Since childhood, independent and inquisitive Catherine II managed to carry out a real coup in Russia. Since 1744, she was summoned by Empress Elizaveta Petrovna to Petersburg. There, Catherine converted to Orthodoxy and became the bride of Prince Peter Fedorovich.
Struggle for the throne
The future empress tried in every possible way to win the favor of her husband, his mother and the people. Catherine spent a lot of time studying books on economics, jurisprudence, history, which influenced her worldview. When Peter III came to the throne, his relationship with his wife grew into mutual hostility. At this time, Catherine began to plot. On her side were the Orlovs, K. G. Razumovsky. N. I. Panin and others. In June 1762, when the emperor was not in St. Petersburg, Catherine entered the barracks of the Izmailovsky regiment and was declared an autocratic ruler. After long requests for negotiations, her husband abdicated in writing. Domestic, foreign policy of Catherine II began its development.
Board Features
Catherine II was able to surround herself with talented and outstanding personalities. She in every possible waysupported interesting ideas that could be profitably used for their own purposes. With subjects, the Empress behaved tactfully and with restraint, had the gift of listening to the interlocutor. But Catherine II loved power and could go to any extreme to keep it.
The Empress supported the Orthodox Church, but did not refuse to use religion in politics. She allowed the construction of Protestant and Catholic churches, and even mosques. But the transition from Orthodoxy to another religion was still punished.
The domestic policy of Catherine II (briefly)
The Empress chose three postulates on which her work was based: consistency, gradualness and consideration of public sentiment. Catherine was in words a supporter of the abolition of serfdom, but pursued a policy of supporting the nobles. She set the number of population in each province (the inhabitants should not be more than 400 thousand), and in the county (up to 30 thousand). In connection with this division, many cities were built.
A number of government agencies were organized in each provincial center. These are such as the main provincial institution - the Office - headed by the governor, the Criminal and Civil Chambers, the financial management body (Treasury Chamber). Also were established: the Upper Zemstvo Court, the Provincial Magistrate and the Upper Massacre. They played the role of a court for different estates and consisted of chairmen and assessors. A body was created for the peaceful resolution of conflicts, which was called the Constituent Court. Cases were also de alt with here.insane criminals. The problems of organizing schools, shelters and almshouses were de alt with by the Order of Public Charity.
Political reforms in counties
The domestic policy of Catherine II also affected the cities. Here, too, a number of boards appeared. Thus, the Lower Zemstvo Court was responsible for the activities of the police and administration. The district court was subordinate to the Upper Zemstvo Court and considered the cases of the nobles. The place in which the townspeople tried was the City Magistrate. To solve the problems of the peasants, the Lower Massacre was created.
Control over the correct implementation of the law was entrusted to the provincial prosecutor and two solicitors. The governor-general monitored the activities of several provinces and could directly address the empress. The internal policy of Catherine 2, the table of estates are described in many historical books.
Judicial reform
In 1775 a new system was established to resolve disputes. In each estate, the problem was solved by its own judicial body. All courts, except for the Lower Punishment, were elected. The Upper Zemstvo de alt with the affairs of the landowners, and the Upper and Lower reprisals de alt with peasant strife (if the peasant was a state one). The disputes of the serfs were sorted out by the landowner. As for the clergy, they could only be judged by bishops in provincial consistories. The Senate became the Supreme Judiciary.
Municipal reform
The Empress sought to create local organizations for each class with the right to self-government. In 1766, Catherine II presented the Manifesto on the formation of a commission to resolve local issues. Under the leadership of the chairman of the society of nobles and the elected head for the city, deputies were elected, as well as the transfer of orders to them. As a result, a number of legislative acts appeared, which fixed separate rules of local self-government. The nobility was endowed with the right to elect county and provincial chairmen, secretary, county judge and assessors and other managers. Two Dumas were engaged in the management of the urban economy: the General and the Six-Glass. The first had the right to issue orders in this area. The mayor was the chairman. The general council met as needed. The six-vowel met every day. It was the executive body and consisted of six representatives of each estate and the mayor. There was also the City Duma, which met every three years. This body had the right to elect the Six-member Duma.
Ekaterina 2's domestic policy did not ignore the police either. In 1782, she created a decree that regulated the structure of law enforcement agencies, the directions of their activities, as well as the system of punishments.
Life of the nobility
The domestic policy of Catherine 2 by a number of documents legally confirmed the advantageous position of this class. It was possible to execute a nobleman or take away his property only after he had committed a grave crime. The court verdict was necessarily coordinated with the empress. The nobleman could not be subjected to physical punishment. In addition to managing the fate of the peasants and the affairs of the estate,a representative of the class could freely travel abroad, send their complaints immediately to the governor-general. The foreign and domestic policy of Catherine II was based on the interests of the class.
The rights of poor representatives were slightly infringed. So, an individual with a certain property qualification could take part in the provincial noble assemblies. This also applied to approval for a position, in which case the additional income should be at least 100 rubles a year.
