Charity in pre-revolutionary Russia: main problems and research results

The problems of the formation and development of Russian charity in recent decades have become increasingly popular among researchers. Revealing new aspects of the history of charity and expanding the methodological apparatus, modern researchers continue to expand the field of study of social policy. Simultaneously with the process of accumulation of factual material, there is a need to systematize the existing complex of studies. The article attempts to classify works devoted to charitable activities and the state assistance system in Russia in order to analyze the key trends in their development. The study of this complex made it possible to group studies that reveal the general theoretical and practical aspects of charity, highlight the characteristic features of the Russian aid system noted by Russian and foreign researchers, and also systematize one of the most controversial aspects of charity - the causes of the emergence and development of poverty.