Professor Steinberg explains that Peter the Great and Catherine the Great were great not because of their many reforms, but because they expanded the Russian Empire. President Putin, who some contemporary Russians believe to be great, admires Peter the Great. This explains a lot, doesn't it? By conquering Ukraine, Russia immediately becomes an empire, making Mr. Putin a "great" Russian leader. The irony of Mr. Putin's admiration of Peter and Catherine is that they Europeanized Russia. This doesn't distress Mr. Putin. He has an explanation for it. 

But the greatness of Russia's leaders, be they autocratic presidents or absolutist monarchs, doesn't square with Russia's many revolutions, rebellions, coups and assassinations. That's because Russia is an extremely complex nation. In this episode, Professor Mark Steinberg of the Dept. of History at the University of Urbana-Champaign, tells about the Russian people and their refrain, "we can't live like this anymore!" 

Prof. Steinberg's research focuses on the city, revolutions, emotions, violence, space, moralities, and utopia. He is the author of many books about Russia, including Voices of Revolution, 1917, and The Russian Revolution, 1905-1921; and also Russian Utopia.

I hope you enjoy this episode.

Adel

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