POLICY OF THE VREMENNOGO PRIAMURSKOGO GOVERN-MENT IN RELATION TO ZEMSTVO SELF-GOVERNMENT BODIES

Abstract

Purpose. The article is devoted to the current topic - territorial self-government institutions. The policy of the Vremennogo Priamurskogo government with regard to zemstvos was the subject of analysis. The author aimed to examine the policy of the government of S.D. Merkulova with regard to the territorial self-government institutions.
 Materials and methods. The study was based on published and unpublished sources. Analytical, systematic, comparative-historical, historical-genetic and historical-typological methods were used in the analysis of the material.
 Results. The Vremennoe Priamurskoe government had not established a clear and consistent policy with regard to the territorial self-government institutions. Rather, it was forced to immediately respond to events. The government of S.D. Merkulova wanted to deprive the zemstvo of political functions. Zemstvo institutions sharply opposed. As a result, the government accused them of complicity with the communists and the collapse of economic and cultural life in Primorye. Based on this, the merkulovskoe government tried to subjugate the volost administration, eliminating the volost zemstvo unit and replacing it with rural self-government, but failed due to distrust of the population. This led to the fact that the Priamurskoe government decided to restore the territorial self-government system at all levels, but wanted to keep the zemstvo apparatus under full control, for which it changed the electoral legislation. This allowed the election of people loyal to the government to the zemstvo. However, the government of S.D. Merkulova could not agree with the zemstvos on the division of powers. Therefore, the government it actively intervened in zemstvo affairs, and as a result, limited their political, socio-economic, economic and cultural activities.
 Practical implications. The results of the study can be applied in the historical science and education.