This thesis attempts to determine whether the Russian chemist, Dmitrii Ivanovich Mendeleev, was open to Western ideas and capital in the Russian petroleum industry. It does so by examining five of his trips to study this business, as either an advisor to the Russian government or a private consultant. These voyages took place between 1863 and 1886 and saw Mendeleev in France, the United States and the Caucasus. Each trip produced a combination of personal letters, diaries, and published articles. This work employs a mixture of published and unpublished archival documents. In the process, much is revealed about the history of this industry, its industrialists, as well as Mendeleev's personality. / The introduction outlines the general questions that this thesis aims to answer. Chapter one summarizes Mendeleev's life until he first worked in the oil industry in 1863. These formative years were crucial for Mendeleev. His youthful travels around Europe, studies in Germany and personal inclinations, made him a multi-lingual and cosmopolitan individual. The remaining five chapters examine Mendeleev's trips to study the industry. An epilogue briefly recounts his final years. / The conclusion of this thesis is that contrary to Soviet scholarship, Mendeleev was open to the West. His only requirement was that Western ideas and capital assist in the growth of the Russian oil industry and result in abundant and cheap kerosene for the Russian population.

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