Final answer:
Peter the Great implemented social, cultural, and religious reforms to modernize Russia, which included Westernizing cultural practices and reducing the power of the Orthodox Church. These reforms received mixed reactions in the short-term but had significant long-term effects, setting the stage for Western influence and solidifying autocratic rule, yet economic development was slow due to societal resistance.
Step-by-step explanation:
Social and Cultural Reforms Peter the Great undertook numerous reforms to modernize Russian society and culture. He introduced Western clothing styles, social etiquette, and cultural events that were aimed at aligning Russia more closely with Europe. By encouraging the nobility to adopt Western lifestyles, he hoped to stimulate a more progressive attitude towards change and innovation.
Religious Reforms and Their Effects Religiously, Peter reduced the power of the Orthodox Church by subjugating it to the state, aiming to control religious institutions and use them to support his modernization efforts. This led to discontent among more traditional and religious sectors of Russian society who felt their beliefs and structures being challenged.
Short-term Reactions to Peter's Reforms In the short term, Peter's reforms were met with both support and resistance. The educated elites and those with European experience generally supported the changes, while conservative nobility and the peasantry often resented the forced cultural shift and the challenges to traditional Russian values.
Long-term Effects of Peter's Reforms The long-term effects of these reforms were significant. They set the stage for the gradual Westernization of Russia but also entrenched the autocratic power of the Tsar. These reforms had varying success in terms of economic development, as Russia remained largely agrarian and economically underdeveloped into the 1800s due to a rigid social structure and resistance to change from the nobility.