The study presents the author’s assessment of the impact of the reforms of the era of “enlightened absolutism” on modern Russia. The purpose of the study is to analyze the similarities and differences in the principles of conducting, implementing and results of reforms in the field of public administration of different historical eras. The XVIII century has changed a lot in the Russian Empire, it opens with the reign of Peter I and the country is on the path of comprehensive development, declares itself and its interests in the international arena. Large-scale changes also required large-scale in-depth reforms of the entire state. The work of the great reformer was continued with dignity under Catherine II. The reforms of the Empress, imbued with the ideas of the Enlightenment era, affected all spheres and, above all, the system of government. The transformations took place in several stages: starting with the reform of the Senate, then the reform of the administrative division of the territory of the state, changing and clarifying the powers of local authorities. Education reform also played a role in the course of the reforms - the country needed literate people at all levels of government. The transformations were based on such fundamental modern principles of the organization of the state as the principle of separation of powers and building a vertical of power. The authors drew conclusions about the degree and form of influence of reforms in the field of public administration of the time of Catherine II on the political system of modern Russia.