The activity of voluntary associations in Russia at the local level (the experience of the Russian region of the second half of the 19th - early 20th century)

Civil self-organization at the local level is rightfully recognized as one of the most important nonmaterial factors contributing to social development in the recent period. In order to understand the essence of this social phenomenon and the effective use of its potential, it seems useful to appeal to historical experience. The article is devoted to identifying the features of the activities of voluntary public associations in Russian society at the local level of the second half of the 19th - early 20th century. The work carries out the empirical analysis on the materials of the Vologda province: archival sources (the State Archive of the Vologda Oblast), published charters and reports of various voluntary societies, periodicals (Commemorative books of the Vologda province, Vologda Diocesan Bulletin). By means of the historical-comparative method, we have revealed that in the province, mainly in the urban environment, during the period under study, a fairly extensive, diverse network of voluntary associations functioned, whose activities were limited not only to helping the poor, the sick, the homeless, victims of natural disasters, etc., but also to the development of education, enlightenment and culture. Public organizations arose and carried out their activities primarily with the support of the state, local selfgovernment authorities, and the Orthodox Church. In addition, local business communities played an important role in the development of associate participation. Thus, we have reasons to believe that the organization of the activities of voluntary associations in the field was based on the principles of intersectoral interaction (government, commercial sector, civil society structures). The study of such experience of interaction has theoretical and practical significance for identifying the prospects for the development of voluntary public associations (organizations) in contemporary Russia.