Union of Prosperity
Encyclopedia
The Union of Prosperity was a secret society of the Decembrists, established in early 1818 on the basis of the dissolved Union of Salvation
.
The members of the Union of Prosperity (UoP) included Alexander Nikolayevich Muravyov, Nikita Muravyov, Sergey Muravyov-Apostol
, Matvei Muravyov-Apostol, Pavel Pestel
, Ivan Yakushkin, Mikhail Lunin and others. Korennaya Uprava (Коренная управа, or Board) was the governing body of the UoP and the 6-member Soviet, or Duma (Совет, Дума) was the executive body of the society. The UoP was divided into upravas (управа, or regional branches), located in Saint Petersburg
, Moscow
, Tulchin, Kishinev and other cities. Most of the UoP members were nobles. Organizational structure and legal activities of the UoP were stated in the first part of its charter called the Green Book ("Зелёная книга"). The second part of the charter, known only to a small number of members, formulated the final purpose of the UoP, which was the abolishment of autocracy
and serfdom
and introduction of constitutional form of government. These goals were to be reached by relatively peaceful means. The UoP members strived to overcome the inner reserve and conspiratorial tactics of the Union of Salvation by attempting to exert influence on public opinion. A number of literary and pedagogical societies, Masonic lodge
s, and magazines sided with the UoP. In their works and speeches, the UoP members criticized serfdom, despotism
, Arakcheyev
’s army reforms, lawlessness of tsarist court, authorities and censorship.
In 1820, the members of the Korennaya Uprava argued for the introduction of the republican system of government in Russia
after Pavel Pestel’s speech at their meeting in Petersburg. Simultaneously, there were people in the UoP who suggested a "military revolution" due to the increasing disagreements over UoP’s program and tactical questions. In order to "drop" some unreliable and most radical members and to mislead the tsarist authorities, the Moscow meeting of the members of the Korennaya Uprava voted for the dissolution of the UoP in early 1821. Its most active members formed the basis for the establishment of the Northern and Southern Society of the Decembrists.
Union of Salvation
The Union of Salvation , also known as the Society of True and Loyal Sons of the Fatherland since 1817 was the first secret political society of the Decembrists.The Union of Salvation was founded in 1816 at the initiative of Alexander Nikolayevich Muravyov by a group of young...
.
The members of the Union of Prosperity (UoP) included Alexander Nikolayevich Muravyov, Nikita Muravyov, Sergey Muravyov-Apostol
Sergey Muravyov-Apostol
Sergey Ivanovich Muravyov-Apostol was a Russian Lieutenant Colonel, one of the organizers of the Decembrist revolt. He was the brother of other Decembrists Ippolit Muravyov-Apostol and Matvey Muravyov-Apostol...
, Matvei Muravyov-Apostol, Pavel Pestel
Pavel Pestel
Colonel Pavel Ivanovich Pestel was a Russian revolutionary and ideologue of the Decembrists.In 1805-1809, Pavel Pestel studied in Dresden. In 1810-1811, he was a student at the Page Corps, from which he would graduate in the rank of praporshchik. Pestel was then sent to the Lithuanian Regiment of...
, Ivan Yakushkin, Mikhail Lunin and others. Korennaya Uprava (Коренная управа, or Board) was the governing body of the UoP and the 6-member Soviet, or Duma (Совет, Дума) was the executive body of the society. The UoP was divided into upravas (управа, or regional branches), located in Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
, Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, Tulchin, Kishinev and other cities. Most of the UoP members were nobles. Organizational structure and legal activities of the UoP were stated in the first part of its charter called the Green Book ("Зелёная книга"). The second part of the charter, known only to a small number of members, formulated the final purpose of the UoP, which was the abolishment of autocracy
Autocracy
An autocracy is a form of government in which one person is the supreme power within the state. It is derived from the Greek : and , and may be translated as "one who rules by himself". It is distinct from oligarchy and democracy...
and serfdom
Russian serfdom
The origins of serfdom in Russia are traced to Kievan Rus in the 11th century. Legal documents of the epoch, such as Russkaya Pravda, distinguished several degrees of feudal dependency of peasants, the term for an unfree peasant in the Russian Empire, krepostnoi krestyanin , is translated as serf.-...
and introduction of constitutional form of government. These goals were to be reached by relatively peaceful means. The UoP members strived to overcome the inner reserve and conspiratorial tactics of the Union of Salvation by attempting to exert influence on public opinion. A number of literary and pedagogical societies, Masonic lodge
Masonic Lodge
This article is about the Masonic term for a membership group. For buildings named Masonic Lodge, see Masonic Lodge A Masonic Lodge, often termed a Private Lodge or Constituent Lodge, is the basic organisation of Freemasonry...
s, and magazines sided with the UoP. In their works and speeches, the UoP members criticized serfdom, despotism
Despotism
Despotism is a form of government in which a single entity rules with absolute power. That entity may be an individual, as in an autocracy, or it may be a group, as in an oligarchy...
, Arakcheyev
Aleksey Arakcheyev
Count Alexey Andreyevich Arakcheyev or Arakcheev was a Russian general and statesman under the reign of Alexander I.He served under Paul I and Alexander I as army leader and artillery inspector respectively. He had a violent temper, but was otherwise a competent artillerist, and is known for his...
’s army reforms, lawlessness of tsarist court, authorities and censorship.
In 1820, the members of the Korennaya Uprava argued for the introduction of the republican system of government in Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
after Pavel Pestel’s speech at their meeting in Petersburg. Simultaneously, there were people in the UoP who suggested a "military revolution" due to the increasing disagreements over UoP’s program and tactical questions. In order to "drop" some unreliable and most radical members and to mislead the tsarist authorities, the Moscow meeting of the members of the Korennaya Uprava voted for the dissolution of the UoP in early 1821. Its most active members formed the basis for the establishment of the Northern and Southern Society of the Decembrists.