Project Gutenberg
2002-11-01
Public domain in the USA.
140
Tolstoy, Leo, graf
1828
1910
Толстой, Лев Николаевич
Tolstoi, Leo
Tolstoy, Lev N.
Tolstoï, Léon
Tolstoy, Graf Leo
Tolstoj, Lev Nikolaevič
Tolstoj, Lev Nikolaevic
Hapgood, Isabel Florence
1850
1928
Hapgood, Isabel F.
What to Do? Thoughts Evoked By the Census of Moscow
Transcribed from the 1887 Tomas Y. Crowell edition by David Price
"What to Do? Thoughts Evoked By the Census of Moscow" by graf Leo Tolstoy is a reflective essay written during the late 19th century. The work discusses the stark contrast between wealth and poverty within Moscow, after the author himself is struck by the experiences he witnesses while participating in a census. The text explores themes of social responsibility and moral obligation, questioning the societal structures that allow for such disparities in wealth, and reflects upon the deeper reasons behind human suffering. The opening of the work illustrates Tolstoy's personal journey as he transitions from rural life to the complexities of urban poverty in Moscow. Initially, he feels confused and troubled by the beggars he encounters, whose situation is starkly different from that of rural beggars. He describes a variety of beggars—both genuine and those preying on others' sympathies—and grapples with the restrictions placed upon them by authorities that seemingly punish the act of begging. Through his observations, he reveals an unsettling realization about the interconnectedness of wealth and poverty and begins to formulate a plan for charitable action. However, as he interacts with the city’s poor, his idealistic notions collide with the harsh realities of their lives, leading him to internal conflicts about the effectiveness and sincerity of charitable benevolence. This sets the stage for a profound and philosophical exploration of human compassion and societal obligation. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
Reading ease score: 71.1 (7th grade). Fairly easy to read.
en
Social problems
Moscow (Russia) -- Social conditions
HN
Text
Category: Essays, Letters & Speeches
Category: Philosophy & Ethics
Category: Sociology
292036
2025-08-02T08:04:37.265425
text/html
290041
2019-07-30T01:45:40
text/html
145663
2025-08-02T08:04:40.821383
application/epub+zip
147768
2025-08-02T08:04:37.954428
application/epub+zip
147026
2025-08-02T08:04:37.579372
application/epub+zip
230800
2025-08-02T08:04:43.213416
application/x-mobipocket-ebook
213540
2025-08-02T08:04:40.494383
application/x-mobipocket-ebook
213060
2022-09-02T10:32:05.175532
application/x-mobipocket-ebook
274349
2025-08-02T08:04:36.971404
text/plain; charset=us-ascii
274425
2019-07-30T01:43:31
text/plain; charset=us-ascii
20128
2025-08-02T08:04:43.374340
application/rdf+xml
15940
2025-08-02T08:04:37.661403
image/jpeg
3494
2025-08-02T08:04:37.622380
image/jpeg
100602
2019-07-30T16:24:44
application/octet-stream
application/zip
137116
2019-07-30T16:24:44
application/octet-stream
application/zip
139516
2025-08-02T08:04:37.291399
application/octet-stream
application/zip
Archives containing the RDF files for *all* our books can be downloaded at
https://book.klll.cc/wiki/Gutenberg:Feeds#The_Complete_Project_Gutenberg_Catalog
en.wikipedia
en.wikipedia