Граф Миних о «пустоте» в государственном управлении России XVIII века

Abstract

The article examines the views of Count B.Ch. Minich on the nature and mechanism of state government. The article examines the thoughts of this statesman about the goals and nature of governance, correlates his theoretical views with management practice, analyzes proposals to change the system of public administration and civil service. The author uses historical and textual analysis (semantic, terminological, and discursive) in combination with the method of historical and situational analysis. Particular attention is paid to the concept of “emptiness” in public administration, which is fundamental for the theoretical studies of Count Minich. As a result of the analysis, it is concluded that “emptiness” means the absence of a system for making government decisions and their implementation. According to Minich, the main consequence of this problem was the strengthening of the influence of the Empress’s favorites, and as for the country, there was nothing good in this at all. To remedy the situation, Minich suggested implementing “rational bureaucracy”, which was expressed in his proposals to institutionalize the governance system, introduce stable procedures, rely on laws, and not use personal relationships to conduct the country’s affairs. Minich adhered to functional, rational, and bureaucratic (procedural) principles of governing. He believed that the imperfection of the monarchical way of government (“emptiness” in governance) could be corrected through the above-mentioned transformations and relying on those persons who have such qualities as honesty, diligence, etc.