Economic reform
In 1775, the Manifesto was announced, in which everyone was allowed to “voluntarily start all kinds of mills and produce all kinds of needlework on them, without requiring any other permission” from both local and higher authorities. The exception was the mining business, which existed in the form of a state business until 1861, as well as enterprises serving the army. The measures taken contributed to the growth of the economy of the merchant class. This estate took an active part in the formation of new production and enterprises. Thanks to the action of the merchants, the linen industry began to develop, which later turned into a section of the textile industry. Catherine II in 1775 established three merchant guilds, which were divided among themselves according to the available capital. Each association was charged a fee of 1% from the capital, which was declared and not checked. In 1785, a letter was announced, which stated that merchants had the right to participate in local government and court, they were exempted from corporal punishment. The privileges applied only to the first and second guilds, and in return, an increase in the size of the declared capital was required.
The domestic policy of Catherine II also concerned rural residents. They were allowed to practice their craft and sell the resulting products. The peasants traded on churchyards, but were limited in many trade transactions. The nobles could organize fairs and sell goods at them, but they did not have the right to build factories in cities. This estate sought in every possible way to push back the merchants and capture the textile and distilling industries. And they gradually succeeded, because by the beginning of the 19th century, 74 nobles had factories at their disposal, and there were only twelve merchants at the head of enterprises.
Catherine II opened the Assignation Bank, which was created for the successful activities of the upper classes. The financial organization accepted deposits, issued issues, and accounted for bills of exchange. The result of active actions was the merger of the silver ruble and the banknote.
Reforms in education, culture and science
Features of the internal policy of Catherine II in these areas were as follows:
- On behalf of the Empress, teacher I. I. Betskoy developed the "General Institution for the Education of Both Sexes of Youth". On its basis, the Society of Noble Maidens (Smolny Institute), a commercial school and an educational institution at the Academy of Arts were opened. In 1782, a Commission was formed on the establishment of schools to carry out school reform. Her plan wasdeveloped by the Austrian teacher F. I. Yankovic. In the course of the reform in the cities, public schools were opened for everyone, both main and small. The institutions were maintained by the state. Under Catherine II, the Medical College, the Mining School and other educational institutions were opened.
- The successful domestic policy of Catherine II in 1762-1796 gave impetus to the development of science. In 1765, the organization Free Economic Society appeared, which was designed to expand knowledge in the geography of the country. In the period from 1768 to 1774, scientists of the Academy of Sciences participated in five expeditions. Thanks to such campaigns, knowledge was expanded not only in the field of geography, but also in biology and other natural sciences. In the 80s, the Russian Academy was built to study language and literature. During the reign of Catherine II, more books were printed than in the entire 18th century. The first public library in the state was opened in St. Petersburg. Reading books was carried away by almost every class. At this time, learning began to be valued.
- Ekaterina II's domestic policy did not bypass the outward appearance of high society. An active social life in the highest circles obliged ladies and gentlemen to follow fashion. In 1779, the Fashionable Monthly Essay, or Library for the Ladies' Toilet began to publish examples of new clothing. A decree of 1782 obliged the nobles to wear costumes in accordance with the colors of the coat of arms of their province. Two years later, a requirement was added to this order - a certain cut of the uniform.
Foreign policy
Catherine II did not forget about improving ties with other states. The Empress achieved the following results:
1. Thanks to the annexation of the Kuban region, Crimea, Lithuanian provinces, Western Russia, the Duchy of Courland, the borders of the state have noticeably expanded.
2. The Treaty of St. George was signed, which indicated the role of Russia's protectorate over Georgia (Kartli-Kakheti).
3. A war for territories with Sweden was unleashed. But after the signing of the peace treaty, the borders of the states remained the same.
4. Exploration of Alaska and the Aleutian Islands.
5. As a result of the Russian-Turkish war, part of the territory of Poland was divided between Austria, Prussia and Russia.
6. Greek project. The goal of the doctrine was to restore the Byzantine Empire centered in Constantinople. According to the plan, the grandson of Catherine II, Prince Konstantin, was to head the state.
7. In the late 80s, the Russian-Turkish war and the struggle with Sweden began. The Treaty of Jassy, concluded in 1792, consolidated the influence of the Russian Empire in Transcaucasia and Bessarabia, and also confirmed the annexation of Crimea.
Foreign and domestic policy of Catherine 2. Results
The great Russian Empress left an indelible mark on the history of Russia. Having overthrown her husband from the throne, she carried out a number of activities, many of which significantly improved the life of the people. Summing up the results of the domestic policy of Catherine II, one cannot fail to note the special position of nobles and favorites at court. The Empress strongly supported this class and herfavorite associates.
The domestic policy of Catherine 2, briefly describing it, has the following main aspects. Thanks to the decisive actions of the Empress, the territory of the Russian Empire increased significantly. The population in the country began to strive for education. The first schools for peasants appeared. Issues related to the administration of counties and provinces were resolved. The Empress helped Russia become one of the great European states.
