Peter I Legal Modernization: Western Law Adoption in the Russian Legal System

From time immemorial, the structure of the state, as one of the main public institutions, has been constantly developing, adapting to existing global trends and forming its own unique ways of development. In the history of any state, there are important stages that divided life in the country into before and after. Delving into the history of Russia, historians believe that Peter›s transformations form one of the main turning points. This article explains the main reasons for the path chosen by Peter the Great, touches on the political situation in the country, technological backwardness and legal «starvation» that led to a large-scale redistribution of the entire existing order in the country. The author is looking for an answer to the question why the Great Embassy served as the key to changes in the way of life, when the path of Western development was finally chosen and whether the laws adopted in difficult conditions could change the Russian Empire for the better. The circumstances of that time demanded immediate changes, the capabilities of the outdated political and legal system could not afford to implement the large-scale plans of their ruler. The rulers of Russia had tried to reach the Baltic Sea for a long time. It had been one of the most important strategic and economic tasks of the country for several centuries. For the implementation of these plans, Peter I had to go to war with Sweden, and although the country had quite enough economic resources, the technology of navigation and weapons remained at a low level. Later, the future emperor would make a serious decision and bet on Western experts whose skills were familiar to him since childhood. Thus, a further leap in Russia›s development will be made in the direction of the West, the study of these processes and a clear understanding of the relationships is extremely important to justify the choice made, which allows us to understand the connection between Russia and the West that originated and was firmly established centuries ago.

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