Final answer:
Peter the Great reformed Russian society to make it more like that of Western Europeans. His modernizing efforts were part of a larger, albeit slow, movement towards westernization within Russia, constrained by a rigid social hierarchy and resistance to political change.
Step-by-step explanation:
Peter the Great forced Russians to accept social reforms that would make their culture more like that of Western Europeans. During his rule from 1672 to 1725, he embarked on a mission to modernize Russia by incorporating administrative techniques, shipbuilding knowledge, and other Western European advancements. Peter's efforts to westernize Russia were driven by both economic envy, due to Russia's immense natural resources, and fear of the country's expansionist motives under an autocratic government.
Despite later efforts by Tsars to modernize Russia, such as Catherine the Great's territorial expansions and attempts to collapse the Ottoman Empire, Russia remained economically underdeveloped due to social rigidities. The oppressive conditions that serfs faced, coupled with the lack of interest in political change among the populous and harsh measures against those discussing Western political concepts, hindered the success of the reforms. The subsequent Tsars in the 1800s expanded territory into Central Asia, contributing to the empire's growth in size but not significantly modernizing its society or economy.