Zemstvo of the XIX-XX centuries in Russia: the formation of social infrastructure at the local level

The article analyzes the role of the Zemstvo reform carried out in Russia in the XIX-early XX centuries for the development and management of social infrastructure at the local level. The research methods were a retrospective analysis and a comparative method. The authors identified trends in the financial and economic support of the Zemstvo bodies at various stages of the Zemstvo reform, investigated the advantages and disadvantages of the Zemstvo reform. The analysis of the main indicators of the development of social infrastructure in the second half of the XIX – early XX century was carried out on the basis of the statistical method. As a result of the study, the authors conclude that the success of the Zemstvo was determined by the close interaction of the government and the population, support for local initiatives, and the formation of a system of public control.