The article deals with a stable historiographical tradition of describing late-imperial Russia. The author comes to conclusion about the new opportunities for the analysis of this period. The main scientific discussions of researchers regarding the state and development prospects of the Russian empire on the eve of the 1917 revolution are described. Research approaches to the study of the economic development of Russia and state policy on the outskirts of the empire are considered. It is concluded that it is necessary to abandon the usual patterns and stereotypes regarding the mechanisms of imperial control and the role of the bureaucracy in the 19th century's Russia. Was the monarch's will the only decision-making factor in Russia? When writing a history of reforms, is it possible to get away from the personification of historical processes and turn to the study of the bureaucratic routine? Did Russia have a different scenario in the 20th century, or was revolution inevitable? Here are th
