The Law for the People: The Popularization of Law in Russia at the Turn of the XXth Century

The article deals with the instruments to popularize the law in Russia at the turn of the XIX-XX centuries. The author reveals the reasons for the interest of the educated segments of society in the dissemination of legal knowledge among the broad masses. The author draws specific attention to how a previously unknown publishing sector appeared around several prominent popularizers and publishers. At the same time, he emphasizes both internal contradictions and external limitations of educational activities in the Russian Empire. According to the author, the lack of legal education of many authors, on the one hand, and the pressure of government censorship in various forms, on the other, led to the predominance in the book market of brochures containing explanations of the provisions of current legislation and judicial practice without critical analysis. In addition, this approach left out questions about the concept of law and human rights. It resulted in criticism expressed by predominantly liberal leading lawyers, who developed the notion of law and determined its place in Russian society. At the same time, they combined political and legal issues in the discourse of personal rights and freedoms.