Abstract
The authors of this article consider the development of the political, administrative and spheres of the early modern Russian state against the backdrop of similar processes taking place in the neighboring states of Europe at this time. Analyzing the administrative and legal practices inherent in European states and in Russia of the late middle ages - early new age, the authors come to the conclusion that the notion of Muscovia, formed as despotic state based on the absolute power of the Moscow tsars and the lack of rights of their subjects, is based on the subjective impressions of foreign observers. The latter, getting into the closed Moscow society, failed to understand the peculiarities of the Russian state power mechanisms functioning and their legal basis, based on not recorded in written law. Having perceived the official Moscow political declarations as the real legal foundation, on which the early Russian state was built, foreign observers did not notice the everyday life behind this front facade, which had little in common with the officially proclaimed doctrine. The reality was to build thin balance of interests between the supreme power and local government, based on the observance of old traditions by both sides. In this regard, the Russian state of the late middle ages - early new age can be considered legal one, if we understand by a law not only the written law, but also the customary one.
Highlights
Wolf pointed out that the image of the "other" since the middle of the 16th century was developed from the "western" side carefully, for "Eastern Europe defined Western Europe by contrast, as the Orientated the Occident" and, Russia may resign its military domination of Eastern Europe, but it can not be banish the idea of Eastern Europe, for it did not invent or impose that idea, because "the idea of Eastern Europe was invented in Western Europe in the age of Enlightenment, and Russia was included in that idea" (with the only correction that Russia-Muscovy was withdrawn from the European "civilized world" much earlier - in our opinion, since the middle of the 16th century (Wolff, 1994: 7-15)
The supreme power is compelled to put up with them, because without a proper power and administrative resources, it can not ensure otherwise the loyalty of the territories attached to the crown, as agreed on cooperation and a kind of partnership with local societies and their leaders. These considerations seem important from the point of view of political and legal development study methods in the late Middle Ages-the early New Times in respect of the Russian state and society, which determined our choice of precisely this concept as the methodological basis of our work
McKenney, the 16th century for early modern Russia and for its neighbors was the century of expansion and a conflict (McKenney, 2002)
Summary
Fletcher was not alone in this description - many foreign observers of the same time agreed that Muscovy is the realm of tyranny and absence of rights based on lawlessness and where the only "law" is the will of a sovereign. These considerations seem important from the point of view of political and legal development study methods in the late Middle Ages-the early New Times in respect of the Russian state and society, which determined our choice of precisely this concept as the methodological basis of our work.
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