Vasily Klyuchevsky (1841–1911)) - the largest and one of the most prominent Russian historians of the second half of the XIX century. He is rightly considered the founder of bourgeois economism in national historiography, since he first paid close attention to the study of people's life and the economic foundations of social life.
Some information about the historian's youth
Klyuchevsky, Vasily Osipovich, brief biographywhich is presented in this section, was born in 1841 in the Penza province. He was the son of a country priest. Both his grandfathers and great-grandfathers were also priests. Therefore, church teaching had a great influence on him. The researcher preserved an interest in Orthodox history for the rest of his life: his first dissertation was devoted to the lives of saints, and in his famous courses on Russian history he invariably turned to the spiritual development of the people and the role of Orthodoxy in the past of the country.
Василий Ключевский учился в пензенском приходском College and Penza seminary, but decided to devote himself to secular science of history. He was attracted by the historical-philological faculty of Moscow University, which was the center of social and political life at that time. However, church education had a great influence on him. The historian himself admitted that the study of scholasticism developed in him the ability to think logically.
Years of study and first studies
Klyuchevsky, Vasily Osipovich, brief biographywhich continued in this section, spent four years at Moscow University. This time was decisive in the choice of his profession and research topics. He was greatly influenced by the lectures of the historian F. Buslaev. Then the future scientist became very interested in folk culture, folklore, sayings, proverbs.
Vasily Klyuchevsky decided to devote himself to studyingfundamentals of national life, as he put it. His first thesis was devoted to a thorough study of hagiographic literature. Before him, none of the domestic historians had dealt with this subject in such detail. Another major study is devoted to the study of the composition of the Boyar Duma. Vasily Klyuchevsky very carefully analyzed those social strata that were part of this advisory body under the Russian princes and kings. His work opened new approaches in historiography in the study of the social structure of society. His methodology included a detailed analysis of all manifestations of life and life of ordinary people, which was especially important for Russia in the second half of the XIX century after the abolition of serfdom.
History Works
Vasily Klyuchevsky, whose biography wasbriefly presented in the previous sections, known as the author of the famous course of lectures, which he read for several decades. Being an excellent speaker, he perfectly mastered the literary language, which made his speeches particularly bright and expressive. Thanks to the well-aimed and witty remarks and conclusions that he accompanied his scientific reasoning, his lectures gained particular popularity. Vasily Klyuchevsky, whose Russian history has become a real standard not only for his students, but also for many other Russian scientists, also became famous as a thoughtful observer of the life of the Russian people. Before him, researchers, as a rule, paid attention to political events and facts; therefore, his work can be called, without exaggeration, a real breakthrough in historiography.
Language scientist
A special feature of Klyuchevsky’s vocabulary isexpressiveness, accuracy and brightness of statements. The researcher was able to very clearly express his thoughts about the most different problems of the present and the past. For example, he belongs to the following statement about the reforms of the first Russian emperor: “There is always a lot of rubbish left from a big construction project, and a lot of goodness disappears from Peter’s hurried work.” The historian often resorted to similar comparisons and metaphors, which, differing in wit, nevertheless, very well conveyed his thoughts.
His statement about Catherine II,which he called "the last accident on the Russian throne". The scientist quite often resorted to such comparisons, which made it possible to better assimilate the material studied. Many expressions of Kliuchevsky have become a kind of sayings in national historiography. Often his phrases are referred to in order to give expression to the reasoning. Many of his words have become aphorisms. Thus, the statement "In Russia, the center on the periphery" almost immediately went to the people: it can often be found in the press, at symposia, conferences.
A scientist about history and life
Klyuchevsky’s thoughts are distinguished by originality andpeculiarity. So, in his own way he reworked the famous Latin saying that history teaches life: “History does not teach anything, but only punishes for not knowing the lessons.” Accuracy, clarity and brightness of the language brought to the scientist not only the All-Russian, but also the world fame: many foreign researchers, studying the history of Russia, refer to his works. Of interest are those aphorisms of the historian, in which he expressed his attitude not only to history, but also to general philosophical problems in general: "Life is not to live, but to feel that you live."
Some facts from the biography
In conclusion, severalinteresting moments from the life of this outstanding researcher. The future researcher learned to read at the age of four and from an early age showed an amazing ability to learn. At the same time, he struggled with stuttering and as a result of great efforts, he managed to overcome this vice and become a brilliant orator. He took part in the famous Peterhof meetings on the drafting of a Duma, and also ran for the post of deputy from the Cadet party, but did not pass. So, Klyuchevsky Vasily Osipovich, whose biography and work became the subject of this study, is one of the leading Russian specialists in the study of Russian history.
