ascended the throne after the death of his father, Alexander I and his closest friends and associates creates a so-called Private Committee.The members of this secret organization, except the emperor, Count Stroganov become involved in the French Revolution and a member of the Jacobin Club, as well as members of various Masonic organizations Count Kochubei, the Pole Czartoryski and Nikolai Novosiltsev.
Private Committee was a program aimed at reforming.At its meetings repeatedly discussed the introduction of Russian Constitution, which would be discussed on the Rights of Russian citizen and events in the spirit of the French Revolution.The draft constitution was written by Count Stroganov, who called it "the recognition of the legitimate rights of the people, as well as those forms on which he has the right to implement them."
involved in the secret committee and has recently returned to the Russian master Alexander I, a member of the Masonic Lodge of La Harpe.
Historians, however, believe that it is La Harpe urged Alexander, striving for a constitutional monarchy, to wait with the adoption of the Constitution, believing that such a large state as Russia is simply necessary unwavering and solid power.
Such Masons as Zavadovsky, Count AR Varentsov and Troschinsky, who later became ministers, also entered into secret committee, a community of people who are worried about the fate of Russia.
In the summer of 1801 began discussing Instruments Russian people, in the creation of which was attended by the "father" of Russian intellectuals A. Radishchev is considered avid enemy of the monarchy, and his patron Count Vorontsov and Mason Speransky.
Emperor Alexander Pavlovich, is the soul of this organization, the most ardent and most strongly denounced Russian orders, Introducing the all new projects to reform Russia.On a deep conviction of the autocrat as he tells in his memoirs Stroganov, in the center of all the reforms were supposed to be individual freedom and freedom of property, protection of the person by means of laws, "do not give a chance to change on any arbitrary existing establishment."
considered radical, the committee on the improvement of life in Russia and studied the problems associated with serfdom, realizing the economic necessity of its elimination.
also developing a decree forbidding selling just peasants without land.However, high officials found out about it, began to express strong dissatisfaction, believing that by doing so would undermine the foundations of serfdom.The emperor did not dare to insist on.
members of the secret committee perfectly understood the enormous distance that lay between their plans and the current reality.They had no doubt that any attempt on their part to the real values and primarily on the peasant question, raise a wave of discontent among the landowners, which can lead and the power and the emperor himself in a collision with the interests of the upper class in the country.And then may start a civil war, a danger to all.
And so the Emperor Alexander I acted cautiously and carefully.While even such timid little steps responded discontent in society.
in aristocratic and court circles the secret committee called "Jacobin gang."
all its founders, led by the Emperor Alexander were young, full of vitality and full of good intentions, however, and they were very inexperienced, and that was the cause of controversy.
secret committee to develop its activities, engaging in a discussion of a wide variety of reforms, all in 1801, until the month of May 1802.
But then for some reason he was not going to year and a half.And though in 1803 members of the "Jacobin gang" met several times, the secret committee gradually disintegrated and ceased to exist.I must say that on the merits while the need for it somehow disappeared.
