This article will briefly describe the emergence of the state among the Eastern Slavs. Separate chapters of the material disclose such important points as Norman and anti-Norman theories, the peculiarities of the process of unification of Russian lands, and much more. In addition, the reasons for the emergence of the state of Kievan Rus are a necessary issue for consideration.
Three assumptions
Historical science knows three main theories of the emergence of the state among the Eastern Slavs. All these hypotheses will be considered in this article. As a rule, the debate about which of the points of view is true is ideological. Therefore, at different times, various theories were proclaimed official. Oddly enough, the first scholars who began to develop this topic were German historians invited as professors of the Academy of Sciences in the seventeenth century.
These researchers needed to proclaim the superiority of Germany and other European states over Russia. Therefore, pundits were happy to accept the fact of the invitation of the Varangian princes to the Russian lands in the ninth century, which they found in The Tale of Bygone Years.
They immediately announced that it was the Norman rulers who brought the Slavs ideas about statehood and thereby introduced ignorant and wild tribes to the benefits of European civilization. Despite the fact that many of their arguments sounded clearly strained, the works of these scientists left their mark on further research on Russian history. One of the most famous scientists in this field, Nikolai Karamzin, adhered to a similar theory of the emergence of the state among the Eastern Slavs.
The first opponent of Norman theory
Already in the first years after its appearance, this hypothesis was seriously criticized. One of its first opponents was the great Russian scientist Mikhail Vasilievich Lomonosov.
He led heated discussions with foreign professors of the Academy of Sciences. He spoke of the absurdity of certain assumptions expressed by these figures in their writings. For example, Mikhail Vasilievich once ridiculed the attempt of a German professor to explain the origin of the geographical name Kholmogory by foreign borrowing.
Criticism
Below will be given the provisions on which criticism of this hypothesis of the emergence of the state among the Eastern Slavs is most often based. They can be summarized as follows. Firstly, for the development of statehood, the efforts of one historical person are not enough. This form of organization of society cannot appear due to the efforts of a whole group of people to bring this idea to life. No matter how talented the specialists may be, their work will be unsuccessful in the absence of the necessary prerequisites.
What conditions are required for the formation of the state? This will be discussed in the following chapters.
Eastern Slavs in the 6-8 centuries of our era
It was at this time that the first mention of the ancestors of Russians, Ukrainians and Belarusians in literary sources dates back. All of them belong to foreign authors, since their own writing arose among these peoples a little later.
Already in the first records made by foreign travelers about Russia, this territory is often called Gardarika, that is, a area with a large number of cities.
Craft development
By the eighth century AD, among the representatives of East Slavic tribes there were already many people who had as their main occupation not agriculture, but some kind of craft. Blacksmiths, bakers, potters and many others whose business brought enough income to feed themselves and their families began to settle separately from those who were engaged in agriculture.
So cities gradually appeared. By the 8th century, there were already several dozen of them in the territory of modern Russia. This circumstance deserves attention, since the formation of large settlements is one of the harbingers of the emergence of the state (including among the Eastern Slavs).
Military democracy
The appearance of cities, in turn, was the result of another historical process.
New farming methods have proven to be more productive than old ones. Therefore, agriculture no longer required that as many people were involved in it as before. Therefore, the population no longer needed to live in large communities. As a result of this, a change in the social system took place.
Instead of the patrimonial that existed among the Slavs for several centuries, a new one began to form, which received the name of military democracy in historical literature. By this term is meant a structure of social life in which all its members are equal to each other. Important issues are resolved at the general meeting.
Every man at that time was obliged to participate in military conflicts with neighboring tribes, that is, by default he was a fighter of the so-called people's militia.
The emergence of such a social formation in any tribe is an indispensable prerequisite for the emergence of the state. In the Eastern Slavs, by the eighth century, military democracy was already firmly entrenched as a social system.
The emergence of the nobility
The constant need to participate in power clashes has created a need for high-class commanders. If before that the leader of the tribe always played the role of a military leader, now another person endowed with the corresponding abilities could occupy this position.
Some historians are inclined to believe that the commanders-in-chief were originally called princes. It is no accident that in all the images of that time, people wearing this title must ride a horse. Such leaders have their own squad. Participation in it becomes an honor and distinguishes a person from among other members of the tribe. So the elite arises. And this means that the process of stratification of society originates precisely at this stage. This division into classes will become one of the reasons for the emergence of the state among the Eastern Slavs.
Rulers, but not founders of the country
It is safe to say that the ancestors of Russians, Ukrainians and Belarusians, long before inviting Rurik and his fellow tribesmen to reign, had all the necessary prerequisites for the emergence of the state. So, it seems quite possible that the foreigners were invited not to instill a new type of socio-political structure in the Slavs, but only to take a vacant post.
This opinion was shared by historian Vasily Klyuchevsky. This theory is called centrist. That is, it is a cross between the Norman and the Anti-Norman hypotheses.
Lomonosov’s position
Mikhail Vasilievich Lomonosov put forward the assumption that Rurik and his associates did not come to Russia from Scandinavia, but from other, more distant Slavic tribes. Thus, this Russian scientist became the first anti-Norman.
His followers said that the Vikings or Varangians could not bring ideas of statehood to our country, since their clan system with elements of military democracy still flourished in their homeland at that time. Moreover, in Russia there are very few geographical names borrowed from the languages of the Normans, while in Great Britain, which was once under the rule of this people, the number of such proper names reaches several hundred.
Coup d'etat
Speaking briefly about the emergence of the state among the Eastern Slavs, it is necessary to mention another version of this historical event.
Some scholars suggest that the Scandinavians were initially invited to Russia not as rulers, but as mercenary commanders. But as a result of the coup, they seized power.
This hypothesis sounds quite plausible, since there are not many examples in world history when experts from other countries were invited to senior government posts. In military affairs, hiring foreigners is a very common practice.
State formation
One way or another, Rurik became the prince of Novgorod. It is known that he and his army undertook several campaigns against Constantinople.
Some historians say that information about the manner of warfare that was adopted under this ruler testifies to its obvious Scandinavian roots.
Kievan Rus
The origin of the state of the Eastern Slavs originates in Novgorod. Whether Rurik is the founder of the country or not - this issue is still not resolved. But, one way or another, his successor, Prince Oleg, completed the process of state formation. This man ruled in Novgorod after the death of Rurik, since the son of the first prince had not yet reached full age by that time.
This politician seized power in Kiev, thus uniting two vast territories.
Thus ended the history of the emergence of the state among the Eastern Slavs. Briefly about this process can be read in previous chapters. The fate of Rurik and his descendants, in addition to the works of historians, is also reflected in many literary works.
So, the legend of the death of his successor, Oleg, was retold by Alexander Sergeyevich Pushkin in the famous poem, and one of the military campaigns of Rurik’s son is described in the monument to the Old Russian literature “The Word about Igor's Campaign”.
Conclusion
In this article, the question of the formation of a state among the Eastern Slavs was considered. Connecting with each other, these tribes created a country, which was later named Rus, and after a few centuries received its current name - Russia. This article may be useful to both students in preparation for exams and a wide range of fans of Russian history.