1. INTRODUCTION.

2. BRIEF BIOGRAPHY OF P.A. Stolypin.

3. general description of agrarian reform. Goals of the reform.

4. agrarian reform. History of reform.

5. results of agrarian reform.

6. other directions of reforms of P.A. Stolypin.

7. work question.

8. national policy.

9. opinions on the reforms of P.A. Stolypin.

10. the role of P.A. Stolypin in the fate of Russia.

11. conclusion.

12. list of references.

1. Introduction

The emergence of the idea of ​​agrarian reform and its development was most associated with two phenomena - the activities of the first three State Dumas and agrarian unrest as part of the revolution of 1905-1907.

The situation in 1900-1904 seemed alarming to many observers; voices were heard from everywhere warning the government about the aggravation of the agrarian question, the difficult situation in the countryside, the impoverishment and landlessness of the peasants, and their growing discontent. The government response was rather sluggish. The chain of successive government meetings on the agrarian issue continued their leisurely activities, not leading to definite results.

During the first years of the twentieth century, the bright personality of Pyotr Arkadyevich Stolypin appeared in the history of Russia. His name has always caused controversy and many different opinions. It’s not for nothing that B.N. Yeltsin called the three great reformers of Russia: Peter I, Alexander II, and P.A. Stolypin. despite the fact that Stolypin's political career was short-lived - only 5 years, during this time he was Minister of Internal Affairs and Chairman of the Council of Ministers.

Stolypin clearly saw the main reasons for such a disastrous situation in Russia, and most importantly, he was able to propose and largely implement grandiose plans for its transformation, ensuring the comprehensive and rapid development of the country. All this prompted me to understand more clearly the reformist activities, the views and human essence of P.A. Stolypin.

In my work I will cover a brief biography of the politician, his agrarian reform with its results, as well as some other reforms with which agrarian reform is inextricably linked.

1. Brief biography about P.A. Stolypin

Pyotr Arkadyevich Stolypin comes from an old noble family, known since the end of the 16th century. The Stolypin family gave Russia outstanding political and literary figures. Grandmother M.Yu. Lermontova - nee Stolypin. Great-grandfather - Senator A.A. Stolypin is a friend of M.M. Speransky, the greatest statesman of the early 19th century. Father - Arkady Dmitrievich - participant in the Crimean War, friend of L.N. Tolstoy, who visited him in Yasnaya Polyana. P.A.'s mother Stolypina - Anna Mikhailovna - nee Gorchakova - niece of Russian Chancellor A.M. Gorchakova, classmate of A.S. Pushkin Lyceum. Pyotr Arkadyevich’s wife is the great-granddaughter of A.V. Suvorov. Thus, the Stolypin family in the 19th and 20th centuries was in kinship and friendship with the most famous people of Russia. Family P.A. Stolypin owned estates in the Nizhny Novgorod, Kazan, Penza and later Kaunas provinces.

In 1881, Pyotr Arkadyevich, unexpectedly for many, entered the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics of St. Petersburg University, where he studied physics, geology, botany, zoology, and astronomy with interest.

In 1884, at the age of 22, P.A. Stolypin graduated from the Faculty of Natural Sciences of St. Petersburg University. After graduating from the university, he served in the Ministry of State Property, but a year later he was transferred to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and ended up as the leader of the nobles in the Kovno province. Stolypin was glad about this appointment, because it helped him to reveal himself as a person and a good leader. He talked for a long time with the peasants, absorbing everything they said. and they talked about the land, about rational farming and about many other problems that worried them. Soon he started his own farm. His daughter, M.P. Bock wrote: “My father loved agriculture very much, and when he was in Kolnoberezhye, he was completely occupied with sowing, mowing, planting in the forest and working in orchards.”

Then he was appointed district leader of the nobility, and in 1899 - governor of the same province. In 1902 V.K. Plehve appointed him acting governor of Grodno. It should be noted that Stolypin became the youngest governor of Russia; after his appointment to this position, he immediately began studying the affairs of the province, but his actions were controlled by Governor General Vilensky and although there was no friction between them, this was against Stolypin’s character. In 1903, Stolypin became governor of Saratov. This was certainly an act of high confidence on the part of the all-powerful Ministry of Internal Affairs. This is where his first revolution found him, in which he used the entire arsenal of means - from direct appeal to the people to reprisals with the help of the Cossacks. At the same time, two distinct features appeared in the governor’s activities: firstly, he did not hesitate to punish not only the left, but also the right, if their activities went beyond what was permitted. Secondly, unlike most high-ranking figures, Stolypin was personally brave and was not afraid to stand face to face with an angry crowd. He did not simply tell the revolutionaries from the rostrum of the State Duma: “You will not be intimidated!”, but in fact he behaved fearlessly.

In April 1906, Stolypin was appointed Minister of Internal Affairs, and the entire fight against the revolution fell on his shoulders.

At the end of August, interrupting my vacation, I went to Kyiv for the opening of the monument to Alexander II. There, on September 1, 1911, he was mortally wounded at the Kyiv Opera by an agent of the security department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Socialist Revolutionary D.G. Bogrov (the son of a wealthy Kyiv Jewish homeowner, who had been collaborating with the secret police for several years) and died on September 5, 1911. The investigation into his murder came to nothing. During interrogations, Bogrov willingly talked about himself, but was never able to give an intelligible answer about the reasons for his action, all the time repeating that Stolypin was “the main culprit of the reaction”*. On September 11 (24), 1911, by the verdict of a military court, D. Bogrov was sentenced to death and hanged. V. Kokovtsov became the new prime minister, who was replaced in January 1914 by I. Goremykov.

