Loss and profit accounts...": economic bookishness of Old Believers as form of confessional written and book culture

In article the analysis of a special type of a confessional Old Believe bookishness - an economic book culture is undertaken. The author of article suggests carrying to an Old Believe confessional bookishness and monuments of economic culture. They were included in communal libraries along with ascetic and learning collections. That fact is represented to the most important that the Old Believers economic culture had distinct confessional character. In the second half of 18 - early 19 century Old Believers became confessional and economic community. Implementation of functions of Old Believe business was directed on consolidation of all community. In these conditions otherwise, than in the environment of Synod flock nature of merchant occupation was perceived, it had the expressed confessional component. Already since the beginning of the 18 century the idea of a God-sent wealth developed. In a Old Belief the relation to enterprise occupation was special also. The chief assistant in "business" realized the Lord. As a result Old Believers of various denominations developed, including, an economic bookishness - written culture of confessional economy. In monuments of an old believe economic book culture various aspects of life of community were reflected: from problems of property and lines of business culture of Old Belief denominations to an everyday life of old believe businessmen. Since vygovsky times of communal and collective business the strict account and the control which has reached much higher level developed in Old Believers, than at flock of Synod church. In bespop-ovsky and popovsky communities strict accounting reports for what blotters on goods sales", "Accounts of profit and a loss" (monthly), "Cash desk accounts", "Cash desk reports", "Accounts of expenses", "Debt registers" were created "Were observed. In these sources the internal structure of business activity, its feature is reflected. In them all aspects of life of a community and its members, including hidden from persecutors of Old Belief of form of ownership in an old believe community of that time are described. Other major aspect of life the Old Believers displayed in accounting documents of Old Believers, was protection of conservatives against prosecutions of the authorities. Here the backbone role was played by corruption. As showed, in particular, materials of accounts department of the Guchkov, on "pro-feeding" of conservatives there was a great number of chiefs of police, quarter, police officers and so forth. According to these documents it is possible to specify even such questions as the valid religion of large Old Believer owners. Many of them, under pressing of the authorities formally passed in edinovery, continued to pay money to a community. Thus, economic documents of old believe communities and their representatives form special economic area of Old Believers confessional bookishness where economic rationalism and the scrupulous account with idea of blessed wealth and a salutary profitable activity for the belief benefit merged.

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