Russia and the Mongol yoke: How bad was it?
The Mongol invasion forever changed the culture of Russia. It brought to an end the period known as the 'Kievan Rus' as the Mongols took control and "captured, sacked, and destroyed Kiev, the symbolic center of Kievan Russia."[footnoteRef:1] The Mongol invasion certainly changed Russia irrevocably: it is not simply that some of the measures of the Mongols were oppressive in nature, but that the autocratic methods of control used by the Mongols were later adopted by Russian leaders, and led to the development of a Russian form of government that was profoundly different from that of Russia's European neighbors. The 'Mongol yoke' ironically produced what we think of now as 'Russian culture.' [1: Dustin Hosseini, "The Effects of the Mongol Empire on Russia," Vestnik: The Journal of Russian and Asian Studies. 12 Dec 2005. Available: http://www.sras.org/the_effects_of_the_mongol_empire_on_russia [17 Apr 2013]]
Russia has long been criticized for its autocratic system of government, in comparison to other nations of similar industrialized status. While this is often traced back to the czars, it is important to remember that before the Mongol invasion Russia had a somewhat democratic system of government. "Comprised of all free male citizens, the veche (?
) was a town assembly that met to discuss such matters as war and peace, law, and invitation or expulsion of princes to the veche's respective town; all cities in Kievan Russia had a veche.[footnoteRef:2]" The veche provided a popular, democratic forum in which people could air their concerns. But this system of localized control was completely destroyed by the Mongols, who exercised centralized authority over the cities they dominated. The Mongols created a hierarchical system of institutionalized bureaucracy to ensure that their empire was a profitable one. The Mongols ruled by military and civilian leaders first known as basqaqi (? ) and later by darugi (?
), respectively....
Russian History As the president of the Russian Federation, I am faced with the challenge of building a strong, vibrant nation from the ashes of our Communist past. Our nation today struggles economically, politically, and socially. We must rebuild the stability and power of the Russian Federation through creating a strong economy, social climate, and political structure. I seek a path for Russia that is truly Russian, and based on the
Upon Lenin's death in 1924, Joseph Stalin came to power, molding the features that characterized the new Soviet regime, with policies based on Marxist-Leninist ideology, which is often considered to represent a political and economic system called Stalinism (Russia pp). During the 1920's, Stalin consolidated his authority with the Great Purge, which was a period of severe repression that peaked in 1937 (Russia pp). After Stalin's death in 1953, Nikita
A scholar cannot only look at society with the eye upon the concerns of the Russian intelligentsia, which did indeed breathe a collective sign of relief after withstanding the Great Purge of the late 1930s, Stalin's "Doctor's Plot," and other acts of paranoia. (Fitzgerald, pp.135-161) but many of Stalin's inefficient economic schemes, such as running the economy as a series of five-year plans were retained. One cannot easily separate
Russian History The Russo-Japanese War was a conflict that occurred between Russia and Japan during the years 1904-1905. In this conflict, Japan and Russia battled over control and territorial dominance among the Asian countries that are strategically situated in areas where both countries (Japan and Russia) can easily expand their power. The origin of the war started with the failure of Japan to secure an agreement with Russia, wherein the latter
They were wrong about the Bolshevik's giving in to their demands, however. The Bolshevik's attacked the city (located on an island), under cover of darkness. They wore white uniforms to blend in with the snow and ice surrounding the city. The workers tried to defend themselves and their families, but the Bolshevik's sent in 50,000 troops. They began their attack on March 7, and the sailors and workers defended the
trouble that faced the Caucasus at the time of the Great Reforms tended to be that it was, and continues to be, one of the most culturally and linguistically varied geographic locations on earth. In a strict geographic sense the Caucasus is part of Asia; however, its cultural and historic ties are much closer to Europe. Until the Great Reforms, "The Caucasus had never been unified except as a
Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.
Get Started Now