The Zemstvo reform of 1861 in the Russian and English Newspaper Press
https://doi.org/10.21453/2311-3065-2025-13-4-43-56
Abstract
The article analyzes the coverage of the Zemstvo reform of 1864 in the Russian and British newspaper press (1864-1889). The study reveals fundamental differences in the perception of the reform: while the Russian press (conservative and liberal) saw the Zemstvo as a tool for strengthening statehood through civil society, the British press (The Times, The Daily Telegraph, The Guardian) demanded a constitutional a foundation as a prerequisite for success. Censorship restrictions have structured Russian discourse, forcing it to encode political meanings into economic language. A comparative analysis shows that British newspapers more accurately diagnosed the incompatibility of zemstvos with absolutism and predicted the inevitability of revolution. The study demonstrates the role of the press in constructing historical consciousness and the relevance of studying media discourses for understanding political processes.
About the Author
A. Y. Bugrov
Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA)
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Bugrov Artem Yuryevich – leading specialist of the Center for Additional Professional Education, Institute of Public Administration and Management in Culture, Education and Science
119606, Moscow, Vernadsky av., 84
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Review
For citations:
Bugrov A.Y. The Zemstvo reform of 1861 in the Russian and English Newspaper Press. Communicology. 2025;13(4):43-56. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.21453/2311-3065-2025-13-4-43-56
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