Russian Rebels, 1600-1800 (The Norton Library ; N836)

Rating:
Summary: Brian Wayne Wells, Esquire, reviews "Russian Rebels"
Review: This is an exceptional little book which tells the story of the four largest peasant revolts in Russian history all of which were named for the leaders who inspired the revolts--Bolotnikov in 1606-1607, Razin in 1670-1671, Bulavin in 1707-1708, and Pugachev in 1773-1774.

Readers have always wondered why Russia has traditionally felt the need for a strong authoritarian central government. This book answers that question in part. The huge Russian empire was made up of many different ethnic groups. Ethnic jealousies, resulting in civil wars and foreign invasions were always the result of a weak Czar or a change of dynasty. Thus the social compact of the Russian state was that all groups must submit to the power of a Czar in order to survive. This is the reason for the god-like status and supreme power given to the Czar in the old Russian empire.