Charity and patronage as a specific phenomenon and economic phenomenon in the history of Russia

In recent years interest in the revival of charity traditions in Russia in variousspheres of social life and philanthropy to support science, culture, and educationhas increased in particular. This is due to the fact that the society is constantly inneed of finding and improving non-state forms of support, including the socio-economic sphere. The article is devoted to the issue of the implementation ofcharitable assistance and the development of philanthropy in Russia. The authors’point of understanding the significance of social measures carried out by thestate, understanding the essence of the Russian traditions of charitable activity ispresented. In modern life, the question of understanding the economic foundationsof charity as well as defining its modern forms and development prospects in the21st century is particularly acute, which is presented in the article.