Due to his proximity to Peter I, he had a very large influence, which contemporaries had to reckon with, starting with the members of the royal house and ending with foreign diplomats.

Makarov was also in charge of Kunstkamera, generously paying money to those who delivered various rarities and freaks to the museum.

Cabinet secretary monitored the health of the royal family, the establishment and development of resorts in Russia.

He was engaged in hiring foreign specialists, architects, artists, engineers, sculptors, doctors, military men to the Russian service.

Makarov at that time had essentially unlimited power, which caused irritation of Menshikov, who also claimed to be the second person in the state.

He became president of the Collegium of State Income with a large salary, but his powers were severely curtailed, and he had to move to Moscow, to a new duty station.

Under Peter II, he had to look for "mercifulists" and found them in the person of House of Dolgorukov, thanks to whom he became the president of the Collegium of State Income.

In 1732, one of the relatives who had quarreled with him about the inheritance that had been opened was accused of taking bribes and concealing secret papers.