Catherine the Great began to make changes in government and society but soon was deeply disappointed by the difficulty of imposing foreign ideas on Russians. She started enjoying the autocracy (today one would call it dictatorship)- all the while maintaining the facade of an enlightened ruler. Under her rule the "Cossack" was recognized as a legal social status in addition to nobility, serves and merchants. She send hundreds of most beautiful serve girls to the Southern borders to marry Cossacks (freeman obligated to protect the border). That was a first experiment of modern human breeding. Till now those territories are famous for having exceptionally beautiful people.

She was portrayed as a deeply religious monarch just like US President Kennedy was portrayed as a healthy individual (neither of them were what they were portrayed like). The decline of the Orthodox Church, which Peter the Great started, continued under Catherine. She seized churches wealth and turned priests into state employees.

Catherine's achievements were many. She left Russia much stronger and more prosperous. She was unwilling to use terror or force to transform society unlike communists a couple centuries later. She chose a more patient path, hoping to gradually raise the level of culture by legislation, education, and example. She commissioned new monuments across Russia and continued Peter the Great movement on transforming St. Petersburg into a truly European city. It is all about luxury and opulence of the elaborate existence. It has an unusual tempo of life because, honestly, the day starts at noon.

Catherine created the Hermitage collection. Hermitage museum today is far superior to Louvre and National Gallery of New York Metropolitan Museum. There is nothing indifferent or third rate here. No other Russian monarch appreciated beauty as much as Catherine. She created conditions for the development of modern national Russian culture.

During her reign she ordered an execution of only one man – Pugachev, who was responsible for the revolt. She believed that it is better to let 1000 guilty persons stay free than punish one innocent. Unlike the modern paragon of justice – USA, she avoided swift justice and capital punishments.