Church policy of Peter 1. Political reforms of Peter I

Convenient navigation through the article:

History table: Reforms of Emperor Peter I

Peter I is one of the most prominent rulers of the Russian state, ruling from 1682 to 1721. During his reign, reforms were carried out in many areas, many wars were won, and the foundation for the future greatness of the Russian empire was laid!

Table navigation: Reforms of Peter 1:

Prerequisites for the reforms of Peter the Great

Peter accepted Russia as a backward country, located on the outskirts of Europe. Muscovy had no access to the sea, with the exception of the White Sea, a regular army, navy, developed industry, trade, the system of government was antediluvian and ineffective, there were no higher educational institutions (only in 1687 the Slavic-Greek-Latin Academy opened in Moscow), printing , theater, painting, libraries, not only the people, but many representatives of the elite: boyars, nobles, did not know how to read and write. Science did not develop. Serfdom ruled.

Public Administration Reform

- Peter replaced orders that did not have clear responsibilities with collegiums, the prototype of future ministries

• Collegium of Foreign Affairs
• Military college
• Naval College
• Board for Trade Affairs
• College of Justice...

The boards consisted of several officials, the eldest was called the chairman or president. All of them were subordinate to the Governor General, who was part of the Senate. There were 12 boards in total.
- In March 1711, Peter created the Governing Senate. At first its function was to govern the country in the absence of the king, then it became a permanent institution. The Senate included presidents of colleges and senators - people appointed by the tsar.
- In January 1722, Peter issued a “table of ranks”, numbering 14 class ranks from State Chancellor (first rank) to collegiate registrar (fourteenth)
- Peter reorganized the secret police system. Since 1718, the Preobrazhensky Prikaz, which was in charge of cases of political crimes, was transformed into the Secret Investigation Office.

Church reform of Peter

Peter abolished the patriarchate, a church organization practically independent of the state, and created in its place the Holy Synod, all of whose members were appointed by the tsar, thereby eliminating the autonomy of the clergy. Peter pursued a policy of religious tolerance, making the existence of Old Believers easier and allowing foreigners to freely practice their faith.

Administrative reform of Peter

Russia was divided into provinces, provinces were divided into provinces, provinces into counties.
Provinces:

• Moscow
• Ingria
• Kyiv
• Smolenskaya
• Azovskaya
• Kazanskaya
• Arkhangelogorodskaya
• Siberian
• Rizhskaya
• Astrakhan
• Nizhny Novgorod

Peter's military reform

Peter replaced the irregular and noble militia with a permanent regular army, staffed by recruits drawn one from each of the 20 peasant or petty-bourgeois households in the Great Russian provinces. He built a powerful navy and wrote the military regulations himself, using the Swedish one as a basis.

Peter turned Russia into one of the strongest naval powers in the world, with 48 battleships and 788 galleys and other ships

Peter's economic reform

A modern army could not exist without a state supply system. To supply the army and navy with weapons, uniforms, food, consumables, it was necessary to create powerful industrial production. By the end of Peter's reign, there were about 230 factories and plants operating in Russia. Factories were created focused on the production of glass products, gunpowder, paper, canvas, linen, cloth, paints, ropes, even hats; metallurgical, sawmill, and leather industries were organized. In order for the products of Russian craftsmen to be competitive in the market, high customs duties were introduced on European goods. Encouraging entrepreneurial activity, Peter made extensive use of loans to create new factories and trading companies. The largest enterprises that arose during the era of Peter the Great's reforms were those created in Moscow, St. Petersburg, the Urals, Tula, Astrakhan, Arkhangelsk, Samara

• Admiralty Shipyard
• Arsenal
• Powder factories
• Metallurgical plants
• Linen production
• Production of potash, sulfur, saltpeter

