To the Question about the Influence of the Bureaucratization of the Military Ministry to the Pace of Development of the Cossack Regions in 1880–1890 (on the Example of the Don Host)

At the end of the 19th century the Ministry of War reacted extremely slowly to problems in the Cossack Hosts, and the solution of the most acute social and managerial problems could drag on for decades. The question of the reasons for such a delayed reaction of the Russian Empire to the problems of the Cossacks has not been specifically studied. The article, based on the materials of a number of federal and regional archives (the Russian State Historical Archive, the Russian State Military Historical Archive etc.), an attempt is made to understand the true reasons why in 1880–1890 the Ministry of War reacted so slowly to the problems of the Cossacks. Don Host (the largest and most important of the Cossack Hosts) was taken as an example.
The author concludes that the Ministry of War at that time was well aware of the most important problems of the Russian Cossacks. However, their decision was hindered by the bureaucratization and general passivity of the Main Directorate of the Cossack Hosts. It was paperwork and purely organizational problems that impeded the implementation of new reforms, the need for which was recognized by officials.