* Serfdom: Catherine the Great maintained and reinforced the system of serfdom in Russia, which bound millions of peasants to the land and under the control of their landlords. This system deprived the peasants of their freedom and basic rights, and was a source of great suffering and injustice.
* Partitions of Poland: Catherine the Great participated in the three partitions of Poland, which led to the complete division and annexation of the country among Russia, Austria, and Prussia. These partitions were a violation of Poland's sovereignty and independence, and had a devastating impact on the Polish people.
* Suppression of dissent: Catherine the Great was intolerant of dissent and criticism, and used her power to suppress any opposition to her rule. She censored the media and persecuted intellectuals, artists, and activists who expressed views that challenged her authority.
* Pugachev's Rebellion: Catherine the Great's reign was also marked by the brutal suppression of Pugachev's Rebellion, a large-scale peasant uprising that threatened her power. The rebellion was eventually defeated, but Catherine's response to it was severe and resulted in the deaths of thousands of people.