CHARITABLE ACTIVITY OF THE YAROSLAVL MERCHANTS IN THE CITY GOVERNMENT (1870-THE FIRST HALF OF 1914)

Abstract

The article is devoted to the analysis of merchant charity in the bodies of Yaroslavl city self–government in 1870-1914. The author reveals the social composition of the Yaroslavl City Duma, confirming the idea that has developed in historiography about the merchant character of the city duma in Russia in the period considered in the work. The paper examines the personal composition of the Yaroslavl City Duma, concludes about the presence in the Duma of entire dynasties of merchant families of the city. The author considers capitals as the main form of merchant charity in the city government, the ways of their gift and functioning, as well as the main initiatives and activities of the Yaroslavl merchants in this area of activity: the opening of almshouses, orphanages, assistance to poor residents of the city. The conclusion is made about the mutually beneficial cooperation of Yaroslavl city self-government and merchants in the field of public charity, as well as about the wide scale and diversity of entrepreneurs’ efforts in this area conducted through the city council. The city budget, limited in expenditures, needed charitable capital, and the merchants, who sought to participate in public life, recognition of them as benefactors who sought to improve the lives of the lower classes of the city.

Keywords

• city self-government
• merchants
• vowels
• city duma
• city council
• charity
• capital