The Emergence of Modern Russua, 1801-1917

E.R. Zimmerman was Dean of Arts at Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, Ontario.

Everyone responsible for the new edition of Professor Pushkarev’s The Emergence of Modern Russia, 1801-1917, first published in English translation in 1963, deserves our gratitude. Russian-born and Russian-educated, Professor Pushkarev (1888-1984) an eminent Russian historian, presents readers with a thoughtful and detailed account of Russia’s history during the pre-revolutionary century. Thematically and chronologically arranged, the book covers not only the leading personalities but also the significant social, economic, intellectual, cultural, and revolutionary movements — as well as Russia’s expansionist foreign policies in Asia. Professor Pushkarev succeeds in depicting, clearly and comprehensibly, the complexities of nineteenth century Russian history when reactionary and progressive tendencies often existed side by side. This book challenges, moreover, the prevailing Western and Soviet interpretations, which imply that the last century of Russian Imperial history almost inevitably produced the Revolutions of 1917. Instead, Professor Pushkarev stresses that this was a period of transition with various alternate routes open for Russia’s development toward a pluralistic, democratic-capitalist society. The book includes several good and legible maps and schematic charts of the zemstvo structure and the electoral processes for different dumas. The name and subject indices are most useful. Added to this new edition were an introduction by Dr. McNeal and a biographical sketch of Professor Pushkarev by Dr. Andreyev; the original extensive bibliography was updated and expanded. This stimulating book can be read with great profit and pleasure by all students of Russian history.