The Significance of the Main Developments in Russia under Peter the Great

Peter the Great’s Reforms and Centralisation of Power

Peter the Great is known for the Great Embassy (1697-98), a grand tour of Europe to learn about western technology and ideas. His aim was to modernise and westernise Russia.
Peter centralised the Russian state, introducing a meritocratic bureaucracy, weakening the power of the nobility and the Orthodox Church, and increasing his autocratic power. This had profound implications for the future of Russia.
He created the Table of Ranks (1722), a new bureaucratic system where promotion was achieved through service and merit, not birth. This undermined the old nobility.
Peter the Great also reformed the Russian legal code to strengthen the centralised state.
He imposed Western dress codes and behaviour patterns among his courtiers and bureaucrats. A long beard, for instance, was taxed to discourage traditional Russian styles and encourage western ones.

Economic and Military Changes

The navy was one of Peter’s greatest obsessions. Under his reign, Russia became a major naval power, constructing its first significant navy in the Baltic Sea.
The Russian Army underwent serious reforms, with modernised tactics and equipment based on European models. The standing army numbered to about 300,000 men, enforcing Peter’s power domestically.
Peter the Great introduced taxation reforms, such as the poll tax, which funded the enlarged standing army and his other reforms.
He encouraged trade and industry, imposing high tariffs on imported goods to protect Russia’s manufacturing industry.

Foreign Policy and Expansion

Peter the Great changed the course of Russian foreign policy, focusing on gaining access to the Baltic Sea. The victory in the Great Northern War (1700-1721) against Sweden resulted in gaining the territories of Estonia and Livonia.
He founded Saint Petersburg (1703) in the conquered Swedish territories and moved the capital there in 1712, aiming to open Russia up to the west.
There was also territorial expansion in Siberia, boosting the fur trade, and explorations towards Alaska.

Cultural Impact and Western Influence

Peter the Great is often depicted as the ‘westerniser’ of Russia, introducing western customs, manners, language, dress and architectural styles.
He founded the Russian Academy of Sciences (1725) and many educational institutions with a new focus on useful sciences (such as mathematics, astronomy, and physics).
He also promoted the development of the press and ordered the first Russian newspaper, the Vedomosti, to be published.
However, these reforms had some unintended impacts. The cultural divide between the educated, westernised elite and the traditional, conservative general population widened, contributing to future societal tensions.

Revision of these points about Peter the Great’s reign is critical for appreciating the profound changes he brought about in Russia, laying crucial groundwork for the country’s future trajectory. His centralisation of power, modernisation of the military, economic changes, territorial expansion, and cultural reforms shaped Russian society and state fundamentally, effects of which can still be traced to this day.