A group of famous Russian people: Count Vorontsov, Count Chernyshev, Prince Grigory Orlov and others addressed a letter to the Empress, and Catherine II gave way on the establishment of the very first Scientific Society of Russia – Imperial Free Economic society for the Encouragement of Agriculture and Husbandry. It was aimed at studying the provisions of Russian agriculture and dissemination of information useful for agriculture. They distributed, and at the same time arranged exhibitions, organized smallpox vaccination, published and sent out books, established libraries and museums. Until the very end of the 19th century, Free Economic Society brought economic culture to the masses. And so it keeps doing this even today – in the 80s, the society recommenced its activities.
