ABSTRACT
THE OPPRESSIVE CENSORSHIP exercised by the Tsarist regime throughout the nineteenth century did not prevent the publication of many journals of the most varied shades of opinion. Naturally, the editors of and contributors to these journals were most important figures in Russian society; and one of the most interesting and influential among them was Michael N. Katkov. The enfant terrible of Russian political journalism, Katkov held the center of the journalistic stage for over a quarter of a century, the most praised and the most vilified of Russian newspapermen. No doubt his voice was among the most popular and it made him influential in moulding public opinion. Oddly enough, however, there is no adequate study as yet of this interesting and important figure. In the general histories of the period we have only a few rather vague statements, mostly from the pen of his political enemies. The few biographical sketches available are post-mortem eulogies by his friends and admirers and they are as uncritical as the vilifications of his opponents. They have little value except as catalogues of factual detail. 1
