Economic and Political Development of the Grand Duchy of Finland (1809-1917)

This article is devoted to the economic and political development of the Grand Duchy of Finland from 1809 to 1917. The authors consider the political and economic situation of the region throughout the entire period of the existence of the Grand Duchy of Finland as part of the Russian Empire, as well as the prerequisites for Finland's accession to the empire. The article describes the political structure, as well as the procedure for the formation and implementation of governance in the Grand Duchy. The powers of the legislative, executive and judicial authorities, including and the forms of their actual performance of their functions, are also examined in detail. The article formulates the main four stages of the economic policy of the Grand Duchy of Finland: the first stage - from 1809 to the 1830s, the second stage - from the 1830s to the end of the 1850s, the third stage - from the late 1850s to the mid-1880s and the fourth stage - from the mid-1880s to the end of the First World War. The study includes a detailed analysis of each of these stages, as well as consideration of key reforms and historical events that have had a significant impact on the economic and political development of the region. Special attention is paid to the reforms of Alexander II, known as the reformer emperor, who made a significant contribution to the successful development of the region. Conclusions are formulated regarding the high importance of the so -called "Russian period" in the history of Finland. The empirical study of the article was conducted in accordance with the method of comparative historical research based on secondary sources, including pre-revolutionary literature.