The “Finnish” and “Polish” Issues in the State Policy of the Russian Empire in the First Quarter of the 19th Century

<jats:p>The article analyzes the so-called “Finnish” and “Polish” issues in the state policy of the Russian Empire during the first quarter of the 19th century, during the reign of Alexander I. It was during this period that the Russian Empire expanded its territory on the European continent in the western and northwestern directions. The Grand Duchy of Finland was incorporated into the Russian Empire in 1809, and the Kingdom of Poland was incorporated in 1815. The Russian ruling circles, led by Emperor Alexander I, faced the challenge of choosing a form and system of governance for these territories in order to ensure the loyalty of their populations and overall stability in these regions. The authorities opted for granting these acquired territories broad autonomy based on constitutional principles. The purpose of this study is to identify the common features and peculiarities of the Russian Empire’s state policy towards Finland and Poland, as well as to determine whether this policy was driven by immediate needs or can be viewed as part of a unified foreign policy concept. As a result of the research, the authors concluded that the policy towards Finland and Poland was part of the strategic foreign policy course of “constitutional diplomacy” that was pursued until 1820 and aimed, on the one hand, at adapting to the changing situation in Europe after the French Revolution, and on the other hand, at ensuring maximum loyalty among the population of the annexed territories. However, the results of this policy were different: Finland remained one of the most peaceful provinces of the Russian Empire until the end of the 19th century, while Poland became a hotbed of tension, with separatist uprisings in 1830–1831 and 1863. The authors of the article analyze the reasons for this divergence in the results of the policy towards Finland and Poland and express their opinion on whether a different course of events was possible in Poland.</jats:p>