Military reform was a continuation of the changes initiated by Alexei Mikhailovich. But, while under Alexei Mikhailovich such changes were adjusted to Russian conditions, Peter's reforms drove the Russian army into Western forms, not taking into account their acceptability for the Russians. Rogues from all over the world flocked to serve in the Russian army.
Civil reform was to create a completely new system governing the country. Instead of a Duma, a "senate" was set up; instead of orders - "collegiums"; the country was divided into 8 "provinces". Everything became similar to the Western system.
Reform on the status of estates radically changed the entire previous structure. Since Peter fought a lot, service in the army or work in the production of weapons began to play a dominant role. A soldier who distinguished himself in the war became an officer. Peter also sent Russians to study abroad.
Peasant reform led to the complete enslavement of the Russian peasants. Peter did this for the convenience of governing the country: instead of dealing with millions of citizens, he had to deal with a limited number of landowners who received full power over the peasants. With the weakening of the influence of the church, the treatment of peasants deteriorated and frequent peasant uprisings soon began.
Financial reform was needed to increase military fees and in order to force the Russian people to quickly adopt Western customs. Under Peter, many taxes were introduced: on the baths (in the west at that time they did not wash at all!), Beards (in the west they shaved), mills, cellars, bees, schismatics, cabs, etc. Tax collection was carried out strictly and the treasury under Peter was constantly replenished ...
Beard Fee Payment Sign
The purpose of education began to give students as much scientific and military knowledge as possible. that is, education departs from traditional Russian spirituality and begins a passion for materialistic humanism. Everything higher schools settled in the Western way, where there is no longer even a talk about God. Under Peter, a new, simplified civil font was also introduced for printing all books, except for church ones. This further accelerates the "separation of church from state" fashionable in the West.
The letters of the new civilian font were chosen by Peter I, the crossed out letters were not accepted.
As a kind of education, Peter forced people to hold evening dance meetings ("assemblies") where guests, violating church rules, had to come with their wives and daughters. This was also done to make Russian society more like Western ones.
In addition to these major reforms, Peter made many other minor changes.
Under Peter the Great, all Russian life changed and in appearance began to resemble the European one. Even the name "Moscow State" did not like Peter and Russia began to be called "empire", and Peter began to call himself "emperor". This change in name, like many other Peter's innovations, was not well thought out: the term empire implies the forcible seizure of people and lands under the rule of the emperor - that is, exactly what Russia never did.
All these changes, especially the abolition of the patriarch, the weakening of the church, the demands to abandon their native life and the enslavement of the peasants were alien to the Russian people.
Most of all, Peter I was concerned with the idea of the fleet and the possibility of trade relations with Europe. To put his ideas into practice, he equipped the Great Embassy and visited a number of European countries, where he saw how far Russia was behind in its development.
This event in the life of the young tsar marked the beginning of his reforming activity. The first reforms of Peter I were aimed at changing the external signs of Russian life: he ordered to shave off beards and ordered to dress in European clothes, introduced music, tobacco, balls and other innovations into the life of Moscow society, which shocked him.
By a decree of December 20, 1699, Peter I approved the reckoning of the Nativity of Christ and the celebration of the new year on January 1.
The main goal foreign policy Peter I had access to the Baltic Sea, which would provide Russia with a connection with Western Europe. In 1699 Russia, having entered into an alliance with Poland and Denmark, declared war on Sweden. The outcome of the Northern War, which lasted 21 years, was influenced by the victory of the Russians in the Battle of Poltava on June 27, 1709. and the victory over the Swedish fleet at Gangut on July 27, 1714.
On August 30, 1721, the Nishtadt Peace Treaty was signed, according to which Russia retained the conquered lands of Livonia, Estland, Ingermanland, part of Karelia and all the islands of the Gulf of Finland and Riga. Access to the Baltic Sea was ensured.
In commemoration of what was achieved in the Northern War, the Senate and Synod on October 20, 1721 awarded the tsar with the title of Father of the Fatherland, Peter the Great and Emperor of All Russia.
In 1723, after a month and a half of hostilities with Persia, Peter I obtained the western coast of the Caspian Sea.
Simultaneously with the conduct of hostilities, the ebullient activity of Peter I was aimed at carrying out numerous reforms, the purpose of which was to bring the country closer to European civilization, raise the education of the Russian people, and strengthen the power and international position of Russia. A lot was done by the great tsar, here are just the main reforms of Peter I.