Pyotr Arkadyevich was buried in the Kiev Pechersk Lavra; in 1912, a black stone monument was erected on his grave, depicting him speaking from the Duma pulpit. The famous statements of the prime minister were carved on the monument (“Don’t be intimidated!”, “You need great upheavals - we need a great Russia”; “I firmly believe that the light of the Russian national idea will not go out and will soon illuminate all of Russia!”), and on the pediment - “Peter Arkadyevich Stolypin – Russian people.”

general description of agrarian reform. Goals of the reform.

The reform was a set of measures aimed at two goals: the short-term goal of the reform was the resolution of the “agrarian question” as a source of mass discontent (primarily the cessation of agrarian unrest), the long-term goal was the sustainable prosperity and development of agriculture and the peasantry, the integration of the peasantry into the market economy economy.

If the first goal was supposed to be achieved immediately (the scale of agrarian unrest in the summer of 1906 was incompatible with the peaceful life of the country and the normal functioning of the economy), then the second goal - prosperity - Stolypin himself considered achievable in a twenty-year period.

The reform unfolded in several directions:

Improving the quality of peasants' land ownership, which consisted primarily of replacing collective and limited ownership of land in rural societies with full-fledged private ownership of individual peasant households; measures in this direction were of an administrative and legal nature.

Eradication of outdated class civil law restrictions that impeded the effective economic activities of peasants.

Increasing the efficiency of peasant agriculture; government measures consisted primarily of encouraging the allocation of plots “to one place” (cuts, farms) to peasant owners, which required the state to carry out a huge amount of complex and expensive land management work to develop inter-strip communal lands.

Encouraging the purchase of privately owned (primarily landowner) lands by peasants, through various types of operations of the Peasant Land Bank, preferential lending was of predominant importance.

Encouraging the increase in working capital of peasant farms through lending in all forms (bank lending secured by land, loans to members of cooperatives and partnerships).

Expanding direct subsidies for so-called “agronomic assistance” activities (agronomic consulting, educational activities, maintenance of experimental and model farms, trade in modern equipment and fertilizers).

Support for cooperatives and peasant associations.

The reform was aimed at improving peasant allotment land use and had little effect on private land ownership. The reform was carried out in 47 provinces of European Russia (all provinces except three provinces of the Baltic region); The reform did not affect Cossack land ownership and Bashkir land ownership.

Among the people ready to shoulder an unbearable load was Pyotr Arkadyevich Stolypin, the “great reformer” and “enemy of the revolution.” The one who wanted to see Russia as a great power.

Born April 2, 1862 in Dresden. At the age of 12, he was first enrolled in a gymnasium in Vilna (now Vilnius), and then continued his studies in Orel, where his father, a lieutenant general, was transferred. In 1881, he was admitted to the natural sciences department of the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics of St. Petersburg University, from which he graduated brilliantly, with the degree of Candidate of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, and his preparation in chemistry was praised by Professor Dmitry Mendeleev. He entered public service at the age of 22 and four years later was awarded the first court rank. Before receiving the post of Minister of Internal Affairs, and then heading the entire cabinet, he managed to lead several provinces: Kovno (with its center in the city of Kovno, now Kaunas), Grodno and Saratov. He carried out agricultural and developed social reforms. He was a supporter of tough government measures and stifled the revolutionary spirit of the masses. Survived ten assassination attempts, and was mortally wounded by a terrorist during the eleventh. He died in Kyiv on September 18, 1911.

Career of Pyotr Stolypin

In most cases, Aries turn out to be strong and hardworking. And if you give them a handful of good genes, there will be no price for Aries. Stolypin’s performance and genes were excellent. Among his not-so-distant relatives were talented people and not the last in the state: all the leaders of the nobility, generals, heroes who stood for Russia to the death, Chancellor Alexander Gorchakov and even Mikhail Yuryevich Lermontov himself, who was Stolypin’s second cousin. The father of the future reformer gave his son an upbringing in the best traditions of the Russian nobility and bequeathed him to serve his country with all his might. As soon as his son was elected district leader of the nobility, he immediately began to unite peasants into communities, build people's houses with a library, cinema and theater. And think about how the free peasantry can lift the country to unprecedented economic heights.

While Stolypin was looking closely at European economic management, Nicholas II was looking no less closely at Stolypin himself. As a result, the energetic Pyotr Arkadyevich, an official with an impeccable personal reputation, was sent to raise larger, more sophisticated provinces, where, moreover, rebel sentiments were seething and seething. He didn’t want to wander around cities and towns, but they didn’t stand on ceremony with him: they made it clear that no one was interested in his desires. If the Fatherland said “it is necessary,” then the official is obliged to answer “there is” without further ado. It must be said that the Socialist-Revolutionaries did not sit idle then either - like firecrackers, they blew up governors and other officials. Only shreds were flying. So the service ahead was difficult, and there was already a fair smell of great turmoil and blood.

In the new place, things went according to the well-established program: agrarian affairs - to the divine, peasants - to cooperatives, culture - to the masses, rebels and terrorists - to prisons, reports - to St. Petersburg. They expressed the highest gratitude to Stolypin for pacifying the rebels, and the emperor, visiting the Saratov governor, offered him the portfolio of Minister of Internal Affairs. Pyotr Arkadyevich again became stubborn, and again the emperor knitted his eyebrows and let metal into his voice. Russia was once again going through hard times and needed Atlanteans. " I am the Minister of Internal Affairs in a bloody, battered country, representing a sixth of the world, and this is in one of the most difficult historical moments, repeating itself once every thousand years.", Stolypin wrote to his wife.

