Abstract: The subject of this research is the economic activities of Chinese entrepreneurs in the border areas of the Russian Far East during the 1990’s. Over the recent decade of the XX century, the Chinese migrants have developed a dynamic business activity in the bordering Far Eastern territories, which led to continuous cross-cultural interaction between the two essentially different cultures. The system of international economic contacts established in the region at this time, can be described through the category of “ethnic entrepreneurship”. Particular attention is given to the traces of ethnic entrepreneurship manifested in the border areas of the Russian Far East during the 1990’s. The authors examine the specificity of the ethnic (Chinese) entrepreneurship in the contact zone of China-Russia cross-civilizational interaction, as well as socioeconomic situation in the Russian Far East at the end of the XX century. The article provides characteristics to the terms of “ethic entrepreneurship” and “ethnic entrepreneurs”, introducing these categories into the discourse of historical science in corresponding subject area for the first time. Territorial framework include the regions of the Russian Far East bordering with China, where ethnic entrepreneurship has expanded in the 1990’s. Overall, this can be described as a complex sociocultural and economic phenomenon that laid the foundation for the formation of transboundary space in the Far East in the XXI century. The acquired historical experience of communication between the Russian population and Chinese migrants has a direct impact on the current development of China-Russia relations, as well as requires further examination and generalization.

Keywords: Sino-Russian relations, Chinese migrants, economic activity, border areas, the Russian Far East, Chinese entrepreneurs, ethnic entrepreneurship, joint ventures, informal economy, Guanxi

Abstract: This article is dedicated to the analysis of ontological aspect of such characteristic features of the Russian justice of the early XX century, which received the name of “Shcheglovitovshina”. Referring to the assessments given by the contemporaries to the activity of I. G. Shcheglovitov, the author disputes the subjective-idealistic understanding of this phenomenon as form of a private “excess”, first and foremost substantiated by the personal qualities and will of I. G. Shcheglovitov and other personas who defined the vector of judicial policy. At the same time, the research does not include the detailed reconstruction of specific historical manifestations of “Shcheglovitovshina”. Methodological tools contains the dialectic-materialistic method of cognition; concept of the dependent peripheral capitalism, particularly the conceptual apparatus of Y. I. Semyonov’s theory; ideas of V. I. Lenin, G. V. Plekhanov, L. D. Trotsky; as well as the traditional general scientific methods of research. The author believes that the systematic manifestations of the various types of legal arbitrariness in the work of Russian justice of the indicated period should be considered as a consistent epiphenomenon of the dependent peripheral-capitalist economy. The important determinants of “Shcheglovitovshina” were the inherent to the societies of the dependent peripheral capitalism at a minimum dual – internal and external – system of exploitation of non-dominant classes, noneconomic coercion to labor in the economic sphere, as well as overall crisis in the system of the Russian peripheral capitalism. The ideas substantiated in the article allow clarifying the understanding of development patterns of the Russian justice of the late XIX – early XX centuries and prerevolutionary Russian law order in general.

Keywords: politarism, dependent peripheral capitalism, law and order, legality, pre-revolutionary post-reform justice, the rule of law, legal arbitrariness, politics, Marxism, subjective idealism

Abstract: The object of this research is the Russian civil society, while the subject is the national relations in the process of civil development using the example Perm Governorate during the post-reform period. The authors analyze the increased attention of Zemstvo institutions to the living conditions of non-Russian population of the governorate demonstrated by activities in the spheres of education and medical care. The peculiarities of ethnic composition of the governorate, their displacement, level of social and economic development are determined. The main forms and fields of activity of Zemstvo institutions and various organizations pertinent of the development of indigenous peoples are described. The scientific novelty consists in the fact that for the first time in Ural historiography national development is viewed in correlation with the key elements of the Russian civil society, which found its reflection in the attempts of solving social issues of a significant portion of population of Perm Governorate. The conducted analysis of the evolution of national relations in the Urals proves that their development becomes an inseparable part of the Russian civil society, and their interaction – a crucial attribute of civilizational transformations in Russia of post-reform period.

