What was new was introduced into the management of the cities under Peter I: the Burmister Chambers, the Chief Magistrate

The question of what new was introduced into the management of cities under Peter I is one of the main topics in the study of the course of the history of Russia in the 18th century. This reform should be considered in the context of the reforming activity of the emperor in general, which, in view of the new status of the country in the international arena and the changes in its internal political structure, paid special attention to the sphere of government, not only in the center, but also in the localities.

Prerequisites

An analysis of what new was introduced into the management of cities under the first emperor should begin with what goals the ruler pursued during the modernization of the administration and the old bureaucracy. Military needs (during almost the whole of the Petrine reign, our country waged a long war with Sweden for access to the Baltic Sea) required constant and regular tax revenues to the state treasury. That is why the governor carried out regional reform, with the same purpose he took up the city administration. However, he also sought some empowerment of the merchant class, as if to counterbalance the high taxes that they imposed on them. But his main task was to ensure the uninterrupted flow of taxes to the treasury for the needs of the army and navy.

First step

The topic "What's new was introduced into the management of the cities under Peter I" should begin with a designation of two stages of this reform. The first of them refers to 1699, when the future emperor introduced the institution of elected Burmistrov, who henceforth obeyed posad people. Thus, they were removed from the conduct of the governor.

The new officials were selected from the merchants, as they were the main owners in the cities and, therefore, the main category of taxpayers. They had direct access to the king and could address him without passing orders. In the cities, the Burmister Chambers were created, which were subordinated to the Moscow City Hall. The main task of the new government was to collect taxes and taxes to the state treasury, as well as control over the judicial and commercial affairs of owners and producers.

Second phase

To the city reform Peter I returned in 1720. Around the same time, his government worked on regional administration. Perhaps, that is why the king returned to the difficult question of the city administration.

In the mentioned year the main magistrate was established, who was in the capital and from there controlled all the city bodies. On the ground, its branches were created, which were completed from burmasters and ratmans. Since the war was coming to an end, the emperor was concerned about the mechanism of the functioning of the new system in peaceful conditions.

Now, representatives of the city authorities were obliged not only to collect taxes and duties, but also to take care of the improvement of their entrusted plots. The latter circumstance is especially important in determining what new was introduced into the management of cities at the considered time.

From now on, the burmasters and ratmans were charged with monitoring security (that is, they had to create police bodies), maintain hospitals, schools, almshouses. In addition, the population was again divided into two guilds for regular collection of taxes: regular and irregular. The first concerned owners, to the second - persons who did not have private property.

Guilds also had their management. Their members gathered for gatherings and chose the foremen. Those who were busy with the black work chose their heads and tithes. In addition, guild organizations were established according to the West European model. Thus, the first emperor tried to stimulate the development of urban self-government, but this reform was not successful.

results

Attempts by Peter I to introduce self-government in the country on the model of European countries did not succeed in one very simple reason: the magistrates did not have the means to cope with the duties assigned to them. After all, all the funds from fees and taxes went to the state treasury, while the city's own finances did not actually have.

Nevertheless, it is indicative that even this not very successful reform existed until the second half of the 19th century, which indicates that it has more or less taken root in the conditions of Russian reality, despite the fact that it did not lead to city self-government .