Discuss The Role Of Westernization In Russia

How did Russia and Western Europe develop so differently? Russia and Western Europe developed in similar times but ended up vastly different from one another. Both regions were influenced by similar ideas and groups but somehow began to contrast greatly. The Byzantine Empire had great influences on both civilizations which is a similarity. Exterior influences caused greater changes which would shape how both regions developed so differently.

Peter the Great was born to Tsar Alexis and grew up differently than many people of his time. “Peter proved a healthy child, lively and inquisitive. It is probably significant to his development that his mother’s former guardian, Artamon Sergeyevich Matveyev, had raised her in an atmosphere open to progressive influences from the West” (Britannica Academica). The fact that he grew up with a significant figure in his life who favored the west shaped his views in a major. Later in his reign, he focused on western civilization and how they thrived. Peter tried to implicate the same influences in Russia to further try and modernize and advance the culture, society, and government. Peter was a very lively and energetic child. “When Alexis died in 1676 Peter was only four years old. His elder half-brother, a sickly youth, then succeeded to the throne as Fyodor III” (Britannica

Both Peter the Great and Catherine the Great were the former Emperors of Russia. They were the Russians ruler before the 17th century and also they were followers of Ivan IV. They used mysteries, dishonesty, etc for the foundation of their time, and they never thought that the Russia will have modernization. Mostly, the change came when Peter the Great and Catherine the Great came to power. Also, She expanded the territory of the Russian Empire and had improved as time pass by, and policy was following from the Westernization.

     During this same time Peter the Great sought to ¡°westernize¡± Russia. An autocratic tsar who had absoluter power, he did not wish to share it with his royal court. He moved the capital to St. Petersburg, and absorbed western intellectual and cultural trends. He forced all his nobles to cut of their beards, and instructed them to learn modern Western dances. Russia historically had an autocratic tsar like Peter, + the nobles have no political clout in the government. However, the nobles in Russia are huge landowners and had enormous powers over the serfs on their estates. This economic power, b/c serfs were almost like slaves, made them wealthy + prosperous. Thus, although Peter the Great rules without the input of anyone else, the nobles were westernized under his rule + enjoyed power over their serfs and economic gains.

Peter recognized that his country was falling behind the European countries in knowledge, technology, trade, and governing ability. Using his absolute power as a czar, he brought in foreign advisers to help him modernize, westernize and educate his people. Peter had a great respect for Europe, and his reforms had a lasting influence in Russia, though there was of course opposition from the more conservative nobles.

Russia was also far more adaptive to Western culture than Japan was. Russia’s Peter I, or Peter the Great, was adamant about his subjects

Peter the Great ruled over Russia from 1682 to 1725. Known as a key force in the reformation of the Russian economy, and the country as a whole, Peter wished to bring his country into a new era. Up until his reign, Russia had been trapped in a medieval like state, cut off from its European neighbors; the Renaissance that revolutionized the rest of Europe had very little to no effect on the Russian government or its citizens. Peter realized that Russia could never be the world power that he wished it to be until they were on the same level as the rest of Europe. Seeing the dilemma, Peter left Russia for a period of time to travel Europe, work among the people of different nations, and study the cultures and governments of Russia’s neighbors.

On the other hand, one could say that Peter was not so preoccupied in making Russia into a naval power. A reason for this being that he did not just solely focus on the Navy, as he also focused on domestic reforms in Russia. He wanted to push Russia into the modern era and in order to do so he set about reforming Russia and its policy in a number of ways. The main aims of these policies were to westernise Russia.

