In January 1765 Catherine began working on the Nakaz – the basis for a complete rewrite of the Russian legal code – political, judicial, social and economic. The document was published on 30 July 1767. [Just over one year before Captain James Cook departed Plymouth on his First Voyage.]
The Nakaz included sweeping social reforms and embedded in the original draft was her enlightened ideological view that serfdom should be abolished. Catherine didn’t actually achieve this in her reign because the socio-political inertia was just too strong. Nevertheless, she planted the seeds for thought and got the debate underway.
1. The Christian Law teaches us to **do mutual Good to one another**, as much as possibly we can.
2. Laying this down as a fundamental Rule prescribed by that Religion, which has taken, or ought to take Root in the Hearts of the whole People; we cannot but suppose that **every honest Man in the Community is, or will be, desirous of seeing his native Country at the very Summit of Happiness, Glory, Safety, and Tranquility**.
3. And that **every Individual Citizen in particular must wish to see himself protected by Laws, which should not distress him in his Circumstances, but, on the Contrary, should defend him from all Attempts of others that are repugnant to this fundamental Rule**.
These are the opening 3 of 526 articles in Catherine’s Nakaz (Instructions) to the Legislative Commissioners for Composing a New Code of Laws (1767)
Just adding anecdotes as they come to mind ...
• Catherine the Great and the Art of Collecting: Acquiring the Paintings that Founded the Hermitage by Cynthia Hyla Whittaker
https://www.academia.edu/41600716/Catherine_the_Great_and_the_Art_of_Collecting_Acquiring_the_Paintings_that_Founded_the_Hermitage_by_Cynthia_Hyla_Whittaker
In January 1765 Catherine began working on the Nakaz – the basis for a complete rewrite of the Russian legal code – political, judicial, social and economic. The document was published on 30 July 1767. [Just over one year before Captain James Cook departed Plymouth on his First Voyage.]
The Nakaz included sweeping social reforms and embedded in the original draft was her enlightened ideological view that serfdom should be abolished. Catherine didn’t actually achieve this in her reign because the socio-political inertia was just too strong. Nevertheless, she planted the seeds for thought and got the debate underway.
1. The Christian Law teaches us to **do mutual Good to one another**, as much as possibly we can.
2. Laying this down as a fundamental Rule prescribed by that Religion, which has taken, or ought to take Root in the Hearts of the whole People; we cannot but suppose that **every honest Man in the Community is, or will be, desirous of seeing his native Country at the very Summit of Happiness, Glory, Safety, and Tranquility**.
3. And that **every Individual Citizen in particular must wish to see himself protected by Laws, which should not distress him in his Circumstances, but, on the Contrary, should defend him from all Attempts of others that are repugnant to this fundamental Rule**.
These are the opening 3 of 526 articles in Catherine’s Nakaz (Instructions) to the Legislative Commissioners for Composing a New Code of Laws (1767)
Read on …
http://www.ctevans.net/Nvcc/HIS241/Documents/Nakaz.pdf