The purpose of the study is to reveal the historical background and theoretical motives for the development of social management. However, in practice, the postulate of such an attitude to the historical background is not always reflected in studies. More often, material heritage is noticed, sometimes visible to the naked eye. A less studied and much more complex issue is the presence of the past in the public mind, i.e. social memory of previous experience, which constitutes the intellectual and emotional background of today's goals and aspirations. The article discusses the features of the material and spiritual heritage of social management. The scientific novelty lies in a comprehensive analysis of the prerequisites and motives for the historical development of social management. As a result, it was revealed how strongly the facts of the past influence the current attitudes and motives of behavior. On the one hand, there is a rejection of what was experienced by society in the past and caused the need for change, on the other hand, the same denied past is deeply rooted in the social psyche, manifesting itself in the form of fear of change. However, even the most accurate analysis of motivations and behavior cannot be artificially separated from the structural environment.