The problem of determining the directions in the social movement in pre-reform Russia (especially in relation to the first half of the 19th century) is still quite controversial. This phenomenon is an integral part of the general problem associated with historical terminology, which needs correction and development. A short article presents a debatable question about the use of the traditional term “liberalism” in relation to the Russian history of the first half of the 19th century. It is obvious that this term, characterized primarily by such concepts as “freedom” and “property”, is extremely unsuitable for the Russian realities of the serfdom era. However, by tradition, it is still used not only in journalism and fiction, but also in scientific research. The author of the article suggests using instead of this term, which is poorly suited the situation, other terms accepted in the literature – such as “enlightened absolutism” in the form of its afterthoughts in this era, or the term “legitimism” in its more expanded semantic meaning, which can be understood as government policy that preserved the feudal (pro-noble) direction, but taking into account the innovations of the new, bourgeois society. Something similar, apparently, should be used with regard to terminology in relation to a similar direction in the social life of the empire of that era, which rested all its hopes in the development of society, for example, in solving the peasant question, on autocratic power, which can be expressed in Pushkin’s famous words about slavery, fallen by the mania of the tsar. The author does not agree with the use of the term “governmental constitutionalism” here as not adequately reflecting the style of government policy, for example, the reign of Alexander I. The article invites researchers to a discussion on this topic.
Key words: autocracy, revolution, conservatism, liberalism, enlightened absolutism, constitutionalism, legitimism.
ГИЦР-2023-№2-ИТОГ-9-8-14Citation link: Dolgikh A.N. On the concept of "liberalism" in relation to the history of Russia in the first half of the 19th century: an invitation to a discussion // Humanities researches of the Central Russia. – 2023. – №2 (27). – P. 7-13.
DOI: 10.24412/2541-9056-2023-227-7-13