Orthodoxy, Autocracy, and Nationality

Orthodoxy, Autocracy, and Nationality

▪ Russian slogan
Russian  Pravoslaviye, Samoderzhaviye, I Narodnost,  

      in Russian history, slogan created in 1832 by Count Sergey S. Uvarov (Uvarov, Sergey Semyonovich, Count), minister of education 1833–49, that came to represent the official ideology of the imperial government of Nicholas I (reigned 1825–55) and remained the guiding principle behind government policy during later periods of imperial rule.

      Uvarov presented the phrase in a report to Nicholas on the state of education in the Moscow university and secondary schools (gimnazii). In the report he recommended that the state's future educational program stress the value of the Orthodox Church, the autocratic government, and the national character of the Russian people; he considered these to be the fundamental factors distinguishing Russian society and protecting it from the corrupting influence of western Europe.

      As the official ideology became the basis of Russian education, the study of theology and the classics, as well as vocational training, received much emphasis. Philosophy, however, considered to be the main medium through which corrupting Western ideas were transmitted, was virtually eliminated from the curriculum. Outside the schools, strict censorship was imposed on all publications that were critical of the system of autocracy.

      Furthermore, official adherence to the slogan “Orthodoxy, Autocracy, and Nationality” gave an impetus (not entirely approved of by the Emperor) to the cause of the Russian nationalists, many of whom were employed in government and other influential positions. Interpreting narodnost to mean “nationalism” rather than “nationality,” they used their authority to institute Russification policies in schools in non-Russian areas of the empire, to pressure non-Orthodox religious groups to convert, and to enact various restrictive measures that suppressed non-Russian nationality groups. The nationalists also encouraged the government to support the efforts of other Slavic peoples to achieve national autonomy and, thereby, contributed to the developing rivalry between Russia and Austria (one of Russia's chief allies) for dominance in the Slavic-populated Balkans.

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать курсовую

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Orthodoxy, Autocracy, and Nationality — Nicholas I (reigned 1825 1855) made Official Nationality the main doctrine of his reign Orthodoxy, Autocracy and Nationality (Православие, самодержавие, народность, Pravoslavie, Samoderzhavie, Narodnost ), also known as Official Nationality[1][2 …   Wikipedia

  • Tsarist autocracy — The Tsarist autocracy[a] (Russian: царское самодержавие, transcr. tsarskoye samoderzhaviye) refers to a form of autocracy (later, absolute monarchy) specific to the Grand Duchy of Muscovy (which later became Tsardom of Russia and the Russian… …   Wikipedia

  • Russia — /rush euh/, n. 1. Also called Russian Empire. Russian, Rossiya. a former empire in E Europe and N and W Asia: overthrown by the Russian Revolution 1917. Cap.: St. Petersburg (1703 1917). 2. See Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. 3. See Russian… …   Universalium

  • Nicholas I — 1. Saint ( Nicholas the Great ), died A.D. 867, Italian ecclesiastic: pope 858 867. 2. 1796 1855, czar of Russia 1825 55. * * * Russian Nikolay Pavlovich born July 6, 1796, Tsarkoye Selo, near St. Petersburg, Russia died March 2, 1855, St.… …   Universalium

  • History of Russia — The history of Russia begins with that of the East Slavs. The first East Slavic state, Kievan Rus , adopted Christianity from the Byzantine Empire in 988, [cite web|title=Kievan Rus and Mongol Periods|url=http://www.shsu.edu/ his… …   Wikipedia

  • Byzantinism — This article is about the philosophical and political term. For architecture, see Byzantine architecture. Byzantinism or Byzantism is a term used in political science and philosophy to denote the political system and culture of the Byzantine… …   Wikipedia

  • Russian nationalism — See also: Radical nationalism in Russia Russian nationalism is a term referring to a Russian form of nationalism. Russian nationalism has a long history dating from the days of Muscovy to Russian Empire, and continued in some form in the Soviet… …   Wikipedia

  • Uvarov, Sergey Semyonovich, Count — ▪ Russian statesman (Graf) born Aug. 25 [Sept. 5, New Style], 1786, Moscow, Russia died Sept. 4 [Sept. 16], 1855, Moscow       Russian statesman and administrator, an influential minister of education during the reign of Tsar Nicholas I.… …   Universalium

  • List of Russian people — The Millennium of Russia monument in Veliky Novgorod, featuring the statues and reliefs of the most celebrated people in the first 1000 years of Russian history …   Wikipedia

  • Congress Poland — Kingdom of Poland Królestwo Polskie (pl) Царство Польское (ru) Tsarstvo Polskoye Real union with the Russian Empire, incorporated in 1832 and integrated in 1867 …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”