Vladimir Kokovtsov
Encyclopedia
Count Vladimir Nikolayevich Kokovtsov (Влади́мир Никола́евич Коковцо́в) (1853–1943) was a Russia
n prime minister
during the reign of Nicholas II of Russia
.
in December 1872 he applied for admittance to the University of St. Petersburg
to study law on the recommendation of A.D Gradovsky
, N.S. Tagantsev
and S.V. Pakhman all notable legal authorities of the time. However, his father, who had promised to pay for his education suddenly passed away leaving the family in strained financial circumstances. As a result, instead of attending university he entered the civil service to provide him and his family an additional income.
He was admitted as a candidate for a civil service position in the Imperial Ministry of Justice serving first in the statistical, then the legislative and finally in the criminal office. From 1879 to 1890 he served as Senior Inspector and Assistant Head of the Central Administration of Prisons. This period is noted for its prison reforms formulated by State Secretary K.K. Grot a senior member of the Imperial State Council. From 1890 to 1896 he served in the State Council as Assistant State Secretary, State Secretary and finally as Assistant Imperial Secretary where he worked primarily on matters reviewed by the Russian Imperial State Council's Department of State Economy.
From 1896 to 1902 he served in one of the three Assistant Minister of Finance positions under Sergei Witte
.
After leaving the position of Assistant Minister of Finance in 1902 he served as Imperial Secretary until his appointment Minister of Finance in 1904.
He resigned the position when Witte, his former superior in the Finance Ministry assumed the Chairmanship of the Council of Ministers in 1905-1906. During this time although not a Minister he did have a substantial role in securing a loan that did nothing less than keep the Imperial Government from having to devalue its currency and leave the gold standard. The gold standard at the time was the basis of almost all financially stable, secure and modern countries of the time. Kokovtsov returned as Minister of Finance in the Ivan Goremykin
and Petr Stolypin cabinets.
Kokovtsov succeeded Stolypin as Chairman of the Council of Ministers (Prime Minister) after Stolypin's assassination in 1911. He served as Chairman from 1911 until his retirement in 1914. He maintained the position of Minister of Finance for the duration of his term as Prime Minister.
On his retirement he was invested with the title and rank of Count. After the October Revolution
, 1917 he escaped with his family to Finland
and eventually settled in Paris
. He was a leading figure in Russian emigre society until his death.
Witte states in his autobiography that while Kokovtsov was serving as one of his assistants, he was left alone to do the business he knew so well and that Kokovtsov was the source of several small but meaningful reforms in the finances of the Russian Empire
.
Much was made of Kokovtsov's differences with Witte which resulted in the two refusing to work with one another after 1905-1906. The apparent cause of these differences were conflicts over courses of action in the preparation for peace talks with Japan, the changing of the government structure in the wake of wide spread political unrest, Witte's opposition to several of Kokovtsov's policies as Minister of Finance during the Russo-Japanese War and in an important loan negotiation that occurred in 1905-1906. These differences were made public in the Council of State when one or the other would make comments in opposition to the other's viewpoint on various issues.
Many historians have made the case that the differences were the result of Witte's desire to return to the Chairmanship of the Council of Ministers (Prime Minister of Russia
) and his knowledge that his long-time associate was one of his chief rivals for the position. Some speculate that the differences were actually rather minor and overstated so that these two men, being in opposing political camps could safeguard the financial reforms they worked together to implement in the 1890s and early 1900s. It is known that Kokovtsov did visit Witte in 1915 during the illness that led to Witte's death and that Witte offered Kokovtsov the position of State Controller in his government which was a ministerial post.
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n prime minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
during the reign of Nicholas II of Russia
Nicholas II of Russia
Nicholas II was the last Emperor of Russia, Grand Prince of Finland, and titular King of Poland. His official short title was Nicholas II, Emperor and Autocrat of All the Russias and he is known as Saint Nicholas the Passion-Bearer by the Russian Orthodox Church.Nicholas II ruled from 1894 until...
.
Biography
Following graduation from the Imperial Alexander LyceumTsarskoye Selo Lyceum
The Imperial Lyceum in Tsarskoye Selo near Saint Petersburg also known historically as the Imperial Alexander Lyceum after its founder the Emperor Alexander I with the object of educating youths of the best families, who should afterwards occupy important posts in the Imperial service.Its...
in December 1872 he applied for admittance to the University of St. Petersburg
Saint Petersburg State University
Saint Petersburg State University is a Russian federal state-owned higher education institution based in Saint Petersburg and one of the oldest and largest universities in Russia....
to study law on the recommendation of A.D Gradovsky
Aleksandr Gradovsky
Aleksandr Gradovsky was Russian legal scholar and literary critic. Professor of law at St. Petersburg University....
