Manifesto on the Establishment of Ministries

The Manifesto on the Establishment of Ministries was the first act of the ministerial reform of 1802–11, regulating the activities of sectoral management bodies in the Russian Empire.

The work of sectoral authorities – collegiums created under Peter the Great, did not satisfy the urgent needs of the new century.

These institutions, which had arisen throughout the 18th century and still continued to operate by 1801, according to the apt remark of the Soviet historian Anatoly Chernov, "... did not develop into centralized branches of government.

Secondly, the collegiums lacked the personal responsibility of specific individuals – all decisions were taken collectively.

It was the basis for the most important document – the "General Institution of Ministries", which more clearly defined the ministerial powers.