Catherine II: Reforms - how it was

Catherine II came to power as a result of the unsuccessful rule of her husband Peter 3. He, due to his short-sightedness, ruled Russia for less than a year and fell victim to the palace coup. Catherine came in his place at times more clever and cunning. As for its reforms, it was originally intended to give Russia completely new, progressive laws. However, her activities were limited to the nobility, who placed the empress in power. But nevertheless, some ideas of Catherine the Great have found their reflection in its reforms.

So, Catherine II reformed her beginnings with the transformation of the Senate. The fact is that it was from this side that the danger that undermined her power arose. Proceeding from this, December 15, 1763, a manifesto was issued on the transformation of the Senate. Since that moment, the senate has lost all legislative power. But at the same time, his judicial powers remained. Also remained his executive power.

With such a role of the Senate, the importance of the Prosecutor-General has significantly increased. Ekaterina appointed Vyazemsky for this post, who was her confidant. At that time Vyazemsky was famous for its honesty and incorruptibility. Thanks to this, he was entrusted with the management of the affairs of the treasury, finance, justice, control and supervision. In his submission were all the provincial prosecutors. But such a significant role was played only by the Prosecutor General. The Senate itself was divided into six parts. At the head of each stood his own chief procurator. The first department dealt with external and internal political affairs. However, this was only a legislative aspect - nothing more. The second was engaged in court cases in such aspect, as appeal. Under the jurisdiction of the third were the western outskirts of the empire, education and police. The fourth was in charge of naval and military affairs. The Fifth Department together with the sixth were stationed in Moscow. One was engaged in court cases, the other was a senatorial office.

It should be noted that the Empress Catherine II began to carry out reforms precisely from the point where it followed - she curbed the only legislative body that could significantly interfere with her rule.

Next comes the judicial reform of Catherine II and the provincial reform. All this can be safely attributed to the continuation of the beginnings of Peter 1. To begin with, instead of three-part division of the empire into counties, provinces and gubernias, a two-membered division was introduced - to the county and the province. This was necessary to significantly improve judicial, oversight and financial activities. At the same time, there was an enlargement of the provinces.

First of all, Catherine II reformed to improve the economic and political situation in the country. She knew perfectly well that in any other variant, what could happen to her predecessor, Peter, could happen to her.

However, due to her dependence on the nobility, she could not afford to improve the situation of the peasants. And from that they eventually began to raise uprisings. The most famous of them is the Pugachev uprising, which, by the way, showed that Empress Catherine II did not carry out the reforms in the most proper way. First of all, it affected the province reform. After all, the country, divided into huge provinces, was very, very weakly controlled by the center. So, after the uprising, a number of measures were taken to address this problem.