, N.S. Tagantsev
Nikolai Tagantsev
Nikolai Tagantsev — was a Russian lawyer, legal scholar, and criminologist.Senator . He was one of the authors of the Russian penal code of 1903. Member of the State Council ....
and S.V. Pakhman all notable legal authorities of the time. However, his father, who had promised to pay for his education suddenly passed away leaving the family in strained financial circumstances. As a result, instead of attending university he entered the civil service to provide him and his family an additional income.
He was admitted as a candidate for a civil service position in the Imperial Ministry of Justice serving first in the statistical, then the legislative and finally in the criminal office. From 1879 to 1890 he served as Senior Inspector and Assistant Head of the Central Administration of Prisons. This period is noted for its prison reforms formulated by State Secretary K.K. Grot a senior member of the Imperial State Council. From 1890 to 1896 he served in the State Council as Assistant State Secretary, State Secretary and finally as Assistant Imperial Secretary where he worked primarily on matters reviewed by the Russian Imperial State Council's Department of State Economy.
From 1896 to 1902 he served in one of the three Assistant Minister of Finance positions under Sergei Witte
Sergei Witte
Count Sergei Yulyevich Witte , also known as Sergius Witte, was a highly influential policy-maker who presided over extensive industrialization within the Russian Empire. He served under the last two emperors of Russia...
.
After leaving the position of Assistant Minister of Finance in 1902 he served as Imperial Secretary until his appointment Minister of Finance in 1904.
He resigned the position when Witte, his former superior in the Finance Ministry assumed the Chairmanship of the Council of Ministers in 1905-1906. During this time although not a Minister he did have a substantial role in securing a loan that did nothing less than keep the Imperial Government from having to devalue its currency and leave the gold standard. The gold standard at the time was the basis of almost all financially stable, secure and modern countries of the time. Kokovtsov returned as Minister of Finance in the Ivan Goremykin
Ivan Goremykin
Ivan Logginovitch Goremykin was a Russian prime minister during World War I and politician with extremely conservative political views.-Biography:He was born on 8 November 1839....
and Petr Stolypin cabinets.
Kokovtsov succeeded Stolypin as Chairman of the Council of Ministers (Prime Minister) after Stolypin's assassination in 1911. He served as Chairman from 1911 until his retirement in 1914. He maintained the position of Minister of Finance for the duration of his term as Prime Minister.
On his retirement he was invested with the title and rank of Count. After the October Revolution
October Revolution
The October Revolution , also known as the Great October Socialist Revolution , Red October, the October Uprising or the Bolshevik Revolution, was a political revolution and a part of the Russian Revolution of 1917...
, 1917 he escaped with his family to Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
and eventually settled in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. He was a leading figure in Russian emigre society until his death.
Witte states in his autobiography that while Kokovtsov was serving as one of his assistants, he was left alone to do the business he knew so well and that Kokovtsov was the source of several small but meaningful reforms in the finances of the Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
.
Much was made of Kokovtsov's differences with Witte which resulted in the two refusing to work with one another after 1905-1906. The apparent cause of these differences were conflicts over courses of action in the preparation for peace talks with Japan, the changing of the government structure in the wake of wide spread political unrest, Witte's opposition to several of Kokovtsov's policies as Minister of Finance during the Russo-Japanese War and in an important loan negotiation that occurred in 1905-1906. These differences were made public in the Council of State when one or the other would make comments in opposition to the other's viewpoint on various issues.
Many historians have made the case that the differences were the result of Witte's desire to return to the Chairmanship of the Council of Ministers (Prime Minister of Russia
Prime Minister of Russia
The Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation The use of the term "Prime Minister" is strictly informal and is not allowed for by the Russian Constitution and other laws....
) and his knowledge that his long-time associate was one of his chief rivals for the position. Some speculate that the differences were actually rather minor and overstated so that these two men, being in opposing political camps could safeguard the financial reforms they worked together to implement in the 1890s and early 1900s. It is known that Kokovtsov did visit Witte in 1915 during the illness that led to Witte's death and that Witte offered Kokovtsov the position of State Controller in his government which was a ministerial post.
Further reading
- Harcave, Sidney. (2004). Count Sergei Witte and the Twilight of Imperial Russia: A Biography. Armonk, New York: M.E. Sharpe. 10-ISBN 0-765-61422-7; 13-ISBN 978-0-765-61422-3 (cloth)
- Kokovtsov, Vladimir. (1935). Out of My Past (translator, Laura Matveev). Stanford: Stanford University PressStanford University PressThe Stanford University Press is the publishing house of Stanford University. In 1892, an independent publishing company was established at the university. The first use of the name "Stanford University Press" in a book's imprinting occurred in 1895...
.
- Witte, Sergei. (1921). The Memoirs of Count Witte (translator, Abraham Yarmolinsky). New York: Doubleday.
External links
- Vladimir Nikolayevich Kokovtsov at FlickrFlickrFlickr is an image hosting and video hosting website, web services suite, and online community that was created by Ludicorp in 2004 and acquired by Yahoo! in 2005. In addition to being a popular website for users to share and embed personal photographs, the service is widely used by bloggers to...