The article deals with the formation and development of the system of values of the political elite in Russia. The relevance of studying this issue is explained by the fact that its disclosure will allow a better understanding of the mechanisms of interaction between the elite and civil society and state institutions. The aim of the work is to reveal the most significant characteristics of the values and ideals of the political elite in Russia, starting from the pre-Petrine era and up to the end of the XIX century. The sources used are official documents that indicate changes in the status of the Russian aristocracy. Of great importance are also sources that directly reflect the requirements that were imposed on the behavior of representatives of the nobility. A striking example of this kind of sources can be the “Honest Mirror of Youth” published under Peter I. Sources of personal origin were also used, which reflected the perception of the Russian nobles themselves of the norms and traditions of the estate. The results of the study make it possible to verify that the formation of value perceptions of the Russian political elite took place within the framework of general trends characteristic of European countries. We can talk about a gradual transition from the values of a purely military estate to the ideal of a versatile person who should be responsible to society in accordance with his high status. The specifics of the situation in Russia were that for a significant period of history, the Russian elite was much more dependent on the absolute power of the monarch, which manifested itself in a greater emphasis on the need to serve the ruling dynasty.

The article deals with the formation and development of the system of values of the political elite in Russia. The relevance of studying this issue is explained by the fact that its disclosure will allow a better understanding of the mechanisms of interaction between the elite and civil society and state institutions. The aim of the work is to reveal the most significant characteristics of the values and ideals of the political elite in Russia, starting from the pre-Petrine era and up to the end of the XIX century. The sources used are official documents that indicate changes in the status of the Russian aristocracy. Of great importance are also sources that directly reflect the requirements that were imposed on the behavior of representatives of the nobility. A striking example of this kind of sources can be the “Honest Mirror of Youth” published under Peter I. Sources of personal origin were also used, which reflected the perception of the Russian nobles themselves of the norms and traditions of the estate. The results of the study make it possible to verify that the formation of value perceptions of the Russian political elite took place within the framework of general trends characteristic of European countries. We can talk about a gradual transition from the values of a purely military estate to the ideal of a versatile person who should be responsible to society in accordance with his high status. The specifics of the situation in Russia were that for a significant period of history, the Russian elite was much more dependent on the absolute power of the monarch, which manifested itself in a greater emphasis on the need to serve the ruling dynasty.