Influence of the ethno-confessional factor on social modernization of south-eastern Russia (second half of the XIX- early XX century)

The article covers the processes of transformation of socio-political relations and formation of the basis of a civil society in the Southern Ural region during the period when the government went over to the policy of accelerated incorporation of outlying regions into the empire. Realization of the reforms in the South Ural region was complicated by ethno-confessional factors; however, initiative of the public and flexible government policy ensured certain success in the process of social modernization by the beginning of the XX century