Struggle for Legal Women’s Rights in Russian Empire (second half of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century)

Abstract

The article goal – showing struggle for legal women’s rights in A. Koni and others legal profession, including work in advocacy institutions in the Russian Empire in second half of XIX – beginning of XX century. Methods of research: modernization and gender history. The main results. In article author establish that the Russian Empire society in the end of XIX – beginning of XX century matured till understanding the equality principle of women and men role in social affairs, their leveling in property rights and in professional activities. Despite of lawyers struggle for women rights in conditions of autocracy were tiny (only the woman question discussion in press) it shows to empire power opposition from lawyers’ side and to society – necessity of changes in women’s legal status. The originality. Author uses memoirs and speeches of famous judge, member of State Council of the Russian Empire A. Koni and articles of leading lawyers, which were published in such newspapers as “Law”, “Law Herald”, “News of Jury and Trusted Council”. Scientific novelty: at the first time article describes the main issues about struggle for legal women’s rights, namely: attitude toward women in general and in legal cases; widening personal and property rights of women; giving them access to higher law education and possibility to apply it in their professional activity. Type of the article: descriptive and analytical. In article author insist that one of the first men, who outline the woman question and started to debate about widening legal women’s rights, was A. Koni. His activity was supported by famous scientists, lawyers, advocates such as D. Stasov, V. Spasovych, V. Nabokov, P. Liublinskiy, I. Foynytskiy, V. Sluchevskiy, and S. Shelukhin. A. Koni achieved particular regulation of widening property rights for women. In struggle for allowing advocacy practice for women author point out 2 stages, during its women tried to hold an appointment as private jury. Author notes first women-advocates in the Russian Empire and Ukraine, for example: E. Kozmina, K. Fleyshyts, L. Ginsburg, and O. Yaroshevska. Author determines that problems in female advocacy in Russian Empire were the same, as problems in Western Europe and USA. Question about allowing women to be advocates and notaries in Russia and Ukraine weren’t decided till 1917.