Keywords: national relations, zemstvo doctors, zemstvo teachers, zemstvo institutions, Perm Province, zemstvo reform, civil society, charity, people of Perm province, socio-economic development

Abstract: The object of this research is a wide array of problems related to the negative impact of war upon the state of agricultural technology in collective farms in the autonomous republics of Volga-Vyatka Region (Mari, Mordovian and Chuvash ASSR): slowing down the rates of sowing and harvest works, quality deterioration of ploughing and seed material, difficulties associated with timely replenishment of seed reserves,  disregard of the earlier introduced succession cropping, losses in conducting harvest works, etc. The research is based on the extensive use of the methods of comparative analysis, which allow determining and demonstrating the peculiarities of the state of agricultural technology in the three autonomous republics of the Volga-Vyatka Region. The author’s special contribution consists in introduction of the new for the historical science archival materials; detailed examination of the various aspects of the topic that has not been previously studied within the regional historiography; as well as broad applicability of the methods of comparative analysis that allowed revealing the peculiarities in the state of agricultural technology in the autonomous republics of the Volga-Vyatka Region.

Keywords: seed production, sowing, steam ploughing, the timing of sowing, agricultural machinary, culture of agriculture, agriculture, private seed funds, crop rotation, zjabevaja ploughing

Abstract: The subject of this research is the reflection of the main works of N. K. Schilder in prerevolutionary historiography. N. K. Schilder (1842-1902) is one of the leading historians of the “official” discipline, whose major works were publishes at the turn of the XIX-XX centuries. The goal of this research lies in examining Schilder’s essays in the context of antecedent to Russian historiography. No large research were published prior to the revolution, therefore the fundamentals of Schilder’s writings before the revolution were analyzes in the three types of works: comments on the books, scientific criticism of the essays, and obituary on his death. The basis of this work is the historiographical method that allows reflecting on the legacy of the historian in the articles and books published prior to the revolution. The conclusion is made that the end of the indicated time period marks the establishment of the generally accepted opinion of N. K. Schilder, which included the recognition of his important role in historical science and identification of the specific features of his works. The positive features include the demand of Schilder’s works among the reading audience, usage of multiple historical sources, psychologism; the negative include the lack of criticism of the sources, excessive overload of his books with quotations, prevalence of narration over analyticity.

Keywords: historical science, Nicholas I, Alexander I, Paul I, emperors of the Russian Empire, Russian Empire, Schilder, historiography, historiographical sources, biography

Abstract: The subject of this research is the corruption practices among the party and economic leadership in the Ural Region during the Soviet industrialization period of 1930’s.  Based on the documents of party control bodies, the article examines the facts of misappropriation of funds and material resources. The relevance of this research is substantiated by the attempt to profoundly understand the causes of repressions of the 1930’s pertaining to regional government and big economic executives. The newly introduced into the scientific discourse historical sources allow clarifying the information on the factors affecting the delays in construction of a number of large industrial plants, as well as housing for workers and amenities in the industrial centers of Ural Region. The descriptive method allowed demonstrating the details of corruption relationships between the party leadership and executives of industrial plants. The historical-genetic method allowed reconstructing and specifying the circumstances of disruption in the construction of a number of important industrial objects, as well as clarifying the reasons of severe living conditions of the employees of large industrial construction projects of the Ural Region during the industrialization period. The novelty of this article consists in conducting a special scientific research dedicated to the corruption relationships between party nomenclatura and economic leaders. The conclusion is made that the unlawful actions of economic and party leadership contradicted the proclaimed by the Soviet propaganda image of a communist, ideas of equality and justice, inflicted irreparable reputational damage, and discredited the Soviet government system overall.

Keywords: party and state system of the power, Ivan Kabakov, Ural, Sverdlovsk, economic crimes, corruption, history of industry, industrialization, administrative practices, workers

Abstract: The object of this research is the technology of artificial intelligence. The subject of this research is the mechanisms and factors of the establishment and development of this technology. Philosophical prerequisites underlied the classical scientific works; however, the foundation for the establishment of the aforementioned technology is the studies in the area of neurophysiology and theory of computation. In the XX century, with the advancement of computer engineering, this technology received an impetus to development, which lead to its widespread proliferation and increased the interest of socio-humanitarian sciences, primarily jurisprudence and ethics towards it. The following conclusions were made. Methodological foundation of the modern technologies of artificial intelligence is the nervous system theory, which serves as prototype for designing the artificial intelligence systems on the basis of the artificial neural networks. The process of establishment and development of such technology was divided into five stages. The factors ensuring wide proliferation of the systems of artificial intelligence include: the possibility of modeling of the processes of human reasoning, collection and processing of large data, interdisciplinary and multifaceted nature of scientific research on this technology.

