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-
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