Political Clubs and Press in Russia and England in the 20—30s of XIX Century: Russian Public Opinion about the Tory Party

Abstract

The author examines the processes of institutionalization of such forms of public representation in Great Britain and Russia in the first third of the 19th century as the press and political clubs. The formation of criteria for a new type of communication characteristic of club culture is investigated: equality of participants, the quality of argumentation and problematization of public policy in relation to both countries. The relevance of the study is seen in conducting a comparative analysis and determining the features of the formation of public political discourse in Russia and Great Britain during the period under study. The novelty of the research lies in the placement of the problems considered in the article in a broader research context, as well as in the use of the methodology of critical conventionalism in the analysis of the role of the press and political clubs. Particular attention is paid to the presentation in the Russian press of the political situation in Great Britain in the first half of the 30s of the XIX century. The author’s vision of the role and place of the press in shaping public opinion in Russia in relation to the policy of the Tory party in 1831—1834 is presented. It is shown that the ideas of the Russian educated class about Tory politics during this period were fragmentary and poorly understood from the point of view of understanding British political realities. It is emphasized that the correctness of the assessment of the political situation in Great Britain in the first half of the 30s of the 19th century raises reasonable doubts in the Russian press.