The principles of public administration in the social utopia of Prince M.M. Shcherbatova “Journey to the land of Ophir, Mr. S... Swedish nobleman”

Abstract

Shcherbatov’ literary utopia can be considered as a treatise on the methods of public administration. It contains a description of three methods: “spatial management”, “feedback” and “personal behavior management.” They constitute a unity that allows preserving, developing and enhancing communication between the authorities and the population of the country. Each of these mechanisms is described in territorial, temporary and mental space of the “ideal” state. Shcherbatov saw the potential use of these mechanisms in modern Russia. But he understood that there were no conditions for their implementation in the management system The mechanisms proposed by him were not invented by him. Separate elements of each of them existed in the socio-political thought of European education. It was due to Scherbatov, that he discerned the possibilities of using this kind of mechanism, which was much ahead of his time.