Imperial Geopolitics of Tsarist Russia within the Framework of Defense and Expansion Paradox

Year 2024, , 583 - 605, 09.09.2024

Burak Samih Gülboy , Serhat Güzel

https://doi.org/10.33630/ausbf.1349187

Abstract

After the Industrial Revolution, technologies using steam power revolutionized the ranges and geographical scopes of states in sea and land transportation. These future-oriented changes did not occur in just one area. Accompanied by the rapid development in military technologies, states began to reinterpret the geography politically and strategically when they had the ability to extend their power far beyond their borders. Especially at the end of the 19th century, these interpretations represented the rise of imperial geopolitics.
Russia, which consolidated its dominant status among the great powers of Europe after 1815, became active in three imperial geographies during the 19th century. These geographies became evident as Europe, the Balkans-Ottoman Empire and Asia. The strategies followed by Russia in these three geographies varied between defense and expansion.
The activation of the Tsarist Russia in three imperial geographies also brought about the revival of geopolitical thoughts within the intellectuals surrounding the decision makers. These ideas, which were also backed up by the Russian cultural and historical background, formed the imperial politics of the Russian Tsardom.
The aim of this article is to analyze and introduce the geopolitical thought of Tsarist Russia within the framework of the strategy of the Russian Tsardom in the 19th century.

Keywords

Russia, Geopolitics, Balkans, Panslavism, Euroasia

Savunma ve Yayılma Paradoksu Çerçevesinde Rus Çarlığı’nın Emperyal Jeopolitiği

Abstract

Sanayi Devrimi ertesinde buhar gücünden faydalanan teknolojiler deniz ve kara ulaşımında devletlerin coğrafi vizyonlarını devrimsel anlamda değiştirdi. Geleceğe yönelik yapılan bu değişimler tek bir alanda gerçekleşmedi. Askeri teknolojilerdeki hızlı gelişmenin eşliğinde devletler güçlerini sınırlarının çok ötesine taşıma yeteneğine sahip olmuş ve coğrafyayı siyasal ve stratejik olarak yeniden yorumlamaya başlamıştır. Özellikle 19. yüzyılın sonunda emperyal jeopolitiğin yükselişine şahit olunmuştur. 1815’ten sonra Avrupa’nın büyük güçleri arasında başat statüsünü pekiştiren Çarlık Rusya, 19. Yüzyılın devamında Avrupa, Balkanlar-Osmanlı İmparatorluğu ve Asya topraklarında etkili oldu. Çarlığın bu topraklarda izlediği stratejiler savunma ile yayılma arasında değişiklik gösterdi. Rus Çarlığının bu coğrafyalardaki aktivasyonu, karar alıcıları çevreleyen entelektüel alanda da jeopolitik düşüncelerin canlanmasını sağlayarak Çarlığın emperyal jeopolitiğini oluşturmuştur. Bu makalenin amacı Rus Çarlığının 19. yüzyıldaki stratejisi çerçevesinde Çarlık Rusya’sının jeopolitik düşüncesini analiz ederek tanıtmaktır.

Keywords

Rusya, Jeopolitik, Balkanlar, Panslavism, Avrasya

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