ACTIVITIES OF THE SECRET COMMITTEE: NEW APPROACHES TO SOLVING CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES

Abstract

In the first years of the reign of Alexander I, a Secret Committee (a circle of “young friends”) was created, which had a certain impact on the formation of domestic and foreign policy. Its participants believed that they should focus on studying the state of affairs in the Russian Empire to further prepare and implement the necessary transformations. It was attended by P.A. Stroganov, his cousin N.N. Novosiltsev, V.P. Kochubey and A. Chartorizhsky. Under the influence of the Secret Committee, Alexander I carried out part of the reforms in the early 19th century. However, the “young friends” acted unofficially and with a certain degree of secrecy. Therefore, there was no official records management of its meetings. These factors will later lead to the emergence of different points of view regarding the activities of the Secret Committee. The authors of the article pursue several goals: to determine the chronological framework for the existence of the Secret Committee, the composition and goals of the Committee, to identify its place in the political system of the Alexander era, to establish its role in the balance of power in court circles, and to evaluate its activities. Sources and the currently existing literature on the Secret Committee were analyzed to reveal these goals. The authors conclude that the upper limit of the activities of the Secret Committee should be increased at least until 1805, and the lower limit should be considered not the first meeting on June 24, 1801, but the activities of the “young friends” circle in 1797–1799 as a kind of preparatory stage. According to the authors, Alexander I, who chaired its meetings and set the agenda, as well as F. La Harpe as a kind of associate member, should be included in the Secret Committee. On the question of the place of the Secret Committee in the alignment of political forces in court circles, the authors state that the Secret Committee played a dual role. On the one hand, it was a new “command” and support for the young emperor, created to develop and conduct serious political and social reforms, and at the same time served as a kind of barrier against attempts by “conspirators” and part of the Catherine's old men, led by G.R. Derzhavin, to limit the supreme power in aristocratic interests. After analyzing the list of events held by the Secret Committee, it was found that its activities were not inconclusive, although for a number of reasons not all of the plans were implemented.