M.M. Speransky: features of Russian reforms

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to analyze the significance and political role of M.M. Speransky as the first theorist and methodologist of Russian reforms based on a rational, scientific approach, with a focus on identifying the civilizational, mental and political specifics of Russia. The article used such methods as historical, comparative and hermeneutic. Speransky was the founder of a special conservative-liberal trend in Russia, according to which, when carrying out any reforms, it is necessary to take into account the stable monarchical, autocratic traditions of public consciousness. He considered optimal the option of "reforms from above" controlled by the supreme power and the state apparatus, with the preservation of guarantees of stability and legality of socio-political processes. Historically, the institutions of the autocratic system were considered by Speransky not as "political rudiments", but as effective "levers" and "mechanisms" for carrying out the necessary transformations. According to Speransky, the reform strategy should include an in-depth analysis of well-thought-out preparatory measures and rational consistency of all elements of the reform program. Social transformations should be cautious, gradual, step-by-step, excluding any drastic, radical steps and measures. At the same time, the most important factors were both the enlightened nature of the state power itself, and the purposeful processes of public education, political education initiated by the authorities, and the formation of a mature legal consciousness in society in the direction of the development of civil society. The conservative-liberal path of reforms under the leadership of the supreme power was opposed by M.M. Speranian revolutionary and radical-liberal methods of socio-political transformations, which have destructive, destructive consequences for the country.