Forging a Unitary State : Russia’s Management of the Eurasian Space, 1650–1850 / John P. LeDonne.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

LeDonne, John P., Author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Imperialism.

Russia--History--1613-1917.

Russia.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (xvi, 663 pages) : illustrations, maps

Place of Publication:

Toronto : University of Toronto Press, [2020]

Language Note:

In English.

Summary:

Covering two centuries of Russian history, Forging a Unitary State is a comprehensive account of the creation of what is commonly known as the "Russian Empire," from Poland to Siberia. In this book, John P. LeDonne demonstrates that the so-called empire was, for the most part, a unitary state, defined by an obsessive emphasis on centralization and uniformity. The standardization of local administration, the judicial system, tax regime, and commercial policy were carried out slowly but systematically over eight generations, in the hope of integrating people on the periphery into the Russian political and social hierarchy. The ultimate goal of Russian policy was to create a "Fortress Empire" consisting of a huge Russian unitary state flanked by a few peripheral territories, such as Finland, Transcaucasia, and Central Asia. Additional peripheral states, such as Sweden, Turkey, and Persia, would guarantee the security of this "Fortress Empire," and the management of Eurasian territory. LeDonne’s provocative argument is supported by a careful comparative study of Russian expansion along its western, southern, and eastern borders, drawing on vital but under-studied administrative evidence. Forging a Unitary State is an essential resource for those interested in the long history of Russian expansionism.

Contents:

Introduction

1. Laying the Foundations, 1650–1775

2. Full Integration, 1775–1815

3. Unitary State or Empire? 1815–1855

Conclusion to Part I: The Western Theatre

4. Laying the Foundations, 1650–1725

5. Toward Full Integration, 1725–1796

6. Unitary State or Empire? 1796–1855

Conclusion to Part II: The Southern Theatre

Introduction to Part III: The Eastern Theatre

7. Laying the Foundations, 1650–1730

8. The Progress of Integration, 1731–1782

9. Unitary State or Empire? 1782–1830

Conclusion to Part III: The Eastern Theatre

Conclusion.

Notes:

Description based on online resource; title from PDF title page (publisher's Web site, viewed 23. Jul 2020)

ISBN:

1-4875-3332-2

1-4875-3331-4

OCLC:

1126787730