We continue our series of publications on the development of Russian parliamentarism. Next up is a story about the creative contribution of Boris Nikolayevich Chicherin (1812-1904), the greatest expert on state law in pre-revolutionary Russia, whose thoughts and conclusions continue to attract the attention of scholars and remain relevant today. His views on the possibility of building a constitutional state in Russia are still striking in their accuracy and depth. B.N. Chicherin was an unconditional supporter of the establishment of political freedom and constitutional government in Russia. He devoted his fundamental work "On Popular Representation" to this issue, which he defended as his doctoral dissertation in 1866. The main content of his research was the development of constitutional institutions as a combination of freedom and order. In other words, he concluded that the introduction of representative government should only occur when the country is ready for political freedom and when certain conditions are met. Interest in Chicherin's research on the nature and properties of popular representation is still alive and well. Among these, the legal scholar clearly identified both beneficial and detrimental aspects of popular participation in government. Chicherin emphasizes that "political freedom is useful for nations only in their mature years, when they are in the full bloom of life." He places the "good of the entire union" first, and argues that when discussing the benefits of representative institutions, it is important to consider their significance for the overall interests of the state. Boris Nikolayevich believes that the advantages of political freedom and representative institutions are "obvious." As a "useful" feature of the people's representation, he cites the fact that the House of Representatives is constantly "on guard," raising its voice in the name of public needs. Additionally, the people's representation provides significant assistance ... Read more