BCSSIA IX EUROPE 
17 
purpose of repellinp; these invasions these cities were forced to 
unite with various tribes of Russia and form a strong imperial 
government under a czar. 
Peter tlie Great organized municipal governments for towns 
and cities after the model of the German free cities, but these 
institutions having no root in the traditions and habits of tlie 
people, it has been impossil)le to maintain them or .to interest 
the people in them. 
For many generations there has been no convocation or as- 
semblage of the people. The entire civilization has been Asiatic, 
differing greatly from that of the west. There was formerly no 
attempt either at uniformity in the government of the different 
provinces and nationalities or of symmetry in the administra- 
tion. There were not only territorial peculiarities, but different 
systems in the same territory. Changes in the laws were fre- 
quently made, but they Avere only local. 
The idea of an united Russia belongs to Czar Ivan Kalita, Avho 
reigned in the middle of the fourteenth, century, though Peter 
the Great was the first to realize the necessity of a uniform and 
central administration if Russia was to become a great nation. 
He tried to bring order out of chaos and to inti’oduce Avestern 
civilization among the barbarous and oriental tribes of Russia, 
and, as there Avere no persons qualified for official positions, 
schools Avere formed to train men for office. Peter the Great had 
untiring zeal, perseverance, great ability, and genius. He tried 
many experiments, but frankly admitted their failure, and died, 
having overthroAvn many institutions, but Avithout creating a 
system. His successors took up the Avork and carried it forward, 
each according to his ability, and by sIoav degrees they have 
created a centralized government, Avith a certain uniformity in its 
administration. There are ranks of nobility, but, unlike those 
of Avestern Europe, the nobles have no [)olitical poAver or right 
of primogeniture. All their children are of equal rank, so that 
nobles are found among the drosky drivers of >St. Petersburg ; 
their influence de[)ends solely on Avealth and personal character. 
A council and ministers or secretaries for the different de[)art- 
ments of government have been established, but there is neither 
uniformity of action betAveen the council and ministers nor 
betAveen the several members of the council or ministry. For 
the i)urpose of obtaining fuller information and from a greater 
variety of sources, the czar, in important matters, often ap})oints 
