Guardian in Era of Modernization: Prince V. P. Meshchersky’s Views on Consequences of Alexander II’s Liberal Reforms for Russia

Abstract

The article deals with the reconstruction of political and socio-economic views of V. P. Meshchersky and his role in the tsar’s circle, in organization of counter-reforms, development of the press, prohibition of Higher women’s courses. Attention is paid to the evaluation of monetary policy. The author proceeds from the fact that Meshchersky considered the preservation of the privileged position of the nobility to be the main thing in his activity. The author notes that Meshchersky paid great importance to finding out the reasons for the rapid spread of nihilism in society. It is emphasized that he left interesting and largely fair judgments about the deep contradictions of capitalist modernization. It is concluded that, in his opinion, the liberal reforms of Alexander II launched the process of destruction of traditional Russia. The results of the comparative analysis of V. P. Meshchersky’s concept of Russian development with the conservative concept of development of Russia by M. O. Menshikov are presented. Special attention is paid to the Prince’s assessment of the results of the peasant reform. It is shown that the requirement to give landed estates to peasants led to the spread of the ideas of peasant socialism. The question is raised about his attitude to the judicial statutes. The definition of protective conservatism is given. The author dwells on the reforms proposed by Meshchersky that can strengthen the autocracy. It is proved that his protective conservatism was a dead-end branch of domestic conservatism. A review of the historiography is made.