The forty-three-year-old provincial had no support in the capital; from all sides they either silently cast disapproving glances at him or openly entered into confrontation. His subordinates, the capital's generals, grinned through their mustaches when he simply blurted out, “Here we are in Saratov.” " Power cannot be considered a goal. Power is a means to preserve life, peace and order“, - Stolypin decided and, not paying attention to the discontent of the dignitaries, undertook to restore order in the huge, clumsy Russia.

The program was still the same, only the scale was different. Stolypin stood for the development of rural cooperation, for the preservation of strong peasant communities, for the reform of local self-government, for the economic freedom of peasants, believing that any worker would take better care of his own than what was given to him for temporary use. His land law, introduced by imperial decree without the approval of the Duma, increased grain collection several times, and Russia stopped buying grain abroad. On the contrary, it began to feed Europe with grain.

He advocated strict observance of laws by everyone, including deputies of the State Duma, for tough power, but against military dictatorship, and for the constitutional implementation of reforms. He mercilessly persecuted those who wanted to plunge Russia into turmoil. " Opponents of statehood would like to choose the path of radicalism, the path of liberation from Russia’s historical past, liberation from cultural traditions. They need great upheavals, we need a great Russia!»

The character of Pyotr Arkadyevich Stolypin

Stolypin did not like to joke. And if his business is in danger, no one will care. Pyotr Arkadyevich was not only capable of self-sacrifice, but also, if necessary, easily sent to the next world everyone who, in his opinion, stood in the way of a bright future for Russia. " The state can, the state is obliged, when it is in danger, to adopt the strictest, most exceptional laws in order to protect itself from disintegration“, he said, when bombers and other unattended terrorists ran through the cities and blew up both government officials and ordinary people. Stolypin's military courts sentenced tens of thousands of people to hard labor and sent thousands to the gallows with a noose around their necks - a “Stolypin tie.” The Prime Minister himself did not like analogies and once challenged one of those who made such a comparison to a duel. Wit, of course, apologized, but they didn’t stop talking about “ties.” However, while everyone was lively discussing the bloodthirstiness of the prime minister and protesting, order was restored in the state.

Stolypin also had no problems with personal courage. He could go out alone to both the raging crowd and the disgruntled emperor. Nicholas II, in whom charm coexisted with asinine stubbornness, reacted very painfully to the successes and glory of his prime minister. As soon as a major German newspaper called Pyotr Arkadyevich “a hero-knight on whose shoulders the future of Russia rests,” the sovereign became angry and stopped showering the prime minister with the highest attention and friendly disposition. There were even moments when Stolypin submitted his resignation and awaited the sovereign's decision on his future fate. Until the sovereign's mother set the brains of her indecisive son and forced him to return Stolypin to service. He did return it, but he had difficulty coping with the pricks of pride - not a single reigning person would forgive subjects who go against the grain and get ahead.

Pyotr Arkadyevich did not back down when he was invited to take part in demonstration flights of the nascent Russian aviation. Not only was it scary to fly on the “whatnots,” but the pilot was also a Socialist Revolutionary and, according to intelligence data, not only had a grudge against Stolypin, but was also preparing an assassination attempt.

And there were plenty of assassination attempts. The terrorists not only sentenced Stolypin’s two-year-old son to death, wrote threats to his daughters, but also put their threats into action. They blew up his house, where people were sitting in the reception room, killed and maimed more than a hundred people, including children, but even here he did not retreat. When Nicholas II offered him money for his daughter’s treatment, the Atlantean refused. The prime minister did not want friendly relations with the emperor, did not expect compassion, did not run away from responsibility and did not erase his sense of duty. He was wounded in assassination attempts, but traveled without security, with a metal sheet in his briefcase to protect himself from bullets. He could approach a terrorist with his coat open, one on one, inviting him to shoot point blank. He was often alone against everyone: the emperor, the liberal-revolutionary intelligentsia, who longed for a coup and did not want to hear about strengthening the state and tough measures. He stood alone against the landowners, who were offended by his agrarian reforms, and against his colleagues. It was said that once the Saratov City Duma deliberately ordered a portrait of Governor Stolypin to Ilya Repin, whose brush was said to bring misfortune to the poser. Atlas was already holding on with all his strength, but he did not dump his load, because he considered himself responsible for the country. " For those in power, there is no greater sin than cowardly evasion of responsibility».

Stolypin's personal life

Stolypin's companion was Olga Borisovna Neidgardt, a girl from a family of long-Russified Germans, Suvorov's great-great-granddaughter and maid of honor of the Empress. She was the bride of Stolypin’s elder brother, but he was wounded in a duel, he was never able to reach the altar and, as they said, on his deathbed he blessed twenty-year-old Pyotr Arkadyevich to take care of the inconsolable girl. While Olga was in the two-year “quarantine” required for this occasion, student Stolypin sent a petition to the rector for marriage. The marriage was considered too early and the request was refused, but the purposeful young man, as usual, did not give up, left the university for a while and got married. A married student was considered a great rarity at that time. In addition, the newlywed was three years older than him, which didn’t go anywhere at all, and, according to his own stories, everyone pointed the finger at the future prime minister. However, Stolypin loved his wife, wrote sweet letters to his “beloved darling”, did not listen to idle conversations about her ambition, tactlessness and the fact that she plays with her husband as she wants. Together with Olga Borisovna, they gave birth to five daughters, a son, Arkady, and considered their marriage happy. Given the financial problems that the leaders of the nobility often experienced at that time, the Stolypins spared no expense on the health and education of their children, hiring foreign governesses.

