by Richard Pipes · Penguin Books · tapa blanda · ISBN 9780140247688
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This book by Richard Pipes analyzes the evolution of the Russian state from the ninth century to the 1880s, highlighting its unique role in managing Russian society. The harsh geographical conditions and the vast extent of the country prevented the creation of a participatory government, giving rise to a 'patrimonial' state where Russia was transformed into a gigantic royal domain. Pipes traces these developments and analyzes the political behavior of the main social groups: peasantry, nobility, middle class, and clergy, and their inability to resist the increasing absolutism of the tsar. To strengthen its powers, legal and institutional bases were established that led to the creation of a bureaucratic police state under the Communists.
Richard Edgar Pipes was an American historian who specialized in Russian and Soviet history. Pipes was a frequent interviewee in the press on the matters of Soviet history and foreign affairs. His writings also appear in Commentary, The New York Times, and The Times Literary Supplement.
