The book examines the legal representations of Russian society during the reign of Catherine the Great. Analyzing the complex interweaving of autocratic tradition and European enlightenment, the author reveals the meaning of the concepts present in the language of the second half of the 18th century. This allows us to trace the development of institutions of citizenship and citizenship in Russia. The study is based on a wide range of sources - legislative acts, journalism, diaries, correspondence, memoirs, petitions and fiction.