By the end of the reign of Peter I, Russia had 233 factories, including more than 90 large manufactories built during his reign. During the first quarter of the 18th century, 386 different ships were built at the shipyards of St. Petersburg and Arkhangelsk; at the beginning of the century, Russia smelted about 150 thousand pounds of cast iron, in 1725 - more than 800 thousand pounds; Russia caught up with England in cast iron smelting

Peter's reform in education

The army and navy needed qualified specialists. Therefore, Peter paid great attention to their preparation. During his reign, they were organized in Moscow and St. Petersburg

• School of Mathematical and Navigational Sciences
• artillery school
• engineering school
• medical school
• Marine Academy
• mining schools at Olonets and Ural factories
• Digital schools for “children of all ranks”
• Garrison schools for children of soldiers
• Theological schools
• Academy of Sciences (opened a few months after the death of the emperor)

Peter's reforms in the field of culture

• Publication of the first newspaper in Russia “St. Petersburg Vedomosti”
• Ban on boyars wearing beards
• Establishment of the first Russian museum - Kunskamera
• Requirement for nobility to wear European dress
• Creation of assemblies where nobles had to appear together with their wives
• Creation of new printing houses and translation into Russian of many European books

Reforms of Peter the Great. Chronology

• 1690 - The first guards regiments Semenovsky and Preobrazhensky were created
• 1693 — Creation of a shipyard in Arkhangelsk
• 1696 — Creation of a shipyard in Voronezh
• 1696 - Decree on the creation of an arms factory in Tobolsk
• 1698 - Decree banning beards and requiring nobles to wear European clothing
• 1699 - Dissolution of the Streltsy army
• 1699 - creation of commercial and industrial enterprises enjoying a monopoly
• 1699, December 15 - Decree on calendar reform. New Year starts on January 1st
• 1700 - Creation of the Government Senate
• 1701 - Decree prohibiting kneeling at the sight of the sovereign and removing one’s hat in winter when passing by his palace
• 1701 - Opening of a school of mathematical and navigational sciences in Moscow
• 1703, January - the first Russian newspaper was published in Moscow

• 1704 - Replacement of the Boyar Duma with a council of ministers - the Council of Chiefs of Orders
• 1705 - First decree on recruitment
• 1708, November - Administrative reform
• 1710, January 18 - decree on the official introduction of the Russian civil alphabet instead of the Church Slavonic
• 1710 - Founding of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra in St. Petersburg
• 1711 - instead of the Boyar Duma, a Senate of 9 members and a chief secretary was created. Currency reform: minting gold, silver and copper coins
• 1712 - Transfer of the capital from Moscow to St. Petersburg
• 1712 - Decree on the creation of horse breeding farms in the Kazan, Azov and Kyiv provinces
• 1714, February - Decree on the opening of digital schools for the children of clerks and priests
• 1714, March 23 - Decree on primogeniture (single inheritance)
• 1714 - Foundation of the state library in St. Petersburg
• 1715 - Creation of shelters for the poor in all cities of Russia
• 1715 - Instruction of the College of Commerce to organize the training of Russian merchants abroad
• 1715 - Decree on encouraging the cultivation of flax, hemp, tobacco, mulberry trees for silkworms
• 1716 - Census of all schismatics for double taxation
• 1716, March 30 - Adoption of military regulations
• 1717 - Introduction of free trade in grain, cancellation of some privileges for foreign merchants
• 1718 - Replacement of Orders by Colleges
• 1718 - Judicial reform. tax reform
• 1718 - Beginning of the population census (continued until 1721)
• 1719, November 26 - Decree on the establishment of assemblies - free meetings for fun and business
• 1719 - Creation of an engineering school, establishment of the Berg College to manage the mining industry
• 1720 - Naval Charter adopted
• 1721, January 14 - Decree on the creation of the Theological College (the future Holy Synod)

Reforms of Peter I

Reforms of Peter I- transformations in state and public life carried out during the reign of Peter I in Russia. All state activities of Peter I can be divided into two periods: -1715 and -.

