Public charity as the activity of Ust-Sysolsk “local community” in the second half of XIX century

• Main Author: Anna K. Gagieva
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: National Research Mordova State University; MRSU 2018-12-01
• Series: Финно-угорский мир
• Subjects: “local community”; charity; society; government; Ust-Sysolsk uyezd
• Online Access: http://csfu.mrsu.ru/en/archives/2477

The article discusses the social charity of “local community” in Ust -Sysolsk in the second half of the XIX century. We define “local community” as a voluntary, self-determining citizens association, designed or not properly executed legally for the solution of urgent problems of non-productive and non-commercial nature. The aim of the work is to study public charity as an activity of “local community” in Ust-Sysolsk in the second half of the XIX century. The provisions of the work can be used for educational and methodological materials on the subject “History of Finno-Ugric regions and countries”, “History of everyday life”, “History of the Komi Republic” and others. The research methodology is based on a systematic approach, which includes structural, legal, historical and other methods of research. The materials are based on published and unpublished historical sources, such as legislative materials, statistics, documentation, as well as archival materials. Central Russia and the Urals had already introduced charities in the mid of XX century, while in the research area public charity was just beginning and was manifested through the social work of the Russian Orthodox Church, amateur associations and companies. Forms of public charity varied: fundraising, purchase of tools, equipment and materials for events and others. Public charity, “local community”, in Ust-Sysolsk developed within the framework of modernization processes of the second half of the nineteenth century. It led to the evolution of «local community» into a civil society. The emergence of new public organizations and active public charity contributed to the development of new forms of self-organization. In the city of Ust-Sysolsk, there was an upsurge of public life and public performance. The appearance of self-governing organizations “local community” was facilitated by the loyal policies of the district and provincial government. As historical sources show that we can talk about mutual understanding and cooperation between the authorities and the “local community”. Carrying out public charity, it provided public functions of traditional culture maintenance, the organization of leisure, cultural and educational activities.