If the Russian Empire Was Doomed to Decline? International Conference «Problems of Reforming Russia on the Edge of XIX and XX Centuries: For the Centenary of the Death of Sergei Witte» (St. Petersburg, European University, June 19–20, 2015)

Abstract. This is overview that dedicate to International scientific conference “Problems of reforming Russia on the edge of XIX and XX centuries: for the centenary of the death of Sergei Witte”. This scientific event was held of European University St. Petersburg, in June 19–20, 2015. Conference was organized by the European University at Saint Petersburg, St. Petersburg Institute of History of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Federal State Unitary Enterprise “Goznak”. The conference was attended by historians of the leading scientific and educational centers in Russia, USA, Great Britain and Germany.
The conference was held within the framework of several sessions. Reports of the first section “Reforms in the autocratic state” reveals the mechanism and reform of the practice in terms of unlimited autocracy. Reports section “Reforms and reformers” have presented the human dimension of the reforms. Distinctive character was the work of the section “The reforms and economic development of Russia”, in which speakers have focused the attention of the conference to discuss the economic and financial side reforms in the Russian Empire. The meeting of the section “State, society and political parties in the reform process” was marked by polemical discussion of interaction between government and society. In conclusion – the fifth section “Reforms and the factor of the empire” were discussed the problems of imperial policy in the border regions and political challenges faced by the agrarian reform P.A. Stolypin.

Keywords: reforms in Russia, S.Yu. Witte, P.A. Stolypin, Russian Empire.