They raised their offspring in love and a religious spirit, read fairy tales and Turgenev, especially beloved by the father of the family, aloud to them, and sat with them on problems. Stolypin, talking about family order, joked: “ We have an Old Believer house - no cards, no wine, no tobacco" They lived modestly, without pomp. For example, Masha Stolypina, the eldest daughter, received twelve rubles a month for pocket money, and when dad became prime minister, eight more were added to her. The amount is slightly less than the average monthly salary of a worker, but more than that of a domestic worker. The family was always with Pyotr Arkadyevich - both in the relatively calm years on his Lithuanian estate Kalnabyarzhe, which Stolypin’s father received long ago in payment of a gambling debt, and in the hard times, when assassination attempts rained down like crazy. Olga Borisovna outlived her husband by three decades and died in exile. Stolypin's children, who were constantly in danger from a young age, went abroad, where four of them lived to a ripe old age.

Those born under the sign of Aries have developed intuition and good instincts. But, even anticipating the storms of life, they still go towards fate with their heads held high. They said that Stolypin knew that death was walking next to him, and sometimes had prophetic dreams. It seems that before leaving for Kyiv, for the opening of the monument to Alexander II, he saw in a dream a friend who informed him of his death and asked him to take care of his wife. The next day a telegram arrived with bad news. The prime minister had already been moved further away from the emperor; he had one foot in retirement and did not create any illusions. There were too many dissatisfied with his policies: from the empress to the police generals, whose financial expenses Stolypin ordered to be checked. He was informed that terrorists were again hovering around, not only planning to assassinate the Prime Minister, but also taking aim at the Tsar himself. They said that after the terrorist Bogrov shot at Stolypin twice, Pyotr Arkadyevich still managed to wave a warning to the emperor and cross him. They also said that Nicholas II then knelt before the deceased, prayed and asked for forgiveness.

Stolypin, who for many years supported the state on his shoulders, was buried in the Kiev Pechersk Lavra. According to his will - to be buried where he is killed. " Give the state twenty years of peace, internal and external, and you will not recognize today's Russia!“- this is what Pyotr Arkadyevich, a Russian nobleman, prime minister and great reformer said.

On September 14, 1911, Russian Prime Minister Pyotr Arkadyevich Stolypin was mortally wounded in the Kiev Theater. Let's remember this outstanding person, who, based on the results of the all-Russian Internet survey conducted in 2008, “The Name of Russia. Historical Choice 2008” took 2nd place (following Alexander Nevsky).

Date of birth: April 14, 1862
Date of death: September 18, 1911
Place of birth: Dresden, Saxony, Germany

Stolypin Pyotr Arkadevich - a prominent statesman and major reformer of Russia, state councilor, minister of internal affairs, prime minister.

Childhood

Father, Arkady Dmitrievich, after participating in the Russian-Turkish war of 1877-1878, was appointed governor of the Balkans (Eastern Rumelia). Mother, Natalya Mikhailovna (nee Gorchakova), was from the ancient Rurik family. Being in the last month of pregnancy, she went to visit relatives in Dresden, where she gave birth to Peter. His childhood passed in the Serednikovo estate and the Kolnoberge estate.

Education

From 1874 to 1879, Peter studied at the Vilna Gymnasium (modern Vilnius), from 1879 to 1881 - at the Oryol Gymnasium. Already during his studies, he stood out among his peers for his prudence, seriousness and strong character. After high school, he graduated from the Imperial University (Faculty of Physics and Mathematics) in St. Petersburg.

Career

Documents about the beginning of the career of the great reformer have not survived. Information on this matter is very contradictory: some claim that after university Stolypin worked in the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Industry, others immediately name the Ministry of Internal Affairs. However, it is known for certain that in two years Stolypin climbed 5 steps of the bureaucratic ladder at once: 1886 - the rank of collegiate secretary (corresponding to the X class of the table of ranks), 1887 - assistant clerk (VII class), 1888 - the rank of chamber cadet (V class ).

In 1889, Stolypin was appointed district marshal of the nobility in Koven (modern Kaunas) and chairman of the court of peace mediators. In this position, Pyotr Arkadyevich is actively involved in the development of agriculture and continues to move up the career ladder: one after another, he is showered with promotions, titles and awards.

In 1902, on Plehve’s initiative, Stolypin was appointed governor of Grodno. In Grodno, Stolypin carries out educational and agricultural reforms, but does not have time to turn around, as he is sent as governor to Saratov.

In 1906, Stolypin was summoned by telegram to an appointment with the emperor, who offered him the dangerous post of Minister of Internal Affairs. At that time, both previous ministers were killed by revolutionaries, Stolypin himself had already been the victim of assassination attempts 4 times, so it is quite understandable that Pyotr Arkadyevich tried to refuse such royal favor. Nicholas II had no choice but to simply order. In the same year, he also became prime minister.

Suffrage reforms

It was Stolypin who had to restrain the aggression of the First State Duma and participate in its dissolution. He also did not have a good relationship with the Second Duma, after the dissolution of which Stolypin carried out a number of reforms in the electoral system of the Russian Empire. The Third Duma was convened in accordance with the reforms carried out and was the brainchild of Stolypin, but in this way he could completely control it.

Law on Courts Martial

The reformer was criticized for the harshness of this law, adopted by Stolypin in 1907, but he was forced to somehow stop the wave of bloody terror that covered the country in the first years of the 20th century: prominent statesmen, governors and ordinary people died at the hands of terrorists. According to this law, the criminal was tried within 24 hours immediately after committing the crime in the same place where he was caught, and the sentence was carried out immediately within 24 hours.

