Why Peter reformed
Peter needed money, soldiers and efficient officials for the long Northern War. His reforms came in waves, often in a hurry. He copied ideas from Sweden, Holland and other European states, but fitted them to Russia.
Central and local government
The old Boyar Duma faded. In 1711 Peter set up the Senate of a few trusted men. It ruled while he was away. In 1717โ1718 he replaced the many old offices (prikazy) with colleges, such as Foreign Affairs, Military, Admiralty and Commerce. Each college had a clear task, like ministries today. In 1722 a Procurator-General was named to watch the Senate.
Locally, Russia was split in 1708 into big governorates, and in 1719 into provinces and districts under officials sent from the centre.
The Church
When Patriarch Adrian died in 1700, Peter did not appoint a new one. In 1721 he abolished the patriarchate and set up the Holy Synod, a council of bishops and clergy. A state official, the Over-Procurator, supervised it from 1722. The Church now worked as part of the state.
Army and navy
From 1705 a recruit levy began: villages had to send recruits (about one for every 20 households) for life service. The old streltsy were replaced by a regular army with uniforms, drill and written rules (the Military Regulation of 1716). Peter also built a Baltic fleet with shipyards at St Petersburg and an Admiralty. The navy won at Gangut (1714) and Grengam (1720).
Taxes
The old household tax counted houses. People crowded many relatives into one house to pay less, so the state lost money. From 1718 Peter ordered a census and started the poll tax (podushnaya podat): every male "soul" paid, including serfs, and landowners were responsible for collecting it. It raised income but heavily burdened ordinary people.
Table of Ranks (1722)
The Table of Ranks listed 14 ranks in three services: army, civil service and court. A person started at the bottom and rose by service and skill. Reaching the middle ranks gave hereditary nobility. This opened the nobility to talented people and made nobles serve the state.
Manufactories
Manufactories are early factories. Peter built mines and ironworks, especially in the Urals, plus cloth, glass, sailcloth and weapons works. The state owned some; merchants such as the Demidovs owned others with state help. Peter protected Russian goods with taxes on imports. Many workers were peasants assigned to the works, which meant forced labour. The main aim was guns, ships and uniforms.
Try it
Count like Peter. A house has 4 men. Old tax: 1 coin per house. New tax: 1 coin per man. Which way gives more coins? Predict first, then check step 3 in the 3D. Next, draw the 14-step ladder and write where you would start if you joined the army.
Key formulas and definitions
- 1708 governorates โ 1711 Senate โ 1717-18 colleges โ 1719 provinces โ 1721 Holy Synod โ 1722 Table of Ranks
- Recruits โ households รท 20
- Poll tax = number of male "souls" ร tax per soul
Worked examples
1. A district has 200 households. About how many recruits would it send (1 per 20 households)?
200 รท 20 = 10 recruits.
2. A house has 4 men. How many coins under the household tax (1 per house) and under the poll tax (1 per man)?
Household tax: 1 coin. Poll tax: 4 coins.
3. Why did Peter replace the prikazy with colleges?
The prikazy overlapped and were slow. A college had one clear job and rules, like a modern ministry, which made government faster and more orderly.
Common mistakes
- Thinking Peter kept the patriarch. He ended the patriarchate in 1721 and set up the Synod.
- Mixing the household tax (counts houses) with the poll tax (counts men).
- Saying the Table of Ranks gave nobility only by birth. It gave rank by service.
- Thinking the Senate replaced the tsar. It ruled only when the tsar was away or under his orders.