If one would review the past of Europe during the16th and 17th centuries, they would find that it was an age of Prosperity due to the absolute monarchs that ruled during that time. These centuries were filled with great leaders such as Peter the Great and Louis XIV, that demonstrated all the characteristics of an absolute monarch and benefited the greater good in the lands they ruled. Peter the Great was such a great example of this that he changed Russia in a land of insignificance to one of great power. With this he also created the Russian newspaper, great trade, the Table of Ranks, and St. Petersburg which was Russia's warm water port. People such as Peter that were willing to defy the roles of an absolute monarch and bring new concepts

Peter wanted to make Russia a great modern power and increase trade with the west. Furthermore, he embarked on a policy of westernization to help Russia prosper. Some of his policies based on westernization were that boyars were to shave their beards and wear western fashion. Also, he held grand parties in which mixing of genders was to be expected, to break the tradition of secluding upper-class women in separate quarters. To complete some other goals of his, he also brought all institutions under his control, such as the Russian Orthodox Church. Additionally, he compelled landowning nobles to serve the state in military or civilian positions. Several beneficial outcomes resulted from Peter’s bold social and economic reforms. Peter extend Russia’s western and southern borders and adopted mercantilist policies such as encouraging exports. Additionally, he built the largest military in Europe, created a world-class navy and ended a period of isolation. Peter also helped strengthen Russian academics by shortening the alphabet and established academies to study sciences, mathematics and engineering. Peter also created a new capital of Russia , St. Petersburg based on western

Peter the Great’s trip to the west brought back many technological and military advancements which helped Russia modernize and build a noteable military. Peter the Great was always fascinated by shipbuilding, so when he reached the Netherlands he became an apprentice to a shipbuilder in order to learn how to make his own fleet back in Russia as good as any European ship; thus giving Russia military power it had not possessed earlier. This causes Russia to build up its navy and eventually take land on the Baltic Sea, so now Russia has access to trade. Through this trade Russia is able to build up its economy and become an economic influence in the world. This shifts the balance of power because through the influence of other countries Russia

Urban life changed significantly under Peter’s reign- the banning of beards and the required wearing of Western dress allowed for the image of Russian culture to change and this proved to be an apt metaphor for all of Peter’s reforms: they only superficially advanced Russian culture. Just as Petersburg and Moscow built great buildings in the style of the Dutch and Italian, just as Petersburg and Moscow saw the adoption of French as a common language, just as Petersburg and Moscow were introduced to opera and painting of the European style; the peasantry’s life remained the same. Without access to education, they could not take advantage of the court’s cultural exchanges; without freedom from serfdom, the Table of Ranks was utterly useless to the very class that would benefit most from it. Peter started Russia on a promising but ultimately less-than-fruitful path: even though they grew to look more and more like Europe, the vast majority of Russians, the peasantry, saw no real reform, no real change, and so Peter’s goal to become more like Europe fell flat due to this lack of empowerment of the lower classes that would spread throughout Western Europe for the entire 18th

Peter the Great demanded that all his boyars shave their beards and his governmental officials to wear western clothing. Peter the Great even created a tax to be paid for man who has a beard and wishes to enter in the capital. In a way, Peter’s desire for westernization and growth of Russia caused him to make his rule absolute. Only through absolutism and regulations could Peter the Great successfully grow and modernize Russia. Therefore, any rebellion would be terminated immediately.

Peter I (the Great) became Tsar of Russia in 1682 and instituted many comprehensive reforms designed to modernize and develop Russia during his reign. In The Revolution of Peter the Great, James Cracraft’s portrays the Tsar as an ambitious and pivotal leader who sought to create a modern and powerful nation that rivalled those in Western European. Peter desired to reform Russian government by establishing new bureaucratic, civil, and educational institutions within the state. Peter also promoted change for Russian traditions, society, and the church. Cracraft argues that although Peter’s reforms had social and economic consequences, it was the cultural revolution that had the greatest impact on Russia. Cracraft describes Peter

Peter Alexeyevich Romanov was born on the 9th of June, 1672. Due to the lasting impact of his reforms he is known as Peter the Great, not only to those in Russia, but throughout the entire world. Most notable for his breakthroughs in Russian westernization and development, Peter I is key to understanding the countries turbulent relationship with European civilization. Through his focus on military, administrative, and social reform, the tsar aided in the development of a Russian identity influenced by the west but unique. The reception and subsequent resistance to Peter’s reforms is not unnoticed in certain tiers of Russian society.