Funtov E.E. Electively-limited monarchy in Russia at the beginning of the 17th century

Abstract: This article is dedicated to the examination of the specifics of Russia’s management system in place during the first half of the 17th century, which formed as a result of the dynastic crisis at the end of the 16th – beginning of the 17th centuries. The author analyses the legal documents that limited the monarchy during this period, such as the “Cross record of Vasiliy Shuyskiy” (1606) and election agreement of the prince Vladislav from the 4th of February 1610 and from the 17th of August 1610. Additionally, significant attention is allocated to the problem of the “Restrictive record of Mikhail Romanov”, which has been subject of debate in Russian historical sciences from the 19th century onwards. Using the systematic analysis and the historical genetic method, the author carried out a study of the principal properties and features of the established political and legal regime during this period. Based on this research, the author came to the conclusion of the prospects of the undertaken changes, which could have contributed to the formation of the principle of power separation and of alternative institutions of power to autocracy. On the basis of comparing this with the analogous process in Western Europe, the failure of the set constitutional tendencies is tied to the slow development in Russia of a strong, independent in property class, similar to the European bourgeoisie, and also of the particularities of the mental mode of the Russian people.

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