“PRUSSIANISM” RESULTING IN MUSCOVITES’ RESEPTION OF SOME ELEMENTS OF PRUSSIAN MILITARY AFFAIRS

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to study the phenomenon of “Prussianism” in the Russian imperial army, that is, the borrowing and unsuccessful transfer of progressive elements of the Prussian military affairs of its time into the military everyday life of Russia and to establish the socio-cultural causes of this phenomenon. The scientific novelty is to identify the continuity of “Prussianism” from the beginning of the XIX century to the current army of the Russian Federation, which is waging a war of aggression against sovereign Ukraine. The Russian military elite’s interest in Prussian military affairs arose in the middle of the eighteenth century in the wake of the pan-European admiration for Frederick II military reforms. The introduction of the elements of the Prussian military system began under Paul I. It is established that it was then that the term “Prussianism” appeared, which was used to describe the results of the voluntary introduction of Prussian military traditions in the Russian army. The reasons for the negative consequences of the reception of progressive elements of Prussian military affairs in Russia are analyzed. It is noted that the implementation of the Prussian military system in the homeland took place organically, taking into account the needs of society and the army, which was manned on the basis of “cantonal regulations”. In contrast, the Russian army was manned by recruitment, which was one of the most difficult duties of the Russian serfdom. The author substantiates the position on the reproduction of the traditional serfdom structure in the Russian army. It is proved that Prussian discipline, daily drill of recruits and soldiers was caused by the needs of innovative combat tactics of Prussian infantry and cavalry. In the Russian army, Prussian orders were introduced at a time when they had already lost their relevance. It is indicated that the Russian army of this period was justifiably assessed as a “parade army”. The attempt to introduce military settlements based on the experience of the Prussian “Scharnhorst system” also failed. The article shows that military settlements in serfdom Russia did not achieve the goal, as they were introduced by semi-feudal methods. It is proved that Prussian military traditions could not give positive results in a state with a serf population. On the basis of the imperial serfdom matrix of social organization the elements of “Prussianism” are reproduced now in the Russian army.