Political and legal heritage of M.M. Speransky in the past and present of Russia: main ideas and approaches

He article presents the main milestones of M.M. Speransky’s intellectual biography, as well as the process of formation of his political and legal worldview. The authors consider the most important reformatory proposals and concepts, as well as assess Speransky’s contribution to the development of Russian constitutionalism and human rights theory. The study of the political and legal works of this progressive legal scholar seems relevant in connection with the trend towards rethinking the historical past of Russia, the search for ways to overcome the problems and contradictions faced by the modern Russian state. Even despite the fact that many of Speransky’s reforms were not implemented in their time, his progressive views and ideas may be applied in the transformation of modernity.