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make generalization dangerous. On the whole, leavingaside the pervert and dissolute elements, the dissentersmay be accounted a centrifugal and equalitarian force,often distinguished by much emphasis on education andequality of women, by self-reliance and self-organization,and by simplicity of life combined with considerablematerial prosperity. The numerical strength of theOld Believers and the sectarians cannot be accuratelydetermined, though it is certain that the official figureswere fantastically below the mark. They seem to havebeen continuously on the increase, and by the time ofthe Revolution they may possibly have numbered asmany as twenty to twenty-five million all told. Thesects remained, however, distinct and divided from eachother, largely divorced from political action, and withlocal rather than wide-scale influence.(2) The second great result of the Schism was thatthe official church, which had won the day largelythroughthe backing of the state, became more and moredependent on it, and lost much of what was most livingin the religious consciousness of the Russian people justat the time when it most needed cohesion and vigourin meeting the impact of western Europe upon Russia.This impact was making itself increasingly felt in Moscowand the upper circles of society during the two generationspreceding Peter the Great. In the twenty yearsbefore he took over power in 1694 the struggle for andagainst Western innovations was a burning question ofthe day, in which two patriarchs identified themselveswith reaction (cf. p. 334). Hence, when the second died(1700), Peter desired that no successor should be appointed,and it speaks much for the weakness of thechurch and for the strength of the position of the tsarthat his desire was decisive. Opposition to Peter andall his ways continued to be strong, particularly amongthe monks, and centred its hopes upon Alexis, Peter'seldest son, but it was divided, without any leadership,and fatally handicapped by the Schism. Most of theability and energy in the church came from bishops whoowed their appointment to Peter. When finally he hadbeaten Sweden and had time for planned reconstructionN—R.H. 193