A feature of the first stage was haste and not always thought out, which was explained by the conduct of the Northern War. The reforms were aimed primarily at raising funds for the war, were carried out by force and often did not lead to the desired result. In addition to government reforms, at the first stage, extensive reforms were carried out with the aim of modernizing the way of life. In the second period, reforms were more systematic.

Decisions in the Senate were made collegially, at a general meeting, and were supported by the signatures of all members of the highest state body. If one of the 9 senators refused to sign the decision, the decision was considered invalid. Thus, Peter I delegated part of his powers to the Senate, but at the same time imposed personal responsibility on its members.

Simultaneously with the Senate, the position of fiscals appeared. The duty of the chief fiscal under the Senate and the fiscals in the provinces was to secretly supervise the activities of institutions: cases of violation of decrees and abuses were identified and reported to the Senate and the Tsar. Since 1715, the work of the Senate was monitored by the Auditor General, who was renamed Chief Secretary. Since 1722, control over the Senate has been exercised by the Prosecutor General and Chief Prosecutor, to whom the prosecutors of all other institutions were subordinate. No decision of the Senate was valid without the consent and signature of the Prosecutor General. The Prosecutor General and his deputy Chief Prosecutor reported directly to the sovereign.

The Senate, as a government, could make decisions, but required an administrative apparatus to carry them out. In -1721, a reform of the executive bodies of government was carried out, as a result of which, in parallel with the system of orders with their vague functions, 12 colleges were created according to the Swedish model - the predecessors of future ministries. In contrast to orders, the functions and spheres of activity of each board were strictly demarcated, and relations within the board itself were built on the principle of collegiality of decisions. The following were introduced:

• The Collegium of Foreign Affairs replaced the Ambassadorial Prikaz, that is, it was in charge of foreign policy.
• Military Collegium (Military) - recruitment, armament, equipment and training of the ground army.
• Admiralty Board - naval affairs, fleet.
• The Patrimonial Collegium - replaced the Local Order, that is, it was in charge of noble land ownership (land litigation, transactions for the purchase and sale of land and peasants, and the search for fugitives were considered). Founded in 1721.
• The chamber board is the collection of state revenues.
• The State Board of Directors was in charge of state expenditures,
• The Audit Board controls the collection and expenditure of government funds.
• Commerce Board - issues of shipping, customs and foreign trade.
• Berg College - mining and metallurgy (mining industry).
• Manufactory Collegium - light industry (manufactures, that is, enterprises based on the division of manual labor).
• The College of Justice was in charge of issues of civil proceedings (the Serfdom Office operated under it: it registered various acts - bills of sale, the sale of estates, spiritual wills, debt obligations). She worked in civil and criminal court.
• The Spiritual College or the Holy Governing Synod - managed church affairs, replaced the patriarch. Founded in 1721. This board/Synod included representatives of the highest clergy. Since their appointment was carried out by the tsar, and his decisions were approved by him, we can say that the Russian emperor became the de facto head of the Russian Orthodox Church. The actions of the Synod on behalf of the highest secular authority were controlled by the chief prosecutor - a civil official appointed by the tsar. By a special decree, Peter I (Peter I) ordered the priests to carry out an educational mission among the peasants: read sermons and instructions to them, teach children prayers, and instill in them respect for the king and the church.
• The Little Russian Collegium exercised control over the actions of the hetman, who held power in Ukraine, because there was a special regime of local government. After the death of Hetman I. I. Skoropadsky in 1722, new elections of a hetman were prohibited, and the hetman was appointed for the first time by royal decree. The board was headed by a tsarist officer.

The central place in the management system was occupied by the secret police: the Preobrazhensky Prikaz (in charge of cases of state crimes) and the Secret Chancellery. These institutions were administered by the emperor himself.

In addition, there was a Salt Office, a Copper Department, and a Land Survey Office.

