LOCAL ELECTIONS IN THE 18TH CENTURY IN NOVGOROD PROVINCE

Abstract

The author explores the practice of local elections in Novgorod province in the 18th century. The application of the legislation of Catherine II on legal regulation of provincial administration in the Russian province is analysed. Assessment of the practice of organizing elections by city magistrates is given. Examples of elections for the posts of a mayor, a headman, bailiffs are provided. Particular attention is paid to describing the role of the city administration in organizing elections for police positions. The article concludes that there was a low level of private initiative in the electoral process and poor work of city government bodies due to the excessive bureaucracy of all spheres of society. Many modern historians agree with the results of urban governance reforms in Russian provinces in the 18th century. While recognizing the progressiveness of the legislator's intentions to reform public administration, one should note that law enforcement practice was rather formal. The substitution of real institutions of self-government bodies by the system of posts of city and county government controlled by the administration at all levels led to an increase in lack of public trust to self-government bodies and unwillingness to participate in their activities. It resulted in massive withdrawal from participation in the elections. The article also concludes that business owners did not want to run their business along with service in public administration or local self-government bodies.

Keywords

elections; city administration in Russia of the 18th century; history of legislation; Novgorod province; self-government

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About the Author

Yuliya P. Stepanova – Graduate Student, Department of Theory of State and Law, Yaroslav-the-Wise Novgorod State University, Veliky Novgorod, Russia. E-mail: yulia4444@inbox.ru

For citation:

Stepanova Yu.P. Local Elections in the 18th Century in Novgorod Province // BENEFICIUM. 2020. No. 3 (36). pp. 86-94. (In Russ.). DOI: http://doi.org/10.34680/BENEFICIUM.2020.3(36).86-94