This is an archived course. A more recent version may be available at ocw.mit.edu.

Lecture Topics

SES # TOPICS DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1 Introduction to the Course Myths of Russian history
2 Introduction to the Russian Empire and the Muscovite Heritage  
3 Understanding Serfdom and the Social Structure

Examine the Ulozhenie of 1649 and Avvakum's Life closely. See what you can understand about:

  1. The way in which the different classes in society are being bound in place by governmental decree.
  2. The degree to which the government plays an active role in controlling society.
  3. The concern over government tax revenues
  4. The degree to which there is evidence of an elaborate bureaucratic system
  5. The nature of punishments for legal offenses.

What did it mean to be a serf in 18th century Russia? For Avvakum, think closely about both the nature of his religiosity and the nature of the official Russian Orthodox Church which banned him. In the course of his narrative one can gain a feel for the immense geography of Russia and the many peoples living in it.
4 Peter the Great and the Petrine Reforms  
5 From Peter the Great to Catherine the Great  
6 Catherine the Great as Woman and Ruler  
7 Critics and Rebels in the 18th Century Three important critics emerged in Catherine II's reign, Prince Mikhail Shcherbatov (1733–1790), Emelian Pugachev (1742–1775), and Alexander Radishchev (1749-1802). What aspects of Russian life did each one criticize? What were some of the many reasons that Pugachev was able to get as far as he did? Why did Radishchev think nobles and bureaucrats should change the system?
8 Bureaucratic Monarchy, 1796–1825  
9 The Decemberists, Nicholas I, and High Society Why do you think Nicholas I has gone down in history as "the wooden tsar"? What do you think of the portrayal of high society in the Marquis de Custine and in Karolina Pavlova's Double Life?
10 Bureaucracy in Literature  
11 The Institution of Serfdom  
12 Serfdom in Literature Aksakov and Goncharov both show the corrosive effects of serfdom not only on the peasants themselves but also on the nobility. Consider two or three ways in which serfdom corrupted both state and society.
13 Alexander II and the Great Reforms What were some of the dilemmas of reform in Russia? Why do you think the reforms took the form they did? What patterns can you see in the ways they were implemented? What were the experiences of the populists who went to the people?
14 The Aftermath of the Reforms How was peasant life changed and not changed following the Great Reforms? What seem to have been their chief complaints? What were the complaints of other estates? What does Saltykov-Shchedrin seem to think of generals and peasants?
15 Revolutionary Dreams and Reaction  
16 Exploration and Empire-Building How did the Russian Empire run? What was the position of the different nationalities? Why do you think anti-Semitism was so virulent? How does Urusov explain the pogroms? Who does he find most culpable? What do his comments tell us about the way the Empire was run?
17 War and Peace in the Caucasus Think about the portrayal of Chechen and Russian societies, their values, their ways of interacting as portrayed by Tolstoy in this novella.
18 Industrialization and Radicalization Examine closely Gurko's critique of Witte. What can you tell about the challenges of industrialization in Russia in this period of the 1890s to early 1900s? How does this compare with the portrayal of bureaucracy in Hadji Murad?
19 Research Paper Presentations  
20 Industrialization and Innovation—A Challenge for Russia Professor Graham's work on the arms race and railroads suggests some surprising aspects of Russian modernization. What do you think about these? Do you have any feedback for Professor Graham as he completes his manuscript?
21 The Revolution of 1905 Why did the spark of revolution catch fire in 1905 when it had not in previous decades? How did the tsar and his ministers respond? What was Witte's role? How do you think Russia was changed after this revolution?
22 The Constitutional Monarchy and World War I How well do you think the constitutional monarchy worked? What were some of its strengths and weaknesses? What were some of the causes and consequences of WWI for Russia? Why was Durnovo so afraid of the war?
23 The February Revolution How did the February 1917 revolution compare to the 1905 revolution? What were the principal issues? What do you think about Trotsky's comment that the old regime "fell like rotten fruit"?
24 From February to October Everything changed between February and October 1917. In what ways and why?
25 The October Revolution The October Revolution brought about the definitive end of tsarist Russia. Why? Do you think autocratic Russia could have continued in tsarist form?
26 Review