RUSSIA UNDER THE OLD REGIME.

New York:: Charles Scribner's Sons,, (1974). SIGNED hardcover first edition -. Near fine in near fine dust jacket (a few scattered ink notations and marginal lines, price-clipped). First printing. The first thorough analysis of the growth of "the Russian state from the 9th century to the 1880s, and its unique role in managing Russian society. The development of Russia was different from that of the rest of Europe. The natural poverty of geographical conditions made it extremely difficult to construct an effective regime, and a 'patrimonial' state arose in which the country was conceived as the personal property of the tsar. The book describes the evolution of this regime, and analyzes the political behaviour of the principal social groupings, peasantry, nobility, bourgeoisie and clergy, and accounts for their failure to stand up to the increasing absolutism of the tsar. The third part deals with the conflict between the intelligensia and government as it unfolded in the 19th century." INSCRIBED on the title page to noted collector, Larry Owens, and uncommon thus. Pipes was a noted Russian and Eastern Europe scholar and historian who taught at Harvard for many years, the recipient of many awards, who also served as an advisor to the CIA, although not without controversy. This was the first of his books on Russia. A title in The History of Civilization series. Illustrated with photographs, maps, notes, chronology, index. xxii, 361 pp.