Control over the activities of civil servants

To monitor the implementation of local decisions and reduce endemic corruption, since 1711, the position of fiscals was established, who were supposed to “secretly inspect, report and expose” all abuses of both high and low officials, pursue embezzlement, bribery, and accept denunciations from private individuals . At the head of the fiscals was the chief fiscal, appointed by the king and subordinate to him. The chief fiscal was part of the Senate and maintained contact with subordinate fiscals through the fiscal desk of the Senate office. Denunciations were considered and reported monthly to the Senate by the Execution Chamber - a special judicial presence of four judges and two senators (existed in 1712-1719).

In 1719-1723 The fiscals were subordinate to the College of Justice, and with the establishment in January 1722, the positions of the Prosecutor General were supervised by him. Since 1723, the chief fiscal officer was the fiscal general, appointed by the sovereign, and his assistant was the chief fiscal, appointed by the Senate. In this regard, the fiscal service withdrew from the subordination of the Justice College and regained departmental independence. The vertical of fiscal control was brought to the city level.

Ordinary archers in 1674. Lithograph from a 19th century book.

Army and Navy reforms

Army reform: in particular, the introduction of regiments of a new system, reformed according to foreign models, began long before Peter I, even under Alexei I. However, the combat effectiveness of this army was low. Reforming the army and creating a fleet became necessary conditions for victory in the Northern War of 1721. In preparation for the war with Sweden, Peter ordered in 1699 to carry out a general recruitment and begin training soldiers according to the model established by the Preobrazhensky and Semyonovtsy. This first conscription yielded 29 infantry regiments and two dragoons. In 1705, every 20 households were required to send one recruit to lifelong service. Subsequently, recruits began to be taken from a certain number of male souls among the peasants. Recruitment into the navy, as into the army, was carried out from recruits.

Private army infantry. regiment in 1720-32 Lithograph from a 19th century book.

If at first among the officers there were mainly foreign specialists, then after the start of the work of the navigation, artillery, and engineering schools, the growth of the army was satisfied by Russian officers from the noble class. In 1715, the Maritime Academy was opened in St. Petersburg. In 1716, the Military Regulations were published, which strictly defined the service, rights and responsibilities of the military. - As a result of the transformations, a strong regular army and a powerful navy were created, which Russia simply did not have before. By the end of Peter's reign, the number of regular ground forces reached 210 thousand (of which 2,600 were in the guard, 41,560 in cavalry, 75 thousand in infantry, 14 thousand in garrisons) and up to 110 thousand irregular troops. The fleet consisted of 48 battleships; 787 galleys and other vessels; There were almost 30 thousand people on all ships.

Church reform

Religious politics

The era of Peter was marked by a trend towards greater religious tolerance. Peter terminated the “12 Articles” adopted by Sophia, according to which Old Believers who refused to renounce the “schism” were subject to burning at the stake. The “schismatics” were allowed to practice their faith, subject to recognition of the existing state order and payment of double taxes. Complete freedom of faith was granted to foreigners coming to Russia, and restrictions on communication between Orthodox Christians and Christians of other faiths were lifted (in particular, interfaith marriages were allowed).

Financial reform

Some historians characterize Peter's trade policy as a policy of protectionism, consisting of supporting domestic production and imposing increased duties on imported products (this was consistent with the idea of ​​mercantilism). Thus, in 1724, a protective customs tariff was introduced - high duties on foreign goods that could be produced or were already produced by domestic enterprises.

The number of factories and factories at the end of Peter's reign extended to, including about 90 that were large manufactories.

Autocracy reform

Before Peter, the order of succession to the throne in Russia was not regulated by law in any way, and was entirely determined by tradition. In 1722, Peter issued a decree on the order of succession to the throne, according to which the reigning monarch appoints a successor during his lifetime, and the emperor can make anyone his heir (it was assumed that the king would appoint “the most worthy” as his successor). This law was in force until the reign of Paul I. Peter himself did not take advantage of the law on succession to the throne, since he died without specifying a successor.

