Publication details
Boris Nikolayevich Chicherin as the gorodskoi golova of Moscow : Municipal Government Between the Reform and the Counter-Reform
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| Year of publication | 2026 |
| Type | Chapter in a book |
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| Description | This chapter provides a comprehensive overview of Boris Chicherin’s tenure as the mayor of Moscow (from December 1881 until August 1883), including the unusual circumstances surrounding his election to office. Although his time in office was brief, Chicherin made significant progress in improving the city’s drinking water supply and was able to stabilise the city budget by convincing the city council to take a loan, which previous mayors had failed to manage. Most importantly, he stands head and shoulders above other 19th-century Russian mayors in that he viewed himself as a representative of Moscow as the moral and intellectual centre of Russia, rather than merely a city officer. From this position, he defended the then-valid university act against proposals to further restrict the autonomy of universities. In his inaugural speech, he emphasized the need for cooperation between the elected authorities and the central government, and he continued to defend this vision throughout his time in office. Although he moderated his actions and remained well within the bounds of the law, he was eventually forced to resign, which exemplifies the political situation in Russia at the time and the practical impact of Tsar Alexander III’s counter-reform. |