The author states that the new monograph “Self-Organization of the Russian Public in the Last Third of the 18th – early 20th Century” edited by A.S.Tumanov contains complex research of such questions as the moral position of civil society, level of its social solidarity, adequacy of its institutional structure for solution of sustainable development and modernization problems, extent of liberal intelligentsia’s awareness of its historic mission. The monograph is distinguished by originality of scientific approach, detailed empirical data and is of substantial importance for the Russian historiography.