When Russia was under imperial rule it produced wonderful ballets, and had some of the greatest artists, musicans, and writers the world has ever seen. Under Peter the First (the Great) it became one of Europe's super powers. It became one of the largest empires in history and one of the richest. Yet while the top twenty percent of the population lived in luxury, the other eighty percent had barely enough money to even stay alive. During the reign of Alexander III, there was much exportation of grain while there was a drought in Russia. The Minister of Finance said, "We ourselves shall go without food, but we shall export." That quote shows how much the upper class thought of the lower classes. In the following pages you will see just how much the upper class thought of the lower classes.