One of the main features of social class category is the awareness of them himself as "a sense of common identity, a characteristic member of a particular social class" (Abercrombie, N., et al. Sociological Dictionary, 1997).This social class is a long-term education, in contrast, for example, the consumer layer.An important specificity of the concept of a transfer of membership of a social class by inheritance.
Background research
According A.Ş.Zhvitiashvili ("Interpretation of the concept of" class "in contemporary Western sociology", 2005), attention to the problem of science classes and class relations was due to two factors:
- recognition of the limited nature of a similar theory in the writings of Karl Marx;
- active attention to the transformation processes in the Russian state and Eastern Europe.
The question of the appropriateness of isolation in our society category of the middle class is still open to this day, both in domestic and in foreign sociological theory.
problem of differentiating the concept of "social class" in Western sociology
Western science of society includes several trends interpretation of the concept of class.First of all, a rejection of the dominant economic criterion in the analysis of class-process.On the one hand, this step makes the test more extensive concept.On the other - characteristic of a society with social stratification standpoint it becomes less certain: the boundary between the concept of class and stratum becomes less distinguishable character.
Signs of middle class
From the perspective of the West German economist and statesman, founder of the modern economic system in Germany, Ludwig Erhard, the middle class - people among the qualitative characteristics of which is to provide the following:
- dignity;
- independence of opinion;
- the courage to put their existence dependent on the performance of their work;
- social sustainability;
- independence;
- desire to express themselves in a free civil society and the world.
In turn, Edgar Savisaar, the former first prime minister of Estonia, highlights these traits of the middle class as:
- stable and confident social status;
- relatively high standard of living, education and training;
- high competitiveness in the labor market;
- clear information about events in the community;
- political skepticism;
- sufficient independence in the analysis of information;
- high level of efficiency of self-realization in the society;
- significant impact on the activity of social processes;
- a high level of civic responsibility;
- orientation, in addition to himself and his family, to society as a whole.
Accordingly, in both classifications is not so much emphasis on the economic side of life of the middle class, but on the social and political.
middle class and professional class
comparing a set of traits of the middle class, dedicated Erhard with those characteristics, which are used by the American sociologist Talcott Parsons, defining the concept of a