James Cracraft's The Revolution Of Peter The Great

1092 Words3 Pages

Peter the Great became tsar of Russia in 1682 and instituted many comprehensive changes designed to modernize and develop Russia during his reign. In The Revolution of Peter the Great, James Cracraft portrays the tsar as an ambitious and pivotal leader who sought to create a modern and powerful state by emulating Western European nations. The author insists that Peter inspired a revolution in Russia by establishing new bureaucratic, civil, and educational institutions. Cracraft argues that although all of Peter’s modifications had social and economic consequences, it was the cultural revolution that had the greatest impact on Russia. Cracraft describes Peter the Great as the most essential and historic figure in all of Russian history, and thus claims Peter as one of the most significant figures in all of modern history.
Peter’s reign was a period of change and growth. Cracraft praises Peter’s innovations, claiming that they promoted change in Russian tradition, society, and the church. The tsar’s new bureaucratic, civil, and educational institutions brought to Russia western ideas and technologies, which according to the author was equal to modernization. Peter expanded the alphabet and printing, while also advancing art and architecture in Russia. Cracraft contends that the …show more content…

The tsar’s changes were designed to cement his sovereign authority and expand his control of a more powerful Russia. Peter’s revolution did not affect the poor or impoverished in a positive way. By altering the relationship between the elites of Russian society and the serfs, Peter produced a larger divide among the classes. He believed that just as the landowners were obliged to service, so to the peasants were bound to the land. Peter’s tax laws expanded the number of taxable citizens; only exaggerating the existing unbalanced burden of the

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