ABSTRACT
In modern conditions, the likely prospect is the formation and reproduction of rural social capital in accordance with the model of social solidarity: for which individuals need an independent civil status and a readiness for public participation. The survival of the rural school is dependent on its role and function as a territorial socio-cultural centre. In the Russian Empire, a significant feature of the rural development was krepostnoye pravo the system of legal relations stemming from the dependence of the peasant farmer on the landowner, the owner of the land inhabited and farmed by the peasant. However, the concentration of agricultural production has affected the economic and social development of the rural settlements negatively, which, in turn, has led to their depopulation. The more accessible and diverse the educational and cultural services, the higher the development potential of rural communities; and the existing network of rural schools and community clubs gives hope for a successful modernization of rural social capital.
