Absolutism

#6 17th Century Absolutism Tsar Peter the Great (1689-1725) of Russia strengthened his nation’s position in Russia and reformed it by improving the military with, dividing of Russia into provinces, and adopting Western mercantilism. Revamping of Russia’s military by conscripting the peasants, creating the Navy, and adopted many Western military tactics and technologies in order to establish Russia as a world power. The tsar was bent on modernizing Russia; he knew that to become successful and rise to the top he would need an army to obtain warm water ports to expand the economy. He found the best way was to achieve this was to have mandatory military service. He raised an army of over 200,000 men to fight against the Swedes to win the Baltic in 1721 during the Great Northern War. With the Baltic Sea under his control, Peter created the first Russian Navy to keep the “window to the west” open under Russia’s control so that they can trade and improve the Russian economy. Lastly, he adopted Western military tactics and technologies by emphasizing the necessity of education. He created four major schools for the military to attend; there was Schools of Navigation and Math, Medicine, Engineering, and Science. Peter the Great also sought to reorganize the central government. He first realized it was necessary to divide Russia into eight provinces then to 50 over his tenure. This allows him to control and establish a more diverse economy within Russia. He also established a Russian Senate in 1711 to help him rule the country as he traveled around the world gaining from the way the West functioned. They also had the esteemed role of supervising the administrative machinery of Russia. Thus enabling him to take this cultured view of the world and revolutionizing the way he ruled his country. He changed dress, hygiene, architecture, and overall culture in an attempt to modernize Russia. Lastly, Peter the Great used the people to reform by adopting Western mercantilism and culture. He demanded that all people of the landholding class serve in military or civil offices, also instituted a Table of Ranks, which made the people start off at the very beginning and work their way up, once they hit level 8, they achieved the status of nobility. To keep up with military costs he started taxing more; he taxed things such as beards and longer coats. He helped trade by increasing exports and develop new industries while exploiting domestic resources like the iron mines in the Urals. I think it safe to say that Peter the Great of Russia revolutionized and modernized Russia. Whether it’s touring the West to do what’s right for his own country, raising an army of 250,000 men plus, or building a city on the coast so that his country could improve and develop it’s economy. Russia would not be where it is today without Peter the Great.