Autonomy of Finland

The Principality of Finland was considered a special territory of the Russian Empire, which had its own autonomy. Stolypin took a number of decisive measures and achieved a limitation of this autonomy: since 1908, all Finnish affairs were resolved only through the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Agrarian reform

Stolypin began to carry it out almost immediately. The main goal of the reform was the introduction of private ownership of land among peasants and the settlement of free lands in Siberia, where entire carriages with peasants went. The reform promised to give excellent results, but the premature death of Stolypin interrupted its progress.

In 1911, just before his death, Stolypin managed to organize zemstvos in the western provinces.

Personal life

The personal life of the great reformer was very interesting. Having tragic origins, his marriage turned out to be long and happy. Peter's elder brother, Mikhail, died in a duel, but before his death he bequeathed his bride, Olga Borisovna Neidgardt, to his younger brother. She was the great-great-granddaughter of Suvorov and at that time was at the empress’s court as a maid of honor.

So Olga became Stolypin’s wife. There is no information about scandals and betrayals in the Stolypin family, so we can assume that the family life of the great politician was a success. The marriage produced 5 girls and 1 boy.

Death

In September 1811, Stolypin was with the emperor in Kyiv, where he was mortally wounded by the revolutionary Bogrov, who shot him twice at point-blank range. The great reformer was buried in the Kiev Pechersk Lavra.

Stolypin's main achievements

• The revolution of 1905-1907 was suppressed, and the Second State Duma was dissolved, thanks to Stolypin.
• Author of the agrarian reform (Stolypin). It assumed the establishment of peasant private ownership of land.
• He passed the law on military courts, which toughened punishments for serious crimes.
• Established zemstvos in the western provinces.

Important dates in Stolypin's biography

• 1862 - birth
• 1874-1879 - Vilna Gymnasium
• 1879-1881 - Oryol gymnasium
• 1881-1885 - studied at St. Petersburg University
• 1889-1902 - district marshal of the nobility in Koven
• 1893 - Order of St. Anne
• 1901 - State Councilor
• 1902 - Governor of Grodno
• 1906 - Minister of Internal Affairs, Prime Minister, agrarian reform
• 1907 - law on courts-martial
• 1908 - restriction of the autonomy of the Principality of Finland
• 1911 - establishment of zemstvos in the western provinces, death

Interesting facts from the life of Stolypin

• Stolypin owns the famous phrase “They need great upheavals - we need a great Russia.”
• Stolypin was the second cousin of the great poet of the 19th century, M. Yu. Lermontov.
• While studying at the Imperial University of St. Petersburg, Stolypin was lucky enough to become a student of D. I. Mendeleev himself.
• Stolypin had poor control of his right hand. There is information that he shot himself in a duel with Shakhovsky, the killer of his brother, who wounded Peter in the right hand.
• Historians count 11 attempts on the life of the great reformer.
• In 1906, an explosion was organized on Aptekarsky Island, in the minister’s mansion: dozens of people who were in the house were killed. Stolypin's daughter, Natalya, received severe injuries to her legs and could not walk for a long time. Son Arkady received bruises. Their nanny died before their eyes.

Original post and comments at

The name of Stolypin is associated with a number of transformations that changed the life of our country. These are agrarian reform, strengthening the Russian army and navy, the development of Siberia and the settlement of the vast eastern part of the Russian Empire. Stolypin considered his most important tasks to be the fight against separatism and the revolutionary movement that was corroding Russia. The methods for implementing these tasks were often cruel and uncompromising in nature (“Stolypin tie”, “Stolypin carriage”).

Pyotr Arkadyevich Stolypin was born in 1862 into a hereditary noble family. His father Arkady Dmitrievich was a military man, so the family had to move several times: 1869 - Moscow, 1874 - Vilno, and in 1879 - Oryol. In 1881, after graduating from high school, Pyotr Stolypin entered the natural sciences department of the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics of St. Petersburg University. Stolypin the student was distinguished by his zeal and diligence, and his knowledge was so deep that even with the great Russian chemist D.I. Mendeleev, during the exam, he managed to start a theoretical dispute that went far beyond the scope of the curriculum. Stolypin is interested in the economic development of Russia and in 1884 he prepared a dissertation on tobacco crops in the south of Russia.

From 1889 to 1902, Stolypin was the district leader of the nobility in Kovno, where he was actively involved in the enlightenment and education of peasants, as well as organizing the improvement of their economic life. During this time, Stolypin gained the necessary knowledge and experience in agricultural management. The energetic actions of the leader of the district nobility are noticed by the Minister of Internal Affairs V.K. Plehve. Stolypin becomes governor of Grodno.

In his new position, Pyotr Arkadyevich will contribute to the development of farming and raising the educational level of the peasantry. Many contemporaries did not understand the governor’s aspirations and even condemned him. The elite were especially irritated by Stolypin's tolerant attitude towards the Jewish Diaspora.

In 1903, Stolypin was transferred to the Saratov province. Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905. he perceived it extremely negatively, emphasizing the Russian soldier’s unwillingness to fight on foreign soil for interests alien to him. The unrest that began in 1905, which grew into the revolution of 1905-1907, was met openly and boldly by Stolypin. He speaks before protesters without fear of falling victim to the crowd, and harshly suppresses speeches and illegal actions on the part of any political force. The active work of the Saratov governor attracted the attention of Emperor Nicholas II, who in 1906 appointed Stolypin minister of internal affairs of the empire, and after the dissolution of the First State Duma - prime minister.

Stolypin's appointment was directly related to the reduction in the number of terrorist attacks and criminal activities. Dire measures were taken. Instead of the ineffective military courts, which tried cases of crimes against public order, military courts were introduced on March 17, 1907. They considered cases within 48 hours, and the sentence was carried out in less than a day after it was announced. As a result, the wave of the revolutionary movement subsided, and stability was restored in the country.

