Why did censorship delay the publication of Boris Godunov?

The publication of Aleksandr Pushkin’s historical tragedy Boris Godunov was delayed by censorship primarily because of the play's emphasis on the power of the people.1

In the drama, Pushkin highlights the political and moral significance of the masses—referred to as the "judgment of the people"—in their role of eventually bringing the pretender, the false Dmitry, to the throne. Given the play's focus on the relationship between the ruling classes and the masses during a period of social and political chaos, this emphasis was viewed as sensitive by the authorities, leading to the delay in its publication.1