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Bibliographical Note on the Russian Censorship under Alexander II

Bibliographical Note on the Russian Censorship under Alexander II The press policy of Alexander II's government offers an excellent example of the dilemma produced by the Era of Reforms. The government had launched reforms for the sake of efficiency and modernization. It envisioned literature's rôle during this period of regulated change as that of an onlooker who might suggest and approve reforms. The task of the press authorities was to see that literature and the periodical press stayed within these limits. Con- cretely what this policy required was the use of gentle restraint on material for the educated classes so that the spread of information and enlightenment might continue even while public opinion was being restricted. On the other hand, the less educated classes were to be quarantined from dangerous ideas. The task of the press au- thorities was not impossible, but it was more difficult than a blanket prohibition of information and it became more difficult as ideas began to percolate down to the newly educated classes. Neverthe- less, during the reign of Alexander II, the government's formula for maintaining the delicate balance it sought between "enlightenment" and "absolutism" stood. The study of press policy offers a prime example of that delicate balance of change and http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Canadian-American Slavic Studies Brill

Bibliographical Note on the Russian Censorship under Alexander II

Canadian-American Slavic Studies , Volume 3 (2): 377 – Jan 1, 1969

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Publisher
Brill
Copyright
© Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, The Netherlands
ISSN
0090-8290
eISSN
2210-2396
DOI
10.1163/221023969X00448
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

The press policy of Alexander II's government offers an excellent example of the dilemma produced by the Era of Reforms. The government had launched reforms for the sake of efficiency and modernization. It envisioned literature's rôle during this period of regulated change as that of an onlooker who might suggest and approve reforms. The task of the press authorities was to see that literature and the periodical press stayed within these limits. Con- cretely what this policy required was the use of gentle restraint on material for the educated classes so that the spread of information and enlightenment might continue even while public opinion was being restricted. On the other hand, the less educated classes were to be quarantined from dangerous ideas. The task of the press au- thorities was not impossible, but it was more difficult than a blanket prohibition of information and it became more difficult as ideas began to percolate down to the newly educated classes. Neverthe- less, during the reign of Alexander II, the government's formula for maintaining the delicate balance it sought between "enlightenment" and "absolutism" stood. The study of press policy offers a prime example of that delicate balance of change and

Journal

Canadian-American Slavic StudiesBrill

Published: Jan 1, 1969

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