Stolypin spoke as clearly as he acted. His expressions have become classic. “They need great upheavals, we need a great Russia!” “For those in power, there is no greater sin than a cowardly evasion of responsibility.” “People sometimes forget about their national tasks; but such peoples perish, they turn into soil, into fertilizer, on which other, stronger peoples grow and grow stronger.” “Give the State twenty years of peace, internal and external, and you will not recognize present-day Russia.”

However, Stolypin's views on some issues, especially in the field of national policy, aroused criticism from both the “right” and “the left.” From 1905 to 1911, 11 attempts were made on Stolypin. In 1911, anarchist terrorist Dmitry Bogrov shot Stolypin twice in the Kiev theater, the wounds were fatal. The murder of Stolypin caused a wide reaction, national contradictions intensified, the country lost a man who sincerely and devotedly served not his personal interests, but the entire society and the entire state.

Introduction.

“Stolypin was a man of great temperament, until he and his soul were clouded by power, he was a man of honor.”

S. Yu. Witte.

"Stolypin is the last major statesman of the old regime."

P. N. Zyryanov.

“Stolypin dealt a stronger blow to the monarchy, or at least to the dynasty, than all the revolutionaries combined.”

V.V. Vernadsky.

“And such are all these decent people from the so-called high society. Nice, kind, courteous, until it touches the position, but according to the position they are animals and executioners.”

L. N. Tolstoy.

What contradictory assessments are contained in the statements of contemporaries and historians about P. A. Stolypin! Some call him a “lone reformer” who gave Russia a chance to wake up from a centuries-old sleep and follow the path of progress. Others consider him a reactionary, a “strangler of freedom.” So who is he really? Is it possible to agree with the opinion of the famous monarchist Shulgin that Stolypin’s reforms took place under the slogan: “Everything for the people - in spite of the people?” In our study we will try to present a portrait of Stolypin against the background of his historical era. The focus of our attention is the personality of Stolypin. Stolypin as a man, statesman and reformer.

The relevance of our work is determined by the fact that in the modern historical era Russia is following the path of reform, and studying and using the experience of the past allows us to avoid mistakes in the present and future. We are convinced that at turning points in historical development, the individual plays a huge role.

In our research work we used the following literature:

1. “Memories of my father” Maria Bok (ed. “Contemporary” 1992)

2. “Russia at the turn of the century: Historical portraits.” Author of the article (P.A. Stolypin) P.N. Zyryanov (ed. “Political Literature” 1991)

3. “Russian civilization: 19th – early 20th centuries” by I.N. Ionov (ed. Prosveshcheniye 1995)

Who is Stolypin?

Pyotr Arkadyevich Stolypin was born on April 2, 1861. He spent his childhood and early youth in Lithuania. In the summer the family lived in Kolnoberg or went to Switzerland. When it was time for the children to study, we bought a house in Vilna. Stolypin graduated from the Vilna gymnasium. IN 1881 he entered the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics of St. Petersburg University. In addition to physics and mathematics, physics, geology, zoology and agronomy were taught here. It was these sciences, the last among those named, that attracted Stolypin. In “Historical Portraits” P.N. Zyryanov cites an episode about the brilliant passing of Stolypin’s exam in chemistry to D.I. Mendeleev.

Pyotr Arkadyevich married early. He was almost the only married student in the entire university. Olga Borisovna, the wife of P.A. Stolypin, was formerly the wife of his older brother, who was killed in a duel. P.A. Stolypin also shot himself with his brother’s killer; having been wounded in the right arm, which has since functioned poorly. Pyotr Arkadyevich had a large family. In those days, this was very honorable, and indicated that this man was an exemplary family man. Stolypin had six children, including five daughters and one son. By the time the son was born, the eldest daughter had already become a bride.

After graduating from university, Stolypin had all the data to become a scientist, but he chose a different path - the path of politics.

Career of P.A. Stolypin.

He began his career with a position in the Ministry of State Property. After four years of service, Stolypin was promoted and appointed Kovno district leader of the nobility. And Stolypin and his family moved to Kolnoberge in 1889. There Stolypin took care of his estates and for a while gave up his dream of a career. But not only the estates in Kolnoberg were the possessions of the Stolypins, they also had estates in Nizhny Novgorod, Kazan, in the Penza and Saratov provinces. Once a year, Stolypin traveled around these estates, but, missing his family, he did not stay long on such trips. And soon in 1899 P.A. Stolypin was appointed Kovno provincial leader of the nobility, and in 1902, unexpectedly for himself, governor of Grodno. Stolypin was nominated for this position by V.K. Plehve, who sought to install “his own people” in all provinces. On his initiative, committees were created to solve the agricultural needs of the population. And at one of the meetings of the Grodno Committee, Stolypin publicly expressed his views for the first time. They basically boiled down to the destruction of the peasant stripes. At the same time, Stolypin emphasized: “To make the moment of the expected reform dependent on the good will of the peasants, to count on the fact that with the rise in the mental development of the population, which will come no one knows when...” (“Russia at the turn of the century: Historical portraits”, ed. Political Literature - 1991 .- author of the article P.N. Zyryanov – page 51). Biographers note that Stolypin carried this conviction throughout his entire government activity. In 1903, Stolypin was appointed governor of Saratov. Since the Stolypin family lived in Kolnoberg for a long time, when moving to a new place, Stolypin’s children looked at Russia as an unfamiliar country. But Stolypin also felt exactly the same because he visited Germany almost more often than in Russia.

