v 
really are outside of the limits of the British regime; they are not taken 
into consideration when this regime is examined and estimated, and, in 
fact, exercise no influence on it. England is fortunate in having her 
colonies apart from the country itself, in being exempt from the influence 
of the colonies, which permitted the development in the mother country, 
the development of an unadulterated system of high civic rights. Russia 
embracing her own colonies within herself, did not distinctly separate them 
from the mother country, so that the “colonial peculiarities” made them- 
selves fell with more or less detriment throughout the whole country. 
This was Russia’s misfortune, connected with the benefits of her extended 
system of State administration. 
The Government went ahead of the nation during a number of gene- 
rations, and implanted from above civilisation and culture. The growth 
was extremely rapid, and while the leaders of culture advanced far attaining 
the level of the highest achievements of European thought, art and social 
culture, there were gigantic masses that abode in the lowest depths of 
illiteracy and primitive husbandry. At the hands of the upper classes the 
State had to suffer criticism and disapproval that exceeded all bounds, and 
could not be satisfied by any European State; whereas by the lower classes 
accusations were levelled against the State for its excessive legislation, and 
abroad it was criticised with no understanding for the difficulty of the 
problem that faced Russia. 
The development being rapid, and the foundation insufficient, the 
former occurred in separate leaps and bounds. Owing to the influence 
of the cultivated social-outposts, every historical forward movement reached 
far; but then the general weight of unpreparednesss of the masses and of 
society, the very rawness and backwardness, retarded the movement, — and 
a period of retrogression set in. It might have seemed as if Russia was 
permanently engaged in reaction; in reality, however, during the long 
period of retrogression and of political reaction from what had been 
reached during the latest forward movement, — the enormous masses 
drew nearer — in regard to civilisation, culture and economies — towards 
those midway positions to which the Government had retreated. but 
wither the masses of the people had to advance. 
Absolutism existed until 1905; but absolutism was also a lawful order 
with its full power delimited and secured to various institutions, and any 
encroachment was of rare occurrence, and was considered an aggression 
on the law; the order of administration was essentially lawful. In 1gob 
a constitution had been obtained, and although neither its primary com- 
NM