Class politics

The main goal pursued by Peter I in social policy is the legal registration of class rights and obligations of each category of the population of Russia. As a result, a new structure of society emerged, in which the class character was more clearly formed. The rights of the nobility were expanded and the responsibilities of the nobility were defined, and, at the same time, the serfdom of the peasants was strengthened.

Nobility

Key milestones:

1. Decree on Education of 1706: boyar children must receive either primary school or home education.
2. Decree on estates of 1704: noble and boyar estates are not divided and are equated to each other.
3. Decree on sole inheritance of 1714: a landowner with sons could bequeath all his real estate to only one of them of his choice. The rest were obliged to serve. The decree marked the final merger of the noble estate and the boyar estate, thereby finally erasing the difference between the two classes of feudal lords.
4. “Table of Ranks” () of the year: division of military, civil and court service into 14 ranks. Upon reaching the eighth grade, any official or military man could receive the status of hereditary nobility. Thus, a person’s career depended primarily not on his origin, but on his achievements in public service.

The place of the former boyars was taken by the “generals”, consisting of ranks of the first four classes of the “Table of Ranks”. Personal service mixed up representatives of the former family nobility with people raised by service. Peter's legislative measures, without significantly expanding the class rights of the nobility, significantly changed its responsibilities. Military affairs, which in Moscow times was the duty of a narrow class of service people, is now becoming the duty of all segments of the population. The nobleman of Peter the Great's times still has the exclusive right of land ownership, but as a result of the decrees on single inheritance and audit, he is made responsible to the state for the tax service of his peasants. The nobility is obliged to study in preparation for service. Peter destroyed the former isolation of the service class, opening access to the environment of the nobility to people of other classes through length of service through the Table of Ranks. On the other hand, with the law on single inheritance, he opened the way out of the nobility into merchants and clergy for those who wanted it. The nobility of Russia is becoming a military-bureaucratic class, whose rights are created and hereditarily determined by public service, and not by birth.

Peasantry

Peter's reforms changed the situation of the peasants. From different categories of peasants who were not in serfdom from the landowners or the church (black-growing peasants of the north, non-Russian nationalities, etc.), a new unified category of state peasants was formed - personally free, but paying rent to the state. The opinion that this measure “destroyed the remnants of the free peasantry” is incorrect, since the population groups that made up the state peasants were not considered free in the pre-Petrine period - they were attached to the land (the Council Code of 1649) and could be granted by the tsar to private individuals and the church as serfs. State peasants in the 18th century had the rights of personally free people (they could own property, act in court as one of the parties, elect representatives to class bodies, etc.), but were limited in movement and could be (until the beginning of the 19th century, when this category is finally approved as free people) transferred by the monarch to the category of serfs. Legislative acts concerning the serf peasantry themselves were of a contradictory nature. Thus, the intervention of landowners in the marriage of serfs was limited (a decree of 1724), it was forbidden to present serfs as defendants in court and to hold them on the right for the debts of the owner. The norm was also confirmed about the transfer into custody of the estates of landowners who ruined their peasants, and serfs were given the opportunity to enroll as soldiers, which freed them from serfdom (by decree of Emperor Elizabeth on July 2, 1742, serfs were deprived of this opportunity). By the decree of 1699 and the verdict of the Town Hall in 1700, peasants engaged in trade or craft were given the right to move to posads, freed from serfdom (if the peasant was in one). At the same time, measures against runaway peasants were significantly tightened, large masses of palace peasants were distributed to private individuals, and landowners were allowed to recruit serfs. By decree of April 7, 1690, it was allowed to cede for unpaid debts of “manorial” serfs, which was actually a form of serf trade. The imposition of a capitation tax on serfs (that is, personal servants without land) led to the merging of serfs with serfs. Church peasants were subordinated to the monastic order and removed from the authority of the monasteries. Under Peter, a new category of dependent farmers was created - peasants assigned to manufactories. These peasants in the 18th century were called possessions. A decree of 1721 allowed nobles and merchant manufacturers to buy peasants to manufactories to work for them. The peasants bought for the factory were not considered the property of its owners, but were attached to production, so that the owner of the factory could neither sell nor mortgage the peasants separately from the manufacture. Possession peasants received a fixed salary and performed a fixed amount of work.

