Siberian Merchants in Mikhail M. Speransky’s Travel Diary and Letters (1819–1821)

Mikhail M. Speransky was one of the most outstanding statesman of the Russian Empire. He was the Siberian Governor-General in 1819–1821. His Siberian travel diary and correspondence cast light upon the interaction between state power and private capital during the economic and socio-cultural integration of the Eastern territories. The research objective was to reveal M. M. Speransky’s opinion about Siberian merchants, who were the most influential regional community. The analysis included M. M. Speransky’s brief diary entries and long letters to his daughter and friends, and as well as his business correspondence. M. M. Speransky believed that Siberian merchants were to play an important role in the development of regional economy and society. Numerous contacts with representatives of merchants from different Siberian cities allowed him to make observations about the moods spread in the merchant environment, the volume and features of commercial operations, their social role, etc. He also established good relations with the most prominent merchants. M. M. Speransky wrote about everyday life, culture, and economic relations of Siberian communities. He advocated the freedom of trade and despised the selfish attitude of the local administrations to the merchant class. He gathered information from different sources, including personal conversations with merchants, and developed an opinion on such important state issues as the activities of the Russian-American Company and the Russian-Chinese trade via Kyakhta. M. M. Speransky’s had a pragmatic interest in merchants and encouraged them to make charity donations for various needs.

1. Badzgaradze G. D., Antonov I. A. Philosophical legal views M. M. Speransky and their implementation in the conduct of the judicial reform 1864. Legal science: history and the presence, 2021, (3): 39–45. (In Russ.) https://elibrary.ru/fyyanl

2. Baraev V. V., Zuev A. S., Zueva E. A., Zherebtsov G. A., Gavrilova N. I. The Kandinskys (Kondinskys). Encyclopedic dictionary of the history of the merchant class and trade in Siberia. Vol. 1. A–L, ed. Rezun D. Ya. Novosibirsk: Geo, 2012, 292–296. (In Russ.) https://elibrary.ru/tlzngz

3. Gavrilova N. I. Charity. Encyclopedic dictionary of the history of the merchant class and trade in Siberia. Vol. 1. A–L, ed. Rezun D. Ya. Novosibirsk: Geo, 2012, 82–83. (In Russ.) https://elibrary.ru/tlzngz

4. Gavrilova N. I., Dameshek I. L., Dameshek L. M., Ivanov A. A., Shakherov V. P. State power and society: Irkutsk province in the XIX – early XX centuries. Irkutsk: Ottisk, 2019, 612. (In Russ.) https://elibrary.ru/pvjhnt

5. Gimelstein A. V., Dameshek L. M., Dameshek I. L., Danilenko A. V. Regional power and the public of Siberia (XIX – early XX century). Irkutsk: Vostochno-Sibirskaia izdatelskaia kompaniia, 2007, 256. (In Russ.) https://elibrary.ru/waienn

6. Dameshek L. M. Mikhail Mikhailovich Speransky in Irkutsk. Personality in the history of Siberia of the XVIII–XX centuries, ed. Kirillov A. K. Novosibirsk: Sova, 2007, 34–40. (In Russ.) https://elibrary.ru/tgjwwl

7. Dameshek I. L. Russian suburbs in the imperial strategy of power (early XIX – early XX century). Irkutsk: ISPU, 2005, 264. (In Russ.)

8. Dameshek L. M., Dameshek I. L. Siberian reform of 1822 by M. M. Speransky as a manifestation of the principles of imperial regionalism. Vestnik Tomskogo gosudarstvennogo universiteta, 2018, (426): 88–93. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.17223/15617793/426/10

9. Dameshek L. M., Dameshek I. L., Pertseva T. A. Siberian reforms of M. M. Speransky in 1822: experience of administrative regulation of the interests of the center and the region. Irkutsk: ISU, 2017, 339. (In Russ.) https://elibrary.ru/ymciej

10. Zipunnikova N. N., Lapshina L. P. Heritage of M. M. Speransky in legal scientific and educational "metadiscourse" (on the 250th anniversary of the great reformer). Bulletin of Udmurt University. Series Economics and law, 2022, 32(4): 699–706. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.35634/2412-9593-2022-32-4-699-706

11. Zueva E. A., Gavrilova N. I. The Medvednikovs. Encyclopedic dictionary of the history of the merchant class and trade in Siberia. Vol. 2. M–Ya, ed. Rezun D. Ya. Novosibirsk: Geo, 2013, 37. (In Russ.) https://elibrary.ru/tlznhj

12. Krakovskiy K. P. Unknown works of a great dreamer (To the 250th anniversary of count Speranskiy). Bulletin of the Law Faculty, SFEDU, 2022, 9(1): 99–108. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.18522/2313-6138-2022-9-1-13

13. Matkhanova N. P. Authorities and state officials as portrayed in the 19th century memoirs of Siberian merchants. Siberian Historical Research, 2016, (2): 58–75. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.17223/2312461X/12/5

14. Matkhanova N. P. The image of M. M. Speransky in Siberian memoirs. The Bulletin of Irkutsk State University. Series History, 2022, 40: 14–21. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.26516/2222-9124.2022.40.14

15. Matyukhin A. V. M. M. Speransky: at the origins of Russian liberalism. Journal of Political Research, 2020, 4(1): 54–69. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.12737/2587-6295-2020-54-69

16. Novikova I. A., Rogachevskaya M. A. M. M. Speransky in Siberia and about Siberia, ECO, 2009, (4): 167–181 (In Russ.) https://elibrary.ru/jxzkll

17. Plotnikova M. M. Urban development of Irkutsk under the government of M. M. Speransky. The Bulletin of Irkutsk State University. Series History, 2014, (7): 32–43. (In Russ.) https://elibrary.ru/sirskd

18. Razgon V. N. Siberian merchants in XVIII – first half of the XIX centuries. The regional aspect of the traditional type of entrepreneurship. Barnaul: ASU, 1999, 660. (In Russ.) https://elibrary.ru/tbucox

19. Rafiyenko L. S. Problems of management and culture of Siberia of the XVIII–XIX centuries: Selected works. Novosibirsk: Sova, 2006, 299. (In Russ.) https://elibrary.ru/qpexlp

20. Remnev A. V. Siberia in the imperial geography of power of the XIX – early XX centuries. Omsk: OmSU, 2015, 577. (In Russ.) https://elibrary.ru/uoewmr

21. Repina L. P. Contexts of intellectual history. Dialog so Vremenem, 2008, (25-1): 5–11. (In Russ.) https://elibrary.ru/rdubcv

22. Uporov I. V. To the 200th anniversary of the reform of the management of the Siberian territories: organizational and legal aspect and the role of M. M. Speransky. Humanitarian Scientific Journal, 2022, (3): 3–10. (In Russ.) https://elibrary.ru/epaezx

23. Chukanov I. A. The relationship of merchants and power in XVIII – XIX centuries. Mariyskiy arkheograficheskiy vestnik, 2015, (25): 154–159. (In Russ.) https://elibrary.ru/vbvjah

24. Churkin M. K. Siberia in the imperial geography of power: patterns of public and political discourse XVI–XX centuries. Philological Bulletin of Surgut State Pedagogical University, 2021, (4): 147–159. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.26105/PBSSPU.2021.8.4.010

25. Shakherov V. P. Business and authorities in Siberia XVIII – first half XIX century: from confrontation to partnership. The Bulletin of Irkutsk State University. Series Political Science and Religion Studies, 2015, 12: 57–69. (In Russ.) https://www.elibrary.ru/tmmbgj