The Discussion of Questions on the Development of Russian Charity and Public Assistance on the Verge of the 20th Century

Abstract

The article is dedicated to the topic of construction of the dialogue between the society and the government about the questions of the development of public assistance and charity. The first attempt of public discussion of the legislative base of Russian charity was undertaken by the Commission, which took place from 1892 to 1897, under the leadership of K. K. Grot. In the beginning of the 20th century representatives of local self government and medical community repeatedly addressed state organisations with proposals to call a congress in order to discuss the state of affairs in the charity and social assistance sphere, but received a refusal. The most active stage of the process were all-Russian congresses of benefactors, which took place in 1910 and 1914. This dialog between the government and the society provides interesting material for the analysis of the development of the system of public assistance in the Russian Empire.