Analyzing Stolypin's attitude to the events of the war with Japan in 1904, we concluded that Stolypin had a negative attitude towards this war. This can be clearly seen in Pyotr Arkadyevich’s conversation with his daughter. (“Historical portraits” by P.N. Zyryanov).

Following the war came revolution. Strikes, rallies and demonstrations began in Saratov and other cities of the province. Stolypin tried to rally all opponents of the revolution, collected more than 60,000 rubles and organized “people's clubs”, which became centers of Black Hundred propaganda and strongholds for the creation of Black Hundred squads that helped disperse rallies without the help of the army. In the summer of 1905, the Saratov province became one of the main centers of peasant movements. Accompanied by the Cossacks, Stolypin traveled around the rebellious villages and did not even hesitate to use troops against the peasants. Searches and arrests took place everywhere, sometimes even leading to murders. An example of this is December 16, 1905. A huge rally gathered on the streets of Saratov. And the forces of the Black Hundreds were too small compared to this huge crowd. And then Stolypin, seeing a critical situation here, gave the order to send the army into the city to disperse the demonstrators. The army coped with the task, the meeting was dispersed, and 8 people were killed.

On December 18, the police arrested members of the Saratov Council of Workers' Deputies, as they considered them supporters of the revolution and organizers of several rallies. Speaking at village gatherings, the governor used many swear words, threatened Siberia, hard labor and Cossacks, and sternly suppressed objections. And in our opinion, such performances were not safe for Stolypin. In this regard, many spoke about Stolypin’s personal courage, passing various situations from mouth to mouth. Because of this, many of them turned into legends. For example: One of Stolypin’s admirers V.V. Shulgin writes how one day the governor found himself unguarded in the face of an agitated gathering, and one burly guy came at him with a club. Without being confused, Stolypin threw his overcoat to him with the words: “Hold it!” The brawler was taken aback, obediently picked up his overcoat and dropped the club. Moreover, Shulgin was not present during this episode. Another time, as they said, Stolypin, having appeared in a recently revolting village, knocked out the bread and salt brought to him with a kick.

Many influential people spoke of Stolypin as a strong-willed, good-natured, decent person, a master of his word. So on August 6, 1905, a fellow minister of internal affairs reported to the tsar: “In the Saratov province, thanks to the energy, complete management and very skillful actions of the governor-chamberlain of the court of Your Imperial Majesty Stolypin, order has been restored.” (This episode is reflected in “Historical Portraits”, in the article by P.N. Zyryanov).

From 1905-1906 Peasant uprisings either “faded” or “flared up.” This continued until Stolypin left the province. In 1906, Stolypin was promoted and became a minister. It was in this position that Pyotr Stolypin showed himself to the maximum. He was able to show himself both from the side of a decisive politician and from the side of a formidable tyrant to things of some kind. While in this position, there were several attempts on his life. He had many enemies, but also many supporters. Stolypin put forward a lot of brilliant projects, but, unfortunately, not all of them were implemented.

A relatively young and inexperienced governor, little known in the capital, unexpectedly soared to a key post in the Russian administration. What springs were at work? The memoirs of S.E. Kryzhanovsky, a close friend of Stolypin, said: “Having achieved power without labor or struggle, by the power of luck and family ties alone, Stolypin felt the protective hand of Providence over him throughout his short but brilliant career.”

But the memoirs of Stolypin’s daughter Maria Bok say something completely different: “My father reached all the heights on his own, without using anyone’s help from higher circles.” Consequently, the opinions of people close to him, his contemporaries and biographers about Stolypin are contradictory.

What kind of person was Stolypin?

Studying the literature we selected, we came to the conclusion that Stolypin had the following character traits:

1) Decency. Stolypin was a very decent person. No one would ever say that Pyotr Arkadyevich publicly humiliated or insulted someone. There are very few people like Stolypin in society, they are valued.

2) Hard work. Pyotr Arkadyevich often locked himself in his office for several hours. He devoted this time to work, reading, sorting out documents, etc.

3) Courage. As I already said, Stolypin was a brave man. Examples of this are described in the last chapter.

4) Simplicity. Pyotr Stolypin did not consider himself to be among the upper classes. He did not believe that a person with the title of nobleman could insult or humiliate a simple peasant. Stolypin believed that all people are equal before God. But, in fairness, it should be noted that in revolutionary times he often broke his spoken words.

5) Caring. According to the stories of Maria Bak (Stolypin’s daughter), Pyotr Arkadyevich was a caring and attentive person. He devoted a lot of time and attention to his daughters.

At first XX century, Russia faced many challenges. Stolypin had to play his role in resolving them. Let us recall some of them. Governor: restoring order in the province; prevent the spread of revolutionary ideas; stabilization of the situation in the province. Minister: solution to the peasant land issue; increasing the economic well-being of the country; raising economic activity; destruction of the ideology of the revolution; assert the rights of the nobility.

If we combine all his aspirations, we will see that if successful, the reforms could lead Russia to prosperity. It seems to us that this is exactly what Stolypin, the reformer, was striving for.

How did Stolypin strive to achieve his goal?

Psychologists believe that a person’s character determines the specifics of his activities. This is what determines a person’s attitude towards the goals and means that he chooses to achieve it.

Stolypin proclaimed that first calm, then reform. He had an extremely negative attitude towards the revolution and revolutionaries, because believed that they needed great upheavals, and he needed Great Russia.

Stolypin used different means. Basically, these were warnings and threats. Pyotr Arkadyevich was not a fan of using violent measures; he preferred to solve everything diplomatically. But sometimes the situation was such that it was necessary to send in troops or deal with the disobedient with the help of the Cossacks. This happened on December 16, 1905. It is also necessary to take into account that he became a minister during the years of the 1st Russian Revolution. Such actions increasingly undermined the authority of local authorities and called the people to arms. Therefore, it seems to us, he introduces courts-martial, which subsequently turned liberal circles against him. For a long time his name was associated with “Stolypin ties.”

