Features of the formation of archives abroad (on the example of European countries and America)

Abstract. In the article the material is devoted to the analysis of the historical development of archives in certain countries of Europe and America. This allows to determine the importance of archives abroad, and to draw parallels with the archival science in Russia.

Keywords: archive, retrospective documental information, evolution of archives.

The work of archives of all levels in the Russian Federation is dedicated to strengthening Russian statehood through keeping its history and providing social needs in retrospective documental information.

To understand the cause-effect relations of separate processes in the archives of the Russian Federation and to avoid possible mistakes during the development of archive legislation the examination of foreign legislation is required, especially of those countries, whose historical way of development is closer to Russian.

This is the actual issue of the topic, due to its studying of the features of foreign archives as a source for gaining experience with further use in the domestic archives.

There is a necessity in analyzing steps of historical development of archives in separate countries and defining the value of archives abroad. This, in our opinion, can be achieved through reviewing the evolvement of archives in foreign countries, highlighting the features of the abroad archives, comparing the development of Russian archives and those abroad.

Observing evolution of the foreign archives led to the conclusion that France has a special place in the history of European archives. The reform of archives, new views on the archives and their social role had been first taken in this country. During the discussion of the matter in other countries great influence has been made by the French archives’ experience in regularization and description of documental materials.

In the 19th’s century Italy, for example, most changes were made under French influence. In 1808 the General archive was created in the Neapolitan Kingdom. In 1857 under the Florentine archive The School of Paleography and Diplomacy was created. But still Italy lagged behind France.

Changes in the archives of Latin America were the result of major political changes - new formations as an outcome of Spanish American colonies and Portugal fight for independence. To the beginning of the 19th century Spanish colonies in America consisted of 4 vice-kingdoms, and the largest archives were located in the main cities of these kingdoms. The emergence of central-type archives dates back to the end of the 19th century. Such partial centralization of archives in other states of South and Central America hadn’t been implemented until the First World War.

A conclusion could be made through the examination of the USA’s archive history that, as in many countries (like France, Italy, etc.), America’s archivists’ intention was a centralization of archives, which demanded English archives’ experience. Due to the bad office work in America the main goal of archivists was to create a unified centre leading the office work and the archives of federal establishments. Nowadays America’s archivists’ primary aim is to preserve historically important documents.

The examination of the archives’ history in various countries shows that major changes in the archival branch of science had occurred. Earlier the most important directions were the creation and distribution of archive centralization in the most developed countries, which, at its limitations, was a progressive phenomenon, marking a highest peak in the archive organization. And that provided a remarkable growth in the archive studies and development.

Nowadays, however, a new form appears, consisting of international documental materials ownership. It is a detailed comprehensive archive centralization that provides a united scientific organization, operative guidance and effective use of all documents in political, economic and cultural life.

One can notice a significant similarity of Russian and foreign archives during the comparison. The reglamented archives appeared both in Russia and abroad in the 18th century. Economic, social, political, and cultural changes affected the development of Russian and foreign archives. There were periods of mass outdated document liquidation in Russia, France, Italy and the USA, which resulted in disappearance of extremely important and rare documents. Both foreign and Russian archives aimed to centralization and categorization, but pre-revolutionary Russia was one of the few European countries that had no archive centralization - that is one of the differences between Russian and foreign archive development.

Nowadays the main goal of archivists in every country is to preserve antique, historically important documents, which is a main similarity between Russian and foreign archives.