HISTORY OF THE POLITICAL DIVISION OF RUSSIA

HISTORY OF THE POLITICAL DIVISION OF RUSSIA

Kievan Rus' • Union of various tribes • 1097 - Council of Liubech (Любечский съезд князей) • division of Kievan Rus' among the princes

From the 15 th century • New administrative subdivision Uyezd Namestnik Stan Volost Stanovoi Volostel

Administrative Reform under Peter The Great, 1708 • Implementation of 8 governorates ( «губерния» ) – Kazan – Ingermanland – Moscow – Kiev – Azov – Smolensk – Archangelgorod – Siberia

Administrative Reform under Peter The Great, 1708 • Abolition of Uyezds • Attachment of Cities to the Governorates (the full name of Edict was „Указ об учреждении губерний и о росписании к ним городов “): “Москва, а к ней города по большим дорогам, до определенных городов с верстами. – По Новгородской: Клин 85. – По Углицкой: Дмитров 60. – По Ярославской: Переславль Залесской 120, Ростов 180, Кострома 300, Любим 330…”

Administrative Reform under Peter The Great, 1708 • Shortcomings of the first Peter‘s Reform: – Governorates were too big for good governance – Authorities of the governors were too much concentrated on war preparations – No clear subdivision (so-called „dolyas“ only for taxation procedure) – No clear administrative borders Perhaps the most unsuccessful reform during this time

Administrative Reform under Peter The Great, 1719 • Implementation of „Provinces“ and „Districts“ Governorate Governor Provinces Districts Voivode Land commissioner („zemskiy kommissar“) Voivode Land commissioner

Administrative Reform under Peter The Great From Wikipedia. org

Refurbishment 1727 • Districts renamed – return of “Uyezds” • Number of governorates increased to 14 • Number of provinces reached 47 • Number of uyezds – approximately 250

Administrative Reform under Catherine the Great, 1775 • Abolition of Provinces • Revision of the existing Governorates: – Change of name: “namestnichestwo” – Doubling of number (40 in 1775, 51 at the end of her reign)

Administrative Reform under Catherine the Great, 1775 • More or less equal population in all governorates (200 -300. 000) • 483 uyezds (20. -30. 000 inhabitants) • The new administrative borders remained stable up to the early Soviet years

RUSSIAN ADMINISTRATIVE SUBDIVISION 1914 • 8 general-governorates: