Constitutionalism in Russia in the Early 20th Century

This article examines the problem of Russian constitutionalism in the early twentieth century. The authors focus on the question of the peculiarities of Russian constitutionalism, its characteristics in comparison with the European version of this phenomenon. The authors show that, in comparison with Western Europe, constitutionalism in Russia emerged late, did not have deep historical roots and did not enjoy the support of most of the population. It was inextricably linked to the political sentiments of the ruling class of the Russian Empire. The bearers of constitutionalist ideas were nobles, intellectuals and bureaucrats. Russian constitutionalism became the most noticeable phenomenon during the revolution of 1905–1907. The constitutionalists’ ideas about the rule of law, the control of administrative bodies by representative bodies, and the importance of public opinion in making responsible government decisions were extremely important and productive. At the same time, the Russian constitutional movement was confronted with a political culture in which it was extremely difficult to solve social problems by legal means.