Siberia as an object of reforming the system of territorial management: organizational and legal aspect (first quarter of the XIX century)

By the beginning of the XIX century, the Russian Empire was the largest state with a huge territory. This factor created certain difficulties in the state management of all regions, and this especially concerned those of them that were annexed relatively recently. This primarily concerns Siberia, including the Far Eastern lands. And although in the absolutist Russian Empire public power was strictly centralized, the remoteness of the Siberian territories from St. Petersburg often coupled with the still undeveloped infrastructure significantly reduced the efficiency of state administration of these territories, which was based on the same principles as the management of other, not remote territories. The accumulated problems led to an understanding of the need to change the management methodology in relation to Siberia. And since the early 1820s, the reform of the system of state administration of Siberia began. The article reveals the content of this reform, while the emphasis is on organizational and legal issues, in connection with which the main regulatory legal acts governing the reorganization of governance structures, as well as scientific works that touch on the stated topic are analyzed. It is noted that a huge amount of work was done by the relevant government agencies, a significant role in this matter was played by the outstanding statesman M.M. Speransky, to whom the emperor entrusted key positions in the reform process.