The Russian liberalism emerged throughout the 19th century. The Russian society or, rather, some segments of it assimilated the Western system of liberal values by fragments because the destiny of liberalism depended on the traditions of the Empire-building. It should be emphasized that the Russian liberalism developed in conflict with this tradition and, at the same time, in interaction with it. Attempts to exercise the European ideals of political and civil freedom in Russia brought about strengthening of authoritarianism which made up for immaturity of the society. In the autocracy (samoderzhvie) liberals found not only the suppressing might but also an ally able to reside over restructuring and reform of the society. It was a realistic perception of situation. The Peasant reform of 1861 was carried out precisely due to the might of the autocracy. In 1860s the society finally emerged as an active agent of the political life and by the end of the 19th century liberalism transformed from a program for autocracy into a program for society.

In works of Russian writers of the 19th century the governor was the most typical representative of the top Russian bureaucracy world. Literary sources reflected differences in various estates and social groups' attitudes to the governor and the exaggerated hopes that the public opinion too often conferred upon the chief of gubernia. At the same time, as one may see in literary works the governor’s own broad notions of his mission were combined with the aspiration to be not so much the «master» and the chief of gubernia but rather the intermediary and arbitrator as well as the center of the local good society.