Keywords: computer engineering, neuron, big data, connectionism, artificial intelligence history, artificial neural network, artificial intelligence, artificial intelligence ethics, AI winter, thinking modeling

Abstract: The subject of this research is the reflection in Plutarch’s political treatises of the contemporary to him political practice. The author proves that Plutarch’s political thought was not just theoretical, aimed solely towards the past and deflected from modernity. The article examines the advices given by Plutarch to the Greek politicians along with the examples of contemporary political events cited in his political writings. Attention is given to Plutarch’s political activity with regards to his native city Chaeronea and province of Achaea, as well as Plutarch’s attitude to Rome. The article analyzes the five political treatises from the collection “Moralia”. The author applies the linguistic analysis in the original language and quantitative analysis for the treatise “How to Manage the Affairs of State”. The ideas of Plutarch correspond to his lifestyle and level of political activity. The author’s contribution lies in introduction of the materials that have not been published in the Russian language. In the course of this study, the author determines the classical and modern qualities of an ideal politician. The article describes Plutarch’s dual stance on the dependence of Greece from Rome, as well as how should the Greek politician conduct himself towards Roman power. It is revealed that the philosophers must play an active role in politics, in particular, positively influence the rulers, and develop their virtues. The research results are valuable for studying the ancient political thought, as well as relevant for the contemporary politicians, especially from in moral aspect.

Keywords: ideal statesman, Greece and Rome, political practice, political treatises, political thought, Plutarch, Ancient History, philosopher and ruler, public office, virtue

Abstract: This article determines and classifies the factors that directly affect the structure and peculiarities of existence of the folk crafts and arts in a particular polycultural region. Complex analysis is conducted on the role of each factor in the process of emergence, existence, development and extinction of the individual types of crafts retained in Mordovia at the present stage. The author determines the key factors affecting the possible revival, preservation and development of the traditional crafts that for a long time have existed in Mordovia in the conditions of market economy. The scientific novelty consists in identification and generalization of the essential characteristics of the factors impacting the nature, structure and level of development of the folk crafts and arts in the context of a particular polycultural region. As a result, the author reveals the pattern of changes in the degree of impact of certain factor upon the separate types of crafts activity depending on the shift in the historical formation and political course conducted by the government. The author highlights the group of factors holding a leading position in the process of preservation and development of the folk crafts and arts in the Republic of Mordovia at the current stage.

Keywords: historical, social and economic, natural and geographical factors, factors, folk craft and arts, polyethnic region, social and cultural factors, woodworking, felting, pottery

Abstract: The goal of this research is the analysis of organization of the Cossack military formations of White Movement and structure of their officer corps in Transbaikal territory over the period from August 1918 to November 1920. The subject of this work is the history of involvement of Transbaikal, Orenburg, Yeniseian, Siberian and Ussuri Cossack troops in the Civil War overall and Transbaikal region in particular. The chronological framework cover the period since the moment of the collapse of Soviet regime in Chita in the August 1918 until withdrawal of the White Army from Transbaikal in November 1920. The scientific novelty consists in generalization of information from the various published and little-studied sources for the purpose of restoring the organizational and corps structure of the White Cossack armed forces. The article also examines their engagement in military actions against partisan units of the Red and People’s Revolutionary Army of the Far Eastern Republic, which allows restoring a full picture of the exceptionally dramatic pages in the history of Civil War and foreign military intervention in Transbaikal territory.

Keywords: military intervention, People's Revolutionary Army, Far Eastern Republic, Far Eastern Army, semyonovtsy, kappelevtsy, the Cossacks, the Civil War, partisan movement, self-defense regiment