Instead of the Boyar Duma, the Council of Ministers was created in 1700, which sat in the Near Chancellery, and in 1711 - the Senate, which by 1719 had become the highest state body. With the creation of the provinces, numerous Orders ceased their activities, they were replaced by the Collegia, which were subordinate to the Senate. The control system also operated the Secret Police - the Preobrazhensky Prikaz (in charge of state crimes) and the Secret Chancellery. Both institutions were run by the emperor himself.
The largest administrative reform of local government was the creation in 1708 of 8 provinces headed by governors, in 1719 their number increased to 11. The second administrative reform divided the provinces into provinces headed by governors, and the provinces into districts (counties) headed with the zemstvo commissars.
To manage the city, the Burmister Chamber was created in Moscow, renamed in November 1699 the Town Hall, and magistrates subordinate to the Chief Magistrate in St. Petersburg (1720). The members of the Town Hall and the magistrates were elected through elections.
The main goal of the estate reform of Peter I was to formalize the rights and obligations of each class - the nobility, the peasantry and the urban population.
Nobility.
Peasantry
Most of the peasants were serfs. Serfs could enroll in soldiers, which freed them from serfdom.
Among the free peasants were:
Urban estate
Urban people were divided into "regular" and "irregular". Regular ones were divided into guilds: 1st guild - the richest, 2nd guild - small merchants and wealthy artisans. The irregulars, or "vile people," made up the majority of the urban population.
In 1722, workshops appeared that united masters of the same craft.
The functions of the supreme court were carried out by the Senate and the Justitz Collegium. In the provinces, there were court appellate courts and provincial courts headed by governors. Provincial courts dealt with peasants (except for monasteries) and townspeople who were not included in the posad. Since 1721, the court cases of the townspeople included in the posad were conducted by the magistrate. In other cases, the cases were decided by the zemstvo or city judge alone.
Peter I abolished the patriarchate, deprived the church of power, and transferred its funds to the state treasury. Instead of the post of patriarch, the tsar introduced a collegial supreme administrative church body - the Holy Synod.
First stage financial reform Peter I was reduced to collecting money for the maintenance of the army and the conduct of wars. Added benefits from the monopoly sale of certain types of goods (vodka, salt, etc.), introduced indirect taxes (bath, horse, beards, etc.).
In 1704 was held monetary reform, for which the penny became the main currency. The unchangeable ruble was canceled.
Tax reform of Peter I consisted in the transition from household taxation to capitation. In this regard, the government included in the tax all categories of the peasant and posad population that had previously been exempted from tax.
Thus, during tax reform of Peter I a single monetary tax (poll tax) was introduced and the number of taxpayers increased.
In the period from 1700 to 1721. many civil and military schools were opened in Russia. Among them are the School of Mathematical and Navigational Sciences; artillery, engineering, medical, mountain, garrison, religious schools; digital schools for free education of children of all ranks; The Maritime Academy in St. Petersburg.
Peter I created the Academy of Sciences, at which the first Russian university, and with him the first gymnasium. But this system began to operate after the death of Peter.
Peter I introduced a new alphabet, which made it easier to learn to read and write and promoted printing. The first Russian newspaper "Vedomosti" began to be published, in 1703 the first book in Russian with Arabic numerals appeared.
The tsar developed a plan for the stone construction of St. Petersburg, paying particular attention to the beauty of architecture. He invited foreign artists and also sent talented young people abroad to study "arts". Peter I laid the foundation for the Hermitage.
The main transformations were the opening of hospitals (1707 - the first Moscow military hospital) and schools attached to them, in which doctors and pharmacists were trained.
In 1700, pharmacies were established at all military hospitals. In 1701, Peter I issued a decree on the opening of eight private pharmacies in Moscow. Since 1704, state-owned pharmacies began to open in many cities of Russia.
For growing, studying, creating collections medicinal plants Pharmaceutical gardens were created, where seeds and foreign flora were imported.
To boost industrial production and develop trade relations with abroad, Peter I invited foreign specialists, but at the same time encouraged the domestic industrialist and merchant. Peter I strove to ensure that more goods were exported from Russia than imported. During his reign, 200 factories and factories operated on the territory of Russia.
Peter I introduced annual recruiting sets of young Russians (15 to 20 years old) and ordered the training of soldiers to begin. In 1716, the Military Regulations were issued, setting out the service, rights and duties of the military.
As a result military reform Peter I a powerful regular army and navy was created.
Peter's reform activities had the support of a wide circle of nobility, but caused discontent and resistance among the boyars, archers and clergy, since transformations entailed the loss of their leading role in public administration. Among the opponents of the reforms of Peter I was his son Alexei.
