Prerequisites for the reforms of Peter 1 - a difficult question. Scientists identify both objective and subjective reasons for the need for transformations in the state. Below we will try to reveal this question as fully as possible.
If we try to describe the prerequisites of the reforms of Peter 1 briefly, we can distinguish two main ones: the personality of the sovereign who managed to take over the leadership of a huge country, and the objective lag of the Russian Empire from European states.
The beginning of the reign
The beginning of the reign of Peter the Great fell on a very difficult time - the period of confrontation between the two groups of courtiers. The first group was represented by the Miloslavsky boyars, and the second by the Naryshkins. The first were relatives of the first wife of Alexei Mikhailovich, and the second - the mother of Peter the Great. After the death of Tsar Alexei in 1682, Sofia, their elder sister, became regent with the minors Peter and Ivan. When Peter came of age, Sophia tried to remove him from power, using archers. But the attempt was unsuccessful. She was imprisoned in the Novodevichy Convent, and all her entourage were executed or exiled. From that moment, Russia embarked on the path of real transformation and reform.
The first reform models
Historians agree that the prerequisites for the reforms of Peter the Great were outlined long before his accession to the throne. His father and grandfather were able to overcome the most difficult social and economic crisis in the state caused by the events of the Time of Troubles.
In addition, there have been tendencies in the Europeanization of Russia. In this situation, fundamental transformations and reforms were needed. The main areas are the intensification of Russia's foreign policy activity, the intensification of trade, the reform of the tax system, and the transition to manufactory production using wage labor. In no case should we forget that it was the absolutization of the supreme power that ultimately made possible the transformations that Peter 1 introduced during his reign. It was at that time that the well-known term "autocrat" appeared, the Zemsky Sobors were abolished, and centralization of power took place . Also, the formation of legislation uniform for the entire state was far from last. And, of course, the reorganization of the armed forces should be noted among the key prerequisites for the king’s reform activity. He created the regiments of the so-called "new system", changed the order of recruitment into regiments and their configuration.
In addition, the stratification of Russian society was actively under the influence of Western values penetrating the state. Influenced on the background and the course of the reforms of Peter 1 and the innovation of Nikon. National-conservative and western movements appeared in society.
Russia versus Europe before reform
Before the reforms, Russia against the background of European states looked backward. And this backwardness was ultimately dangerous for the freedom of the Russian people. Peter understood this and clearly saw that if this goes on, then Russia with all its wealth will sooner or later become just a raw materials appendage of some of the strongest European powers. The structure of industry was predominantly serfdom, the volume of production was significantly inferior to the same indicator in Western European countries.
The army consisted of an untrained boyar militia, and the clumsy bureaucratic apparatus could not satisfy the needs of the state. In addition, the Russian Empire did not have a fleet due to the lack of access to the sea. It was this problem that Peter 1 also had to solve.
The course of development of Russia in the 17th century
Russia's foreign policy in the 17th century is another prerequisite for Peter's reforms. It was necessary to solve three problems: to return the lands lost in the Time of Troubles, to provide access to the Baltic Sea and to secure the southern borders. Of course, these problems were resolved later, in the 18th century, but progress was noticeable. So, neighboring countries saw that Russia would have to reckon with the military force. Only through reforms could Russia occupy a worthy position in the geopolitical arena among eastern and western states. So, we briefly examined the prerequisites of the reforms of Peter 1. The table will allow you to see the big picture.
| Foreign policy | The need to ensure access to the sea, the threat of attack on the southern borders, the strengthening of European countries. |
| Domestic political | A clumsy bureaucratic apparatus, outdated farming methods, outdated production methods. |
| Economic | Lack of established trade relations with European countries. |