The System of Government Bodies among the Nomadic Peoples of Eastern Siberia according to M.M. Speransky's Reform

Abstract

The lack of a clear management system in Siberia and the presence of different lifestyles hindered the use of the territory's potential for solving national issues. The use of a comprehensive approach in the implementation of reforms allowed for the consideration of various aspects of Siberia's specific features. The management system for the nomadic peoples of Eastern Siberia, established as a result of Mikhail Speransky's reforms, remained in place until the Soviet era. There were two management systems in Siberia: one for the territory inhabited by settlers and another for the nomadic peoples. As a result of the reform, a system of interaction between provincial and district government bodies and the system of non-Russian government was established. The management system of nomadic peoples included either three or two levels of authority. The system was based on tribal management organizations and existing customs. It defined the limits of autonomy, as well as a system of reporting and control. This system streamlined data management and the taxation system. The concept of M.M. Speransky's reform was conceived from the perspective of a systematic approach to the organization of governance in the Russian Empire. The reform combined elements of the ancestral system of governance, centralization, and national approaches to the organization and functioning of government bodies. The article examines the levels of foreign governance and the functions of foreign bodies. The research was based on official data, archival materials, and decisions made by foreign bodies.