How Did Peter The Great Contribute To The Westernization Of Russia
Towards the end of the 17th century, Russia began undergoing dramatic, yet selective, internal changes. Peter the Great led the first westernization of Russia in history, permanently changing Russia and providing a model from which westernization attempts elsewhere were based on. Westernization was used by Peter and his successors to promote Russia's expansionist empire without intending to transform Russia into a truly Western society.
By the end of the 17th century, Russia had become one of the great land empires while maintaining a highly agriculturally based society. In the existing framework of how Russia is to be run, chaingong some of the policies. Peter extended the practice of building up tsarist control and expanding Russian territory. He also a more definite interest in changing selected aspects of Russian economy and culture by imitating Western forms. While eager to move his country more fully into the …show more content…
Without extensive urbanization or development of a large, commercial social class, Peter's reforms changed Russian economy.
Finally, Peter also made Russia more culturally respectable in Western eyes. He slightly promoted the status of women in society and encouraged women to wear Western-style clothing to social functions. These small reforms, however, were mainly aimed at upper-class women and he made no move to change gender relations.
While Peter the Great lead the first wave of Westernization in Russia, Catherine the Great introduced the second. Like Peter, Catherine was a selective westernizer; reforming only such areas as she deemed acceptable and harmless to her power. She flirted with with Western ideals of a more democratic government and invited several philosophers for visits and patronizing the arts and sciences. However, she did not allow serfs
By the end of the 17th century, Russia had become one of the great land empires while maintaining a highly agriculturally based society. In the existing framework of how Russia is to be run, chaingong some of the policies. Peter extended the practice of building up tsarist control and expanding Russian territory. He also a more definite interest in changing selected aspects of Russian economy and culture by imitating Western forms. While eager to move his country more fully into the …show more content…
Without extensive urbanization or development of a large, commercial social class, Peter's reforms changed Russian economy.
Finally, Peter also made Russia more culturally respectable in Western eyes. He slightly promoted the status of women in society and encouraged women to wear Western-style clothing to social functions. These small reforms, however, were mainly aimed at upper-class women and he made no move to change gender relations.
While Peter the Great lead the first wave of Westernization in Russia, Catherine the Great introduced the second. Like Peter, Catherine was a selective westernizer; reforming only such areas as she deemed acceptable and harmless to her power. She flirted with with Western ideals of a more democratic government and invited several philosophers for visits and patronizing the arts and sciences. However, she did not allow serfs