The public movement under Alexander 1. The main activities

The victory over Napoleon brought the long-awaited peace to Europe, but did not solve any internal problems of the Russian Empire. The postwar period of the reign of Alexander 1 is characterized by a new direction of civic activity - the social movement. For the first time in Russia, civil initiatives have taken on organized forms. The public movement under Alexander 1 laid the foundation of his activities on the foundation of liberal ideas.

Liberalism in the country

The ideas of European liberalism spread in Russia back in the time of Catherine II, which corresponded actively with ideologists of this direction, such as Voltaire, Rousseau, Diderot, and others. However, later the empress rejected such teachings, rightly fearing that they would damage the monarchical system of Russia.

The second movement of the liberals in Russia was in 1812. Soldiers and officers who visited Europe returned to their homeland as convinced opponents of serfdom and the autocratic system. Absolute disregard by the authorities of the need to transform the country caused a deep resentment of the progressive strata of the population. It was under such conditions that the social movement under Alexander 1 began and began its activity.

Summary

The first public organizations in Russia were Masonic lodges. The idea of the origin of the Masonic movement came from Europe. By the 20th year of the XIX century. Members of the Masonic lodges were about 3 thousand noblemen, merchants and people of the middle class. Freemasonry has given society the experience necessary for the organization and operation of secret societies. In general, the public movement under Alexander 1 is known for such secret societies: the Salvation Union, the Southern Society, the Union of United Slavs and others.

Salvation Union

This is the first large society. Its founder was A.N. Muravyov is a colonel of the General Staff, a hero of the Patriotic War.

The main goal of the Salvation Union was the abolition of serfdom and the restriction of the rights of the monarchy. There were individual calls for conspiracy and regicide, but they did not spread to the majority of the union's members.

After the decision was taken to attract broad public support, the Salvation Union dissolved and a Union of Welfare emerged on its basis. The program of the secret society had its own charter, which was known as the "Green Book". The basis of the society was the same ideas as before - the overthrow of the autocracy and the destruction of the serfdom. But at the same time, the members of the union agreed to participate in the reforms of the state together with the government, attached great importance to the ideas of upbringing and education. When the government refused to reform the state, the public movement under Alexander 1 was threatened. Successful military coups in Western Europe prompted the idea of a military mutiny in Russia and forced the government to make concessions.

Therefore, after the Union of Welfare, new societies were created, which received the names of the Northern and Southern.

Northern Society

The center of the Northern Society was St. Petersburg. The members of the union were EP Obolensky, SP Trubetskoy, NM Muravyov and others. Under the program set forth by NM Muravyov in his "Constitution", Russia had to abandon the autocracy and become a constitutional monarchy. He also laid the idea of a federal division of Russia into 15 "powers". The emperor's rights were limited. The personal freedom of the peasants was envisaged, and civil rights were also introduced for every citizen of Russia. These theses give an idea of what the social movement achieved under Alexander 1.

Southern Society

This civil education united officers who served on the territory of Ukraine. The head of the Southern Society is the hero of the battle of Borodino, Colonel PI Pestel.

Under his leadership, a draft Constitution of Russia was created under the title "Russian Truth", but with more radical theses than Muravyov's. Thus, the Russian Empire was to become a republican country, and not a monarchy. The supreme council and the people's council had to govern the state. The peasants were granted not only freedom, but also land allotments.

Thus, the abolition of serfdom and radical transformations in the state were the foundations that characterized the social movement under Alexander 1. A table that illustrates the brief purposes of public organizations is presented below.

Members of secret societies actively discussed real ways of achieving the set goals. The result was a decision on a state military speech.

Despite the secrecy, the government had an idea of the threats that the public movement under Alexander 1 was carrying. In 1822, it was decided to ban all Masonic lodges and secret societies. A few days before his death, the king ordered the arrest of the rebel participants. The unexpected death of the emperor pushed people to the uprising of 1825.