Both the “Constitution” of Muravyov and the “Russian Truth” of Pestel are considered to be one of the main sources by which one can study the beliefs of the Decembrists. Only a document officially written by the head of the Southern Society was officially adopted.
However, the “Constitution”, proposed by Nikita Mikhailovich Muravyov, gained wide popularity at the time and reflected the
political views of members of the Northern Society.
P. I. Pestel "Russian Truth": the history of the creation of the document
The main points of the "reserve letter" were presented to the Southern Society and approved by him back in 1823. But this document received its full name after a whole year. Pestel P.I. worked on his brainchild for four years. Initially, he planned to write ten chapters, but as a result of them there were only five: about the tribes inhabiting the country, and about the estates living in it, about the land, as well as about the people, both civilly and politically. The main ideas of the new Decembrist Constitution were borrowed from philosophers of the Enlightenment.
"Russian Truth" by Pestel P. I. on the National Question
Pavel Ivanovich proposed dividing the entire population of the country into three categories:
1) Slavic tribes.
2) The indigenous Russian people.
3) Tribes attached to Russia.
It was proposed, for example, to evict gypsies from the borders of the country if they did not agree to accept the Orthodox faith. Muslims could preserve religion, but abandon polygamy. Jews, in the case of continuing hostility towards Christians, must be collected and evicted to the territory of Turkey with the subsequent formation of a Jewish state there.
"Russian Truth" by Pestel P. I. on the Rights of Citizens
All citizens bear equal responsibility before the law; a new court was introduced for them. Men, starting at the age of twenty, gain the right to vote. Freedom of religion, movement, assembly, press and speech were envisaged. The inviolability of the home and its owner was guaranteed.
Russian Truth by Pestel P. I. on the State Question
Pavel Ivanovich ardently advocated that a republic be established in the country. He was sure that after the overthrow of the tsarist government, the state would become an indivisible whole. The plans were to divide Russia into regions (ten), which would consist of five districts or provinces, divided, in turn, into districts or counties, and the latter into volosts. Nizhny Novgorod was supposed to be called Vladimir and the capital was transferred there.
And the city of Vladimir itself, in order to avoid imminent confusion, is called Klyazmin, since it stands on the Klyazma river. The People’s Veche, consisting of five hundred people, was supposed to have legislative power, and the Sovereign Duma - executive. The five people making up the latter would be elected by the People’s Chamber for five years. All the ministries were to be subordinate to the State Duma.
"Russian Truth" by Pestel P. I. on the Land Question
The first plan was to completely abolish serfdom . Regarding arable land, Pestel compromised. He prescribed that one half of it should go to social needs, and the second should still remain in the hands of the landowners. Farmers could rent this land from the owners in order to organize large farms and thereby attract wage workers. Pestel explained this decision by the fact that the peasants have neither the capital nor the education that is necessary for proper land management. But even with such a seemingly restriction, for that time his project was more than radical.