Russifi cation Policy Conceptual Framework Formation in the Western Borderland Regions in the Domestic Conservative Discourse on the Eve of the January Uprising of 1863

Abstract

Incorporation into the Russian Empire in the 18th century of the eastern areas of the Polish- Lithuanian Commonwealth, that were according to Russian intellectuals and state fi gures integral parts of “Russian world” detached from it due to adverse historic circumstances, as well as annexation by the empire of native Polish lands in the beginning of the 19th century, led to the appearance in Russian socio-political discourse of the fatal “Polish issue”, connected not only with the necessity to ensure the Polish subjects loyalty but also with striving to integrate Western borderlands into the common imperial space. In the second half of the 1850ies and the beginning of the 1860ies the formation of conceptual basics of imperial policy in relation to the Western areas started in the national conservative circles, and the key element there was the necessity of the comprehensive area russifi cation, since the area was viewed as “original Russian’, but exposed in its development to substantial “distortions” related to the long-term Polonism domination. Russian intellectuals and state fi gures in the Western areas called for total Polonism extermination accompanied by concurrent development of “Russian fundamentals” that was supposed to be realized with the help of the combination of tough administrative steps and the policy of “soft power”.