Konstantin Pobedonostsev

Konstantin Petrovich Pobedonostsev (Russian: Константи́н Петро́вич Победоно́сцев, IPA: [kənstɐnʲˈtʲin pʲɪˈtrovʲɪtɕ pəbʲɪdɐˈnostsɨf]; 30 November 1827 – 23 March 1907) was a Russian jurist and statesman who served as an adviser to three Russian emperors. During the reign of Alexander III of Russia, Pobedonostsev was considered the chief spokesman for reactionary positions and the éminence grise of imperial politics. Between 1880 and 1905, he served as Ober-Procurator of the Most Holy Synod, making him the non-clerical Russian official who supervised the Russian Orthodox Church.

His writings on politics, law, art, and culture emphasized the positive element of the spiritual and secular unification of Russia with the acceptance of Christianity, while simultaneously condemning the Jewish population. He warned of the negative element in Russia, portraying democratic and liberal movements as enemies of the national and religious unity of the Russian people. He opined that the task of achieving a harmonious society meant there was a collective responsibility to uphold political and religious unity, which justified the close supervision of Russian behaviour and thinking as a necessity.