Key aspects of legal regulation of real estate pledge in the Boards of Social Welfare

Abstract

The article aims at the assessment of legal regulation of pledge in the Boards of Social Welfare of the Russian Empire in the first half of the 19th century. The boards established by Catherine II worked as provincial banks accredited to meet the needs of the inhabitants of the governorates. The study focuses on the activity of the boards, which reflects the details of the economic development of the governorates, including those in the territories of Georgia and Azerbaijan integrated into the Empire in the first third of the 19th century. The author draws on extensive legal material and archival documents illustrating the reasons for the adoption of exemptions from general pledge regulations in relation to some of the boards. The specifics of the economic development of the territories, in a number of cases, empowered the legislator to expand the list of legalized pledge for certain governorates. The main subjects among the borrowers in the boards were nobles and merchants. Insufficient landownership of the nobility in a number of governorates led to the guarantee as one of the possible conditions for obtaining a loan in the boards. Due to the identified corrupt practices of the officials for obtaining loans in the boards, state workers were identified as special subjects of law, in respect of which special legal provisions were introduced in the boards.

References

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