Local government reform in Russia until 1864, was organized in accordance with the features that determine the feudal system.The central figure in it was the landlord, in whose hands was the administrative and judicial, political and economic power over the peasants belonging to him.
first Zemstvo reform of Ivan the Terrible, held back in 1550, already at that time was directed at the elimination of "feeding" and the creation of elected public authorities.
But in the 19th century, this problem fully so also has not been resolved.At the head of the governors of the provinces were endowed with very wide powers: police, supervisory, administrative, economic and other features.The next most important people in the province were marshal of the nobility and the county marshal of the nobility.That is similar to the control system can only reflect the interests of the landowners.It does not take into account the needs of not only the population but also the local industry and commerce.Undifferentiated judicial, administrative and economic powers further exacerbates the situation.
For the peasant reform was necessary to rebuild the system.To this end began to prepare the Zemstvo reform of 1864.On local self-government should have been entrusted with the functions of local and public.To exercise control over them was the state in the form of a special government oversight or supervision and assigning specific regulations.Orders themselves Zemsky bodies could be realized with the help of fiscal fiscal authorities or by the police.
Zemskaya hampered efforts to reform local authorities to concentrate power in the hands of bureaucratic bodies.Open a desire to implement a new form of local government for the birth principle organizers of the reform is not solved.Universal suffrage was unacceptable for them.Therefore it was decided to divide the electoral population of the county on Curia three (part), each of which was dominated by representatives of a certain class.Due to the existence of a property qualification curial system allows the government to plan the number of electors in the Zemsky institutions, providing the majority of the representatives of the ruling class.
January 1, 1864 authorities approved the "Regulations on zemstvo institutions".From that day on they had entrusted superintendence of capital, money and property zemstvoes content of Railways and buildings, carrying out charitable activities, participation in health and education, mutual insurance of property, the care of the local industry and commerce.
Zemsky reforms included the creation of three curiae: district landowners, residents and representatives of the village.Executive Body Zemsky assembly - council - elected for two years.The members of the provincial assembly Zemsky elected at district meetings.
Zemskaya reform has not created a centralized harmonious system: with its implementation was never formed a body that would coordinate the work of all the zemstvos.Trying to create it it was made in 1865 by the provincial assembly of St. Petersburg, but in response to the initiative of his government dissolved.Thus, the existence of local government allowed only at the level of provinces and districts.Nor was established and supervisors - county agency.
new governments due to limited in equity and non-executive staff were dependent on the government.However, a district reform contributed to the improvement of the local economy, communications, the system of public education and health care.Zemstva became a sort of school for the political representatives of the democratic and liberal social movements.In this respect, the reform can be characterized as bourgeois.
