Russia's Rulers Under the Old Regime

by Dominic Lieven

What constituted the Russian ruling élite during the reign of the last Tsar before the Revolution? How did high-level politics operate in Imperial Russia's last years? To answer these questions. Dominic Lieven has probed deeply into the lives of the 215 men appointed by Nicolas II to the State Council, which contained all important members of the Russian governmental system of that era.

Basing his research on Soviet archival sources that have never before been examined, Lieven describes the social, ethnic, educational, and career background of these men, and explores the formation of their outlooks, their political views, and how their attitudes and opinions were influenced by their differing backgrounds and careers. He traces the history of the Russian ruling élite from its earliest origins through to the collapse of the old regime. His striking conclusions about the resilience of the old aristocratic Russian families and the operation of their self-protective, career-advancing network are an indispensable contribution to the comparative and theoretical study of elites.

Lieven's account of the balance of power between the bureaucrats and their monarchs brings to like the members of the last ruling élite and reveals new information about the role and personality of the Emperor Nicholas II. By making regular comparisons with aristocratic élites elsewhere, it sets the distinctive Russian experience in a broader European context. And by looking at Russia's problems through the eyes of its ruling aristocracy, it gives a fresh perspective on the situation that led to the Russian Revolution.

Genres: History, Russia

429 pages, Hardcover

First published September 10, 1989

About the author

Dominic Lieven is Professor of Russian studies at the London School of Economics and Political Science, a Fellow of the British Academy and of Trinity College, Cambridge.

Reviews

[Anthony · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very Dry, Very Academic

Russia’s Rulers Under the Old Regime by Dominic Lieven is a study into who were the ruling elite in the last decades of the Russian Empire. Who made up the 215 members of the state council? What were their backgrounds? What education did they have? What were their pathways to the top? What did they stand for? All very exciting questions to be answered, especially for someone who is deeply interested in Russian history such as myself. The old regime is especially interesting and not as accessible as the Soviet period.

Unfortunately, Russia’s Rulers Under the Old Regime did disappoint and it’s the first Lieven book I had read which wasn’t completely engaging. His other works have all been excellent, but this, pitched in a very academic tone is a slog. The content and the knowledge is second none, which these questions comprehensively answered. There is an interesting balance between connections, nepotism and ability. As Lieven argues, in this dog eat dog world one could not get to the top without intelligence and ability, as another would not promote someone without talent as this would risk their own career. But being connected and favoured by the Emperor was also as important. St Petersburg society was unbearable for most and those at the top did well to navigate it for so long.

Lieven also argues that there were differences in outlook and opinion, especially with how to bring Russia forward into the 20th century and manage the industrialisation and modernisation of Russia. How will they open up the franchise? Will they follow the German or British model? These questions are asked, with most realising change must come or disaster would strike. Of course there those on the other side who felt only the gentry could rule and that the working class and peasants wanted them to rule. One must also remember there were no representatives of the poor. They ultimately missed a trick with the zemstvos, in order to give local authorities power and the poor a voice in order to intact appropriate change which would have broken Marxist voices; as in a system where things were improving there was less chance of revolution.

As I have mentioned above, it is a shame as Russia’s Rulers Under the Old Regime is just not as engaging as it should be. It is only 308 pages of text, but it felt like 1000. It took me a long time to read and I had to keep coming back to it. In the end this is a take it or leave it book for me. Read if you’re a Russian history head like me, leave it if you’re the causal reader.

[Liam Ostermann · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read, I actually owned a copy of this book (long lost), around the time it came out. It was both fascinating and dull. It was Dominic Lieven's first book - and is very much an 'academic' work. Do not expect the Leiven of his later works - but it contains much that is fascinating and it is not written in impenetrable academic prose only in prose suitable for an academic audience.