Urban population

The urban population in the era of Peter I was very small: about 3% of the country's population. The only large city was Moscow, which was the capital before the reign of Peter the Great. Although Russia was much inferior to Western Europe in terms of urban and industrial development, during the 17th century. there was a gradual increase. The social policy of Peter the Great concerning the urban population was aimed at ensuring the payment of the poll tax. For this purpose, the population was divided into two categories: regular (industrialists, merchants, craftsmen) and irregular citizens (all others). The difference between the urban regular citizen of the end of Peter's reign and the irregular one was that the regular citizen participated in city government by electing members of the magistrate, was enrolled in the guild and workshop, or bore a monetary obligation in the share that fell on him according to the social scheme.

Transformations in the sphere of culture

Peter I changed the beginning of the chronology from the so-called Byzantine era (“from the creation of Adam”) to “from the Nativity of Christ.” The year 7208 according to the Byzantine era became 1700 from the Nativity of Christ, and the New Year began to be celebrated on January 1. In addition, under Peter, uniform application of the Julian calendar was introduced.

After returning from the Great Embassy, ​​Peter I waged a struggle against the external manifestations of an “outdated” way of life (the ban on beards is most famous), but no less paid attention to introducing the nobility to education and secular Europeanized culture. Secular educational institutions began to appear, the first Russian newspaper was founded, and translations of many books into Russian appeared. Peter made success in service for the nobles dependent on education.

Changes have occurred in the Russian language, which included 4.5 thousand new words borrowed from European languages.

Peter tried to change the position of women in Russian society. By special decrees (1700, 1702 and 1724) he prohibited forced marriage. It was prescribed that there should be at least a six-week period between betrothal and wedding, “so that the bride and groom can recognize each other.” If during this time, the decree said, “the groom does not want to take the bride, or the bride does not want to marry the groom,” no matter how the parents insist on it, “there will be freedom.” Since 1702, the bride herself (and not just her relatives) was given the formal right to dissolve the betrothal and upset the arranged marriage, and neither party had the right to “beat the forfeit.” Legislative regulations 1696-1704. on public celebrations, mandatory participation in celebrations and festivities was introduced for all Russians, including the “female sex.”

Gradually, a different system of values, worldview, and aesthetic ideas took shape among the nobility, which was radically different from the values ​​and worldview of the majority of representatives of other classes.

Peter I in 1709. Drawing from the mid-19th century.

Education

Peter clearly recognized the need for enlightenment, and took a number of decisive measures to this end.

According to the Hanoverian Weber, during the reign of Peter the Great, several thousand Russians were sent to study abroad.

Peter's decrees introduced compulsory education for nobles and clergy, but a similar measure for the urban population met fierce resistance and was cancelled. Peter's attempt to create an all-estate primary school failed (the creation of a network of schools ceased after his death; most of the digital schools under his successors were repurposed as estate schools for training the clergy), but nevertheless, during his reign the foundations were laid for the spread of education in Russia.

For all connoisseurs of Russian history, the name of Peter 1 will forever remain associated with the period of reform in almost all spheres of life of Russian society. And one of the most important in this series was military reform.

Peter the Great fought throughout the entire period of his reign. All his military campaigns were directed against serious opponents - Sweden and Turkey. And in order to wage endless grueling, and, moreover, offensive wars, a well-equipped, combat-ready army is needed. Actually, the need to create such an army was the main reason for the military reforms of Peter the Great. The process of transformation was not immediate; each stage took place in its own time and was caused by certain events during the hostilities.