His reforms.

Particular attention should be paid to the Agrarian Reform, which had a positive impact on the improvement, as it seems to us, of peasant life. Over the seven years of active implementation of the reform, noticeable successes were achieved in the growth of agricultural production: sown areas increased by a total of 10%, and in the areas of greatest exodus of peasants from communities - by 150%; Grain exports increased by a third, reaching an average of 25% of world grain exports, and in good years - up to 40%. Over the same years, the amount of mineral fertilizers used doubled, and purchases of agricultural machinery by peasants increased almost 3.5 times.

These indicators, in turn, influenced the growth of industrial production, the rate of which was the highest in the world (8.8%). Consequently, this reform had a great future; it could lead to prosperity in the country’s agricultural sector, and agriculture, as we know, feeds the country. There is only one conclusion: Russia needed this reform, but unfortunately it was not popular, because... was aimed at destroying the community life habitual for peasants, and the resettlement of peasants beyond the Urals also did not solve the problem of land shortage.

He saw the problem primarily as a problem, not as an option for personal gain. In many cases this worked to his advantage. Pyotr Arkadyevich was traced in many of the reforms Russia needed.

If we consider the person of Stolypin at the global level, then unfortunately, we did not find sources that would illuminate his figure in the same aspect, such as Bismarck.

In the literature, Stolypin is assessed as an outstanding political figure who undertook reforms that were effective and improved the improvement of Russia and its economy. Few of the politicians of those times can compare with Stolypin's outstanding abilities.

We adhere to the opinion of historians who consider Pyotr Stolypin to be the most important link in the chain of reformist politicians.

Evaluating the person of Stolypin as a historical figure, we cannot express a clear opinion. We are inclined to believe that this is something in between the above assessments of his activities. The potential of Stolypin as a reformer was enormous, but the conditions and environment did not provide great opportunities. We do not deny that Pyotr Arkadyevich used Witte’s ideas in his reform activities, but he did this because his political insight allowed him to see further than other politicians of those years. In many of Witte's projects, Stolypin saw the future and great benefit for the Fatherland. Pyotr Stolypin directed his reform activities towards the revival of Russia and its economy.

We completely agree with the opinion of researchers about Stolypin’s extraordinary abilities. In the reform activities of Pyotr Arkadyevich there were both mistakes and successful projects. Its significance in history is undeniable. The Russian state is periodically shaken by reforms. People forget the names of their authors after a short period of time, but the name of the reformer Stolypin, even after a hundred years, is heard by descendants. Consequently, the conclusion suggests itself: today’s reformers have a lot to learn from Pyotr Arkadyevich Stolypin.

Conclusion.

Let's return to the opinion of the great Russian scientist V.V. Vernadsky: “Stolypin dealt a stronger blow to the monarchy and the ruling dynasty than all the revolutionaries combined.”

Is he right? I think I’m right, because Stolypin was unable to implement the reforms he planned: the social support of power at the expense of wealthy peasants did not increase. That is, the rural bourgeoisie has not strengthened. The peasants did not want to leave the community; The resettlement policy also failed due to poor organization (out of more than three million, five hundred thousand returned back, which is 16%). The government's disregard for the weak and hungry has embittered the poor. Dissatisfaction with the introduction of courts-martial and other punitive measures cemented the opinion of Stolypin as the strangler and hanger of freedom. The name Stolypin is associated with the “Stolypin tie.” Since 1910, the strike movement among students, workers, and democratic intelligentsia has noticeably revived. In subsequent years, the revolutionary movement continued to grow and then led to a national crisis.

Let's try to figure out what motivated Stolypin when he preferred punitive measures. Firstly: the historical setting itself. The task of suppressing the revolutionary movement came to the fore. Having mercilessly suppressed the revolution, Stolypin continued to pursue the dual policy that he had worked out back in 1906. The fight against the revolutionary movement and consistent opposition to the liberal opposition continued to constitute an extremely important direction in this policy. However, Stolypin was convinced that punitive measures alone were not enough to stabilize the situation in Russia. He believed that revolution is not an external disease, but an internal one, and external medicine alone cannot cure it. Stolypin hoped that, by implementing the reform program he proposed in 1906, he would be able to “cure” Russia, resolve emerging contradictions, while preserving the “foundations” - strong tsarist power and landownership. Therefore, this policy did not contradict his beliefs. Stolypin himself liked to repeat that revolutionaries needed great upheavals, and Stolypin dreamed of a great Russia.

Pyotr Stolypin is a “lonely reformer” in Russian history. The peasants did not accept his reform, because... they were not given the landowners' lands. The nobility saw him as a destroyer of centuries-old foundations. If they put up with Stolypin the calmer, then they did not need Stolypin the reformer. The intelligentsia and revolutionary parties could not forgive him for the military courts. The Social Revolutionaries launched a real hunt for him, organizing assassination attempt after attempt. And even Nicholas II did not support Stolypin’s course, fearing to remain in his shadow and that his autocratic power would become unnecessary. Konovtsev V.N. in the book “Memoirs of 1903-1919.” - M., 1992 wrote that a month after Stolypin’s death, few people remembered him, he was criticized, and rarely anyone expressed sympathy. With the death of Stolypin, the era of reform in Russia ended. In Soviet historiography, Stolypin’s activities were assessed extremely negatively, as reactionary (BSE, M., 1976). And only today the personality of Stolypin and his reform activities are of increased interest.

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