Nicole Miller
Per. 5

2010- Compare and Contrast the economic and social development of Russia with that of the
Netherlands in the period 1600-1725
Russian Flag,
Dutch Flag

Even though Russia and the Netherlands had major contrasts socially with religious reforms and social status and state as well as economical differences with economy methods, they both had some similarities with restive nobility, struggling with financing for the military, and increasing government revenue during the time period of the 1600-1725.

Netherlands
 Regents in each province jealously guarded local independence and resisted efforts at centralization
 Hereditary Monarchy
Russia
 Under Peter the Great:
Forced nobility to enlist into the military; service nobility
 Interlocking-military bureaucracy

Netherlands
 Wars costly drained on
Dutch labor and finance resources
 1670s: War with France
(Louis XIV) and England
Russia
 Had a very large standing army
 Consisted of boyars, service nobility, and foot soldiers
 Great Northern War
(1700-1721) against
Charles XII of Sweden

Netherlands


 “Golden Age of the
Netherlands”
Fishing Industry
1602: Dutch East Indian
Company
 1621: Dutch West Indian
Company
Russia
 Peter the Great used serfdom and the constructing of St.
Petersburg
 Serfs were arbitrarily assigned to work in factories and mines
 Building St. Petersburg


Netherlands
Practiced religious toleration
 Welcomed all faiths within their borders
 Urban Dutch society allowed for religious freedom
 Attracted a great deal of foreign capital and investment


Russia
 Secularized the Church and Reform by Nikon
Monasteries votchiny

Reform on the Russian
Orthodox Church
“Old Believers”

Netherlands
 The Dutch were not monarchial but fiercely republican; weak confederation
 Nobility defined by commercial excellence
 Middle Class
Russia


 Absolute monarchy and militarized state
 Service nobility based on merits
No Middle Class
Serfdom

Netherlands



 Commercial and
Mercantilism policies
Merchant marine
Dealt with bulk
Trade and Commerce
Russia


 Agriculture and Warfare based
 Modest Territorial
Expansion
St. Petersburg
Traditional Agriculture

In conclusion, both Russia and the
Netherlands had few similarities like facing the nobility, trying to finance wars, and creating their economy. However, there were major differences in dealing with religious reforms, the social structure of the state, and how they developed their economy.