Rybin D.V.

Legalists and the rights of Jews in the Russian Empire in early 20th century. Pp. 40–48.

UDC 94(47).083

DOI 10.37724/RSU.2025.86.1.004

 

Abstract. The “Jewish issue” was a long-standing problem in the Russian Empire. The theory of the “badness” of the Jewish people, their perfidy, maliciousness and other negative qualities remained dominant. At the end of the 19th century, updated anti-Semitic legislation was adopted. Hundreds of petty restrictions bound Jews and hindered their development. All this was accompanied by increasing pogroms in Jewish neighborhoods. Jews began to feel their national identity more acutely, emigrated, joined socialist parties, corrupted officials, and so on. The liberal public was dissatisfied with this state policy. In the public press, meetings of state bodies, correspondence, and the State Duma, conservative liberals vigorously argued the absurdity and injustice of anti-Semitic claims, and demanded gradual or immediate liberation of the Jews. The subject of the present study is the activity of liberal lawyers (legalists) of the Russian Empire concerned with emancipation of Jews. The problem-chronological approach is chosen as the main method. Highlighting the “Jewish issue,” we trace the chronology of fluctuations in the state policy on the Jewish question and highlight the forms of the legalists’ struggle for the rights of the Jews. Such a reconstruction in relation to the legalist movement is carried out for the first time and contributes to our historical knowledge. Preliminarily, a number of conclusions can be formulated. Through the press, the liberals developed a negative image of anti-Semitic politics. Participating in party caucuses and commissions, they prevented the expansion of negative legislation. In the Senate they always voted in favor of acts protecting Jews, even against imperial legislation. In Parliament they invariably pursued liberation of Jews.

 

Keywords: anti-Semitism, Jews, Judaism, A. F. Koni, conservative liberals, legalists, D. A. Milyutin, B. N. Chicherin, Senate.

 

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