When Peter inherited the throne in Russia in 1689, he was dismayed by its backwardness. His vision was to Westernise it. To answer the essay question, I first need to identify the needs of Russia. These were to improve the economy of Russia, to harness the support of the nobility, improve defence and administration, enhance diplomatic ties with the West, to secure ice free ports, and to improve education. Peter found answers to many of his …showed first 75 words of 3442 total…

…showed last 75 words of 3442 total…and administrative problems unsolved. Peter had no clear system of government, expecting simply to give orders and for others to carry them out. He left a regime which was understaffed and inefficient and one in which even minor decisions had to be referred to the Tsar". Bibliography Russia in the Eighteenth Century A.Lentin Europe in the Eighteenth Century 1713-1783 M.S.Anderson Peter the Great Stephen J.Lee Europe in the Seventeenth Century Maland