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6
PROBLEMS CONFRONTING RUSSIA
by plotting with the reactionary party against him. At the
same time this all-powerful autocrat was as unsophisticated
and simple in his behaviour towards all with whom he
came into contact as Russians generally are.
From his own point of view Peter the Great was certainly
right to revert to Western European methods of State
organisation. He realised that the only way by which
Russia could secure herself against European aggression
was by applying European methods. WThen the Japanese
ports, as the result of a quarrel with England, had been
bombarded by British men-of-war, the Japanese nation
realised that the European foe could only be held back by
opposing him with their own weapons. That was the
commencement of the European reforms of Japan and of her
world-power. In the same way, when Northern Russia
was invaded by the armies of Charles XII of Sweden, and
the untrained warriors of Peter the Great had been badly
beaten at Narva, Peter had only one course open to him,
namely, to reorganise his army on European lines, to supply
them with the same up-to-date weapons, and use the same
methods of warfare as those to which Charles owed his
victor^7. That was the beginning of Russia’s world-power.
By the Battle of Poltava Russia was saved from Swedish
supremacy. If Peter the Great had not had the foresight
to reform the Russian army in this way, the north of Russia
would undoubtedly have fallen a prey to Sweden. His
reforms, therefore, must be regarded as constituting the
right procedure for ensuring to Russia the position she
occupied prior to the overthrow of Tsardom.
Peter the Great has also been criticised for his
uncompromising attitude towards any elements in Russia which
opposed him. But his true greatness manifested itself in
his undeterred steadfastness, and his clear perception of the
impossibility of carrying out his great reforms if hampered
by the retrograde members of his antiquated Council of
Boyars and the hitherto unchecked, conservative power of
the clergy.
The material upon which he had to work—the Russian
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