The extreme discontent of the aristocracy was caused by Speransky's intention to abolish the assignment of ranks to persons with court ranks.
3. Officials were outraged by the introduction of an exam for rank.
4. The imperial entourage was contemptuous of the upstart, the son of a priest.
5. The nobles opposed financial reform and granting civil rights to serfs.
6. Speransky's accusations of espionage and secret connections with France and Napoleon.
7. Mutual disappointment between Alexander I and Speransky. “He does everything halfway” (Speransky about Alexander!).

At the end of the lesson, the teacher emphasizes that Speransky was ahead of his time; many of the reformer’s ideas were implemented only at the beginning of the 20th century. As homework You can invite students to write down in a notebook their thoughts on the topic: “Could early XIX century, the plans of M.M. will be realized. Speransky?