The State Council ("Государственный Совет") was the supreme state advisory body to the Tsar in Imperial Russia.
18th century
Early Tsar's Councils were small and dealt primarily with the external politics.
Peter I of Russia introduced the Secret Council. Catherine I of Russia introduced the Supreme Secret Council. Its role varied during different reigns.
Peter III of Russia created the Imperial Council on May 20, 1762 ("Императорский Совет"), or, formally "The Council at the Highest Court" ("Совет при высочайшем дворе"). It was dismissed shortly after the succession of Catherine II of Russia. The State Council ceased to exist after the February Revolution of 1917.
1810-1917
The State Council was established by Alexander I of Russia in 1810 as part of Speransky's reforms. Although envisaged by Speransky as the upper chamber of the Russian parliament, it was actually an advisory legislative body composed of people whom the tsar could trust. The number of members varied at different periods. Upon its establishment in 1810 there were 35 members; in 1890 there were 60. The main duty of the Council was the preliminary investigation, promulgation and abrogation of laws.
During 1906-1917, the status of the State Council was defined by the Russian Constitution of 1906. Its chairman was appointed by the Tsar. Half of its members were appointed by the Tsar from persons distinguished at civil and military service, and half by elections from various categories of society, separately:
- 56 seats from Zemstvo (1 from each guberniya),
- 18 seats from Assemblies of Nobility,
- 6 seats from the Russian Orthodox Church: 3 of them from white clergy, and 3 from black clergy (monks),
- 12 seats from stock exchange committees, chambers of commerce and business associations,
- 6 seats from the Russian Academy of Sciences,
- 2 seats from the Parliament of Finland.
State Council was the upper house of the parliament, while the State Duma of the Russian Empire was the lower house. Compared to the contemporary British House of Lords and Prussian Herrenhaus, the Russian upper chamber was more democratically constituted, as half of its members were democratically elected from different sections of society, while the House of Lords and Herrenhaus consisted of hereditary peers.
See also
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