Absolutism in Russia had little difference fromabsolute monarchies of Western European countries (France, Spain, England). In all these states, including in Russia, the same stages of the formation of power took place. The early feudal and estate-representative monarchy developed into an absolute monarchy, characterized by unlimited formal power of the monarch. Such a structure presupposes a strong, ramified professional bureaucratic apparatus, a standing army, the liquidation of estate-representative institutions and bodies. Having all these signs, absolutism in Russia had a number of features.
In Europe, the power structure was formed inconditions for the removal of old institutions and the formation of new capitalist relations. The emergence of absolutism in Russia coincided with the development of serfdom. The social basis for the development of the Western European monarchy was considered to be the alliance of the nobility and cities (imperial, free). Absolutism in Russia was based more on the service class, the feudal nobility. By the end of the 17th century noble tenure had expanded considerably.
The second half of the 16th century is considered the time of the birth of the Russian monarchy. The final confirmation of absolutism in Russia is the first quarter of the 18th century.
One of the most important causes of developmentThis power was the economic growth of the country in the 16-17 centuries. In this era, the development of agriculture through the expansion of areas for crops and increasing oppression of serfs, the areas begin to specialize in the production of specific agricultural products.
Absolutism in Russia was accompanied by an expansionstate power, its invasion in all areas of private, corporate, public life. Expansionist aspirations of that time were expressed, mainly, in the aspiration to the outlet to the seas and the expansion of the territory.
Another direction was the policy of further enslavement. The process was most pronounced by the 18th century.
The role of the state was manifested in a thorough anddetailed regulation of duties and rights of certain classes and groups. The power, formed by the beginning of the 18th century, is called a "police officer". This definition is due not only to the creation of the police at that time, but also to the unconditional desire of the state to intervene in all life's trifles, trying to regulate them.
At some stages of development of the Russianabsolute monarchy appeared resembling Western European legal forms, attempts were made to form a constitution, legal foundations in the state, cultural enlightenment. These directions were associated not only with the personalities of monarchs, but also with political and socio-economic conditions.
The system of domination, formed during the periodabsolutism in Russia, is characterized by fairly frequent palace coups, carried out by the palace guard and the nobility aristocracy. The change of monarchs occurred quite easily, which may indicate that in the strengthened absolutism of the personality of the autocrat was not given special significance. Everything was decided by the very mechanism of power, where every member of the state and society was only a detail.
The political ideology of absolutismcharacterized by the desire for a clear distinction between individuals and social groups. In this case, the person begins to dissolve in terms of "official", "soldier", "prisoner".
Absolutism is characterized by an abundance of legal acts, signed, accepted for any reason. This sign reflects the desire of the authorities to regulate the activities of each of their subjects.
