Abstract:

The article is dedicated to the analysis of «Russia – Europe» problem in the liberal social thought of the end of XIX and beginning of the XX century with the examples of the views of its two outstanding representatives. P.N. Milyukov considered that problem from the point of view of the comparative historical analysis. He supposed that Russia had its special features and was a less developed country than European Empires due to historical reasons, but that retardation would be eliminated steadily. P.B. Struve researched problems of economy and thought more radically about ideas of Russia’s difference from Europe, and spoke for forced development of Russia’s economic and political institutes by the example of European institutes.

Keywords: Russia, Europe, liberalism, XIX century, XX century, Milyukov, Struve.