M.M. Speransky and N.M. Karamzin: two ways of civilized development of Russia or a dispute about a rational system of public administration?

Introduction. The introduction identifies one of the most important problems in the political history of Russia - the problem of determining and choosing the path of the long-term civilizational development in the aspect of liberal and conservative paradigm. Methods and materials. As the main methods the authors apply: the historical-comparative, systemic, typological and historical-political ones. The main sources are the following: ”Plan of State Transformation” by M.M. Speransky and “Note on Ancient and New Russia in Its Political and Civil Relations” by N.M. Karamzin. Analysis. In the course of the comparative analysis the authors carry out the study of the plan of M.M. Speransky’s state reforms and N.M. Karamzin’s political program in the aspect of the liberal and conservative axiology. The authors conclude that there were two different models of civilizational development of the state. One of them, represented by M.M. Speransky, suggested radical changes in the political system, legislation, social relations and led Russia to the liberal Western path of development. N.M. Karamzin proceeded from the priority of national and state traditions and the perniciousness of transferring European political institutions, customs and practicies to the Russian soil. Results. The result of the study is the conclusion that in the complete absence of a basis for the formation of liberalism in Russia, M.M. Speransky’s constitutional search was doomed to failure and resulted in the practice of building a system of the rational public administration within the framework of absolutism. Centuries-old historical traditions of Russia were much stronger than the desire of Alexander I to give the country a Constitution.