Prerequisites for the Creation and General Characteristics of N.N. Novosiltsev's Constitutional Project of 1820; [Предпосылки создания и общая характеристика Конституционного проекта Н.Н. Новосильцева 1820 года]

This article is devoted to the study and general characteristics of the first completed Constitutional Project of the Russian Empire, created on the instructions of Emperor Alexander I in 1820. The authors examined the key events of the late XVIII – early XIX centuries, which became the primary prerequisites for the decision of Emperor Alexander I on the need to work on the creation of the draft constitution of the Russian Empire, namely: the influence of the Enlightenment era on the development of foreign states, the adoption of the constitutions of a number of states, the increased role of the Russian Empire in the political arena of Europe after the victory over Napoleon in the War of 1812, as well as the personal views of Emperor Alexander I on the path of successful development of the Russian Empire. The authors studied the main works on the draft constitutions of such statesmen as: Baron G.A. Rosenkampf, M.M. Speransky, and N.N. Novosiltsev. The project of N.N. Novosiltsev, as the most complete work, was studied and described by the authors of this study in the most detail. In this article, the authors present a detailed analysis of the structure of this draft Constitution, emphasizing its main provisions and highlighting key constitutional principles such as the unity of the state, separation of powers, inviolability of private property, freedom of information dissemination, etc. In addition, the authors conducted a comparative analysis, in which the draft of N.N. Novosiltsev was compared with the draft of M.M. Speransky, as well as with the Constitutions of other states. In addition, the main reasons why the draft constitution of N.N. Novosiltsev was never implemented were formulated: insufficient elaboration of constitutional reforms, the growth of the liberation movement in Western European countries, as well as the early death of the emperor and the subsequent ascension to the throne of his younger brother, the conservative emperor Nicholas I. Copyright © 2023 by Cherkas Global University.