TO XVIII century Russia was a backward country. It was significantly inferior to Western European countries in terms of the volume of production in industry, the level of education and culture (even in the ruling circles there were many illiterate people). The boyar aristocracy, which stood at the head of the state apparatus, did not meet the needs of the country. The Russian army, consisting of archers and the noble militia, was poorly armed, not trained and could not cope with its task.
In the course of the history of our country, by this time there had already been significant shifts in its development. The city separated from the village, there was a division Agriculture and crafts, arose industrial enterprises manufactory type. Domestic and foreign trade developed. Russia borrowed technology and science, culture and education from Western Europe, but at the same time developed independently. Thus, the ground for Peter's reforms had already been prepared.
Peter I as a reformer of public administration
Peter I was a representative of the Romanov dynasty. He was proclaimed the last Tsar of All Russia in 1682 at the age of ten, seven years later he took over the independent management of the Russian state. Peter I became the first All-Russian Emperor, who was proclaimed in 1721. Until 1696, Peter the Great's co-ruler was his brother Ivan, but on a formal basis. Peter I was at the head of the Russian state for 42 years.
Peter I was characterized by a passion for a foreign way of life, a high interest in science. With the intention to gain foreign experience in managing the state, industry, fleet and other spheres, Peter I made a long trip to the countries of Western Europe, the result of which was the implementation of large-scale reforms Russian system public administration and social order. Among the most important achievements of Peter I was the solution of the problem of expanding the Russian territory, which allowed him to proclaim himself emperor.
Contemporaries describe Peter I as a quick-witted, dexterous, cheerful, straightforward person, capable of displaying cruelty.
Among the merits of Peter I include the reform of public administration, the implementation of reforms in the army, the creation of a navy, the implementation of the reform of church administration, the implementation of financial reform, measures for the development of industry and trade.
Peter I paid considerable attention to the fight against the outdated way of life, tried to introduce the nobility to education and secular culture. Peter I understood the importance of enlightenment, therefore, during his reign, much was done for the development of science and education.
Peter I carried out a radical restructuring of the entire system of public administration in the country. One of the most significant changes was the replacement of the Boyar Duma in 1699 by the Near Chancellery, which consisted of eight confidants of the sovereign, called by Peter the first "consilia of ministers." This body was the predecessor of the Senate of 1711, which concentrates administrative and managerial, sometimes legislative and the judiciary... State affairs were discussed by the senators and collegial decision-making was carried out.
Also in 1711, the introduction of fiscal posts in the center and in the localities was carried out, the powers of which were to monitor the activities of the state administration, identify facts of non-compliance, violation of decrees, bribery and embezzlement, report information about the identified cases to the sovereign and the Senate. In relation to representatives of these bodies, various incentives were provided, exemption from taxes, jurisdiction to local authorities and responsibility for false denunciations.
The Senate was entrusted with the leadership of all institutions of the state, but the activities of the Senate itself were also controlled. Beginning in 1715, the control of the Senate was entrusted to the Auditor General, later to the Senate Chief Secretary, and from 1722 to the Attorney General and Chief Prosecutor. In addition, the positions of prosecutors exercising control existed in other government institutions... The controlling person was responsible for controlling not only the decision-making process, but also their implementation. The general in control of the Senate could suspend and challenge illegal Senate rulings. Those who controlled the Senate were directly subordinate to the sovereign.
In 1720, the General Regulations of the Collegia were published, according to which the presence of each collegium included such positions as president, vice president, four units of advisers and four units of assessors. Meeting attendance was carried out daily. The collegia were subordinate to the Senate. Local institutions were subordinate to the collegia themselves. Colleges have replaced dozens of old orders. Their number in comparison with the orders was reduced to 11. In relation to the collegia, a strict division of functions was established.
The collegia included the following:
Remark 1
The collegiums combined into themselves many previously valid orders, for example, the Justic Collegium carried out the functions of seven orders.
Along with colleagues, there were several institutions that essentially performed a similar role. An example of such an institution was the Synod, which was in charge of the administration of church estates and affairs. A special form of the collegium was the Chief Magistrate, managing the cities, the Preobrazhensky Prikaz, as before, was entrusted with the functions of political investigation.
Another significant direction of state reorganization under Peter I was the change in the territorial division of the state. In 1708, Peter the Great separated into eight provinces: Moscow, Petersburg, Kiev, Smolensk, Kazan, Azov, Arkhangelsk and Siberia, then - Voronezh. At the head of each province was a governor who combined administrative, police, judicial and financial powers. In 1719, Peter I increased the number of provinces to 11 and divided the country into smaller territorial units - 50 provinces, which, in turn, were divided into districts.
