A comprehensive collection of primary source material shedding light on Imperial Russia's complex political, social, economic, and cultural problems, colonial ambitions, and persecution of non-Russian subjects and those who dared criticize the government. Selections are drawn from sources including laws, official decrees, proclamations, treaties, memoirs, and literary classics. Each selection includes a brief introduction to indicate its source and put it in historical perspective. Lacks a subject index. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)