It cannot be said that the tsar began reforming the army from scratch. Rather, he continued and expanded the military innovations conceived by his father Alexei Mikhailovich.

So, let's look at the military reforms of Peter 1 briefly point by point:

Reform of the Streltsy army

In 1697, the Streltsy regiments, which were the basis of the army, were disbanded and subsequently completely abolished. They were simply not ready to conduct constant hostilities. In addition, the Streltsy riots undermined the tsar’s trust in them. Instead of the archers, three new regiments were formed in 1699, which were staffed by also disbanded foreign regiments and recruits.

Introduction of conscription

In 1699, a new system of army recruitment was introduced in the country - conscription. Initially, recruitment was carried out only as needed and was regulated by special decrees, which stipulated the currently required number of recruits. Their service was for life. The basis of recruitment was the tax-paying classes of peasants and townspeople. The new system made it possible to create a large standing army in the country, which had a significant advantage over European mercenary troops.

Changing the military training system

Since 1699, the training of soldiers and officers began to be carried out according to a single drill code. The emphasis was on constant military training. In 1700 the first military school for officers was opened, and in 1715 the Naval Academy was opened in St. Petersburg.

Changes in the organizational structure of the army

The army was officially divided into three branches: infantry, artillery and cavalry. The entire structure of the new army and navy was reduced to uniformity: brigades, regiments, divisions. The administration of army affairs was transferred to the jurisdiction of four orders. Since 1718, the Military Collegium has become the highest military body.

In 1722, the Table of Ranks was created, which clearly structured the system of military ranks.

Army rearmament

Peter I began to arm the infantry with flintlock rifles with a single caliber bayonet and swords. Under him, new types of artillery pieces and ammunition were developed. New types of ships were created.

As a result of the military reforms of Peter the Great, rapid economic growth began in Russia. After all, in order to provide such an army colossus, new steel and weapons factories and ammunition factories were needed. As a result, by 1707 the state’s dependence on the import of weapons from Europe was completely eliminated.

The main results of the reform were the creation of a large and well-trained army, which allowed Russia to begin active military competition with Europe and emerge victorious.

Reforms of Peter the Great

During his reign, reforms were carried out in all areas of the country's government. The transformations covered almost all aspects of life: the economy, domestic and foreign policy, science, everyday life, and the political system.

Basically, the reforms were aimed not at the interests of individual classes, but at the country as a whole: its prosperity, well-being and inclusion in Western European civilization. The goal of the reforms was for Russia to acquire the role of one of the leading world powers, capable of competing with Western countries militarily and economically. The main tool for carrying out reforms was consciously used violence. In general, the process of reforming the state was associated with an external factor - the need for Russia to access the seas, as well as with an internal one - the process of modernization of the country.

Military reform of Peter 1

Since 1699

The essence of the transformation: Introduction of conscription, creation of a navy, establishment of a Military Collegium that managed all military affairs. Introduction using the “Table of Ranks” of military ranks, uniform for all of Russia. Severe discipline was established in the troops and navy, and corporal punishment was widely used to maintain it. Introduction of military regulations. Military-industrial enterprises, as well as military educational institutions, were created.

Reform result: With reforms, the emperor was able to create a strong regular army, numbering up to 212 thousand people by 1725, and a strong navy. In the army, units were created: regiments, brigades and divisions, in the navy - squadrons. A large number of military victories were won. These reforms (although ambiguously assessed by various historians) created a springboard for further successes of Russian weapons.

Public administration reforms of Peter 1

(1699-1721)

The essence of the transformation: Creation of the Near Chancellery (or Council of Ministers) in 1699. It was transformed in 1711 into the Governing Senate. Creation of 12 boards, with a specific scope of activity and powers.

Reform result: The state management system has become more advanced. The activities of most government bodies became regulated, and the boards had a clearly defined area of ​​activity. Supervisory authorities were created.

Provincial (regional) reform of Peter 1

(1708-1715 and 1719-1720)

The essence of the transformation: Peter 1, at the initial stage of the reform, divided Russia into eight provinces: Moscow, Kiev, Kazan, Ingria (later St. Petersburg), Arkhangelsk, Smolensk, Azov, Siberian. They were under the control of governors in charge of the troops stationed in the province. And also the governors had full administrative and judicial power. At the second stage of the reform, the provinces were divided into 50 provinces, which were governed by governors, and they, in turn, were divided into districts, under the leadership of zemstvo commissars. Governors lost administrative power and resolved judicial and military issues.

Reform result: There has been a centralization of power. Local governments have almost completely lost their influence.

Judicial reform of Peter 1

(1697, 1719, 1722)

The essence of the transformation: Formation by Peter 1 of new judicial bodies: Senate, Justice Collegium, Hofgerichts, lower courts. Judicial functions were also performed by all colleagues except Foreign. The judges were separated from the administration. The court of kissers (similar to a jury trial) was abolished, the principle of the inviolability of an unconvicted person was lost.

Reform result: many judicial bodies and persons who carried out judicial activities (the sovereign himself, governors, voivodes, etc.) added confusion and confusion to the legal proceedings; the introduced possibility of “knocking out” testimony under torture created fertile ground for abuse and bias. At the same time, they established the adversarial nature of the process and the need for the sentence to be based on specific articles of the law, in accordance with the case being examined.

Church reform of Peter 1

(1700-1701; 1721)

The essence of the transformation: After Patriarch Adrian died in 1700, the institution of the patriarchate was essentially liquidated. 1701 - the management of church and monastic lands was reformed. The Emperor restored the Monastic Order, which controlled church revenues and the court of monastic peasants. 1721 - The Spiritual Regulations are adopted, which actually deprived the church of independence. To replace the patriarchate, the Holy Synod was created, the members of which were subordinate to Peter 1, by whom they were appointed. Church property was often taken away and spent on the needs of the sovereign.

Reform result: Church reform led to the almost complete subordination of the clergy to secular power. In addition to the elimination of the patriarchate, many of the bishops and ordinary clergy were persecuted. The Church was no longer able to pursue an independent spiritual policy and had partially lost its authority in society.

Financial reform of Peter 1

The essence of the transformation: Many new (including indirect) taxes were introduced, monopolizing the sale of tar, alcohol, salt and other goods. Damage (minting a coin of less weight and reducing the silver content in it) of a coin. The kopeck became the main coin. Introduction of a poll tax, replacing household taxation.

Reform result: Increase in state treasury revenues several times. But first: it was achieved due to the impoverishment of the bulk of the population. Second: for the most part, these incomes were stolen.

Results of the reforms of Peter 1

The reforms of Peter 1 marked the establishment of an absolute monarchy.

The transformations significantly increased the efficiency of government administration and served as the main lever for modernizing the country. Russia has become a Europeanized country and a member of the European community of nations. Industry and trade developed rapidly, and great achievements began to appear in technical training and science. The emergence of authoritarian rule is taking place; the role of the sovereign and his influence on all spheres of life of society and the state have increased enormously.

The price of Peter 1's reforms

Repeatedly increased taxes led to the impoverishment and enslavement of the bulk of the population.

A cult of institution has developed in Russia, and the race for ranks and positions has turned into a national disaster.

The main psychological support of the Russian state - the Orthodox Church at the end of the 17th century was shaken in its foundations and gradually lost its significance.

Instead of a civil society with a market economy emerging in Europe, by the end of the reign of Peter the Great, Russia was a military-police state with a nationalized monopolized serf-owning economy.

Weakening contact between the government and the people. It soon became clear that the majority did not sympathize with the Europeanization program. In carrying out its reforms, the government was forced to act cruelly.

The cost of the transformations turned out to be prohibitively high: in carrying out them, the monarch did not take into account the sacrifices made on the altar of the fatherland, nor with national traditions, nor with the memory of his ancestors.