The Legalist Struggle for Press Freedom in Early 20th-Century Russia

In the second half of the 19th century, legalists - moderate liberal lawyers - published numerous articles arguing for the necessity of introducing freedom of the press. In 1905, they took the most active part in introducing freedom of the press into Russian legislation. In the years that followed, up to 1917, sought to gradually lift restrictions imposed on the Russian press. This article aims to determine the degree of influence of liberal lawyers on the emancipation of the press. The role of legalists in the struggle for press freedom is highlighted here for the first time in academic literature. The study employs a problem-chronological method.