Class system: the concept, the difference from the class

The social order is in the history of all countries a special order of state organization. What is it manifested in? How is the estate different from the class? More details will be discussed later in the article.

The difference from the class

The social order is a social structure of society in which certain rights and privileges for certain people are provided. As a rule, they receive them from birth.

A class is a social group that has a socio-economic orientation. The concept refers to property in social production and the way in which the surplus product is appropriated. However, the position of the class is not fixed in the inheritance. For example, let us take the representative of the bourgeoisie. The man owns huge factories, many people work for him, he enjoys a privileged position in a society based on wealth. However, in case of ruin, he becomes an ordinary proletarian, if he goes to work for hire. His children do not enjoy benefits in the state.

Class system is another concept. People receive a set of privileges from birth. From talents, personal success under such a system does not depend. If a person was born serf, then breaking out of bondage was almost impossible. Of course, there are many cases in history where the privileges of noblemen were received by some people who manifested themselves in battles or in the service. They had a special talent, so they achieved the right to break out of their class. However, such cases were only an exception. The main difference from the class is that certain rights were fixed from birth in the law. And nothing could be done about this, since the departure from the general rules undermined the power of the ruling elites.

Consequences of the transition from one estate to another

The estate system is very conservative in nature, more resilient. If, in the class division of society, people have vertical mobility, they can move from one class to another, then under a class system this is impossible. Sometimes, according to the will of the "crazed tyrant", as the subjects of the ruler who violated general principles called, some "lower" people received indulgences and moved from the lower to the higher class. However, the society, as a rule, treated such changes extremely negatively. This was perceived as a threat to order. The rest of the estates were removed from such a "lucky". Disowned of such individuals and former comrades-in-arms, who zealously watched this. Therefore, often people who were lucky to go, for example, from grooms to the counts, sooner or later lost everything.

A vivid example is the friend and companion of Peter I Menshikov. In due time it was the second person in the state with huge riches, titles. However, the society still pointed to the former shepherd in his place at birth, despite all the merits. Menshikov died in exile and poverty, and his children could not again get into the elite, despite the enormous connections and influence.

The main estates in Russia

Until the 17th century the estates were not finally fixed for the following reasons:

• Feudal fragmentation;
• The Mongol-Tatar invasion;
• A long process of formation of a single state.

All of the above historical periods can not serve as a basis for the formation of closed groups of people with fixed rights.

Consolidation of estates

The class system is an obligatory development of law, which consolidates the existing situation. Without stability, a single state, a single apparatus of coercion and repression, it is impossible to form it. Of course, before that, there were also certain social groups with their rights and responsibilities. However, in the absence of legal consolidation by a strong state and stability, such groups were unstable.

Conditionally it is possible to single out the main groups up to the 17th century:

• Boyars. They owned the land on the rights of "patrimony", i.e., inheritance law. Perhaps, the most outstanding representative of the estate in the classical form. The boyar's status was inherited. However, he gave the right to land, and not a privilege in society. The land allotment of the boyars with each generation was constantly fragmented, and their role in politics faded.
• Nobles. Initially, servicemen, who were given land for service. They will later become the mainstay of autocracy, and their privileges in the society will be fixed legally.
• The Cossacks. Their task is to protect borders. For this they received land and liberties. But the estate was not officially fixed. As far as useless, the government constantly tried to abolish their status. A strong state needs a permanent centralized force, with strict control. Cossacks did not meet these requirements and often turned into enemies of power.
• Clergy.
• Peasantry. Limitations of rights are first mentioned in the Judge of Ivan III. Sobornoe Ulozhenie 1649 finally enslaves the peasants without the right to choose.

The final formation of the estate monarchy

The estates of Russia in the 17th century were finally formed. Now all social groups get legal status, which is inherited. The basic estates of the XVII century:

• Boyars.
• Nobles.
• Clergy.
• Peasantry.
• Posad people.
• The merchants.

Gradually, the estate system became more and more complicated, acquiring a complete appearance. Some gradually left the political scene (boyars), while others, on the contrary, acquired privileges. Each ruler slightly corrected the class system, but its final disintegration is observed only towards the end of the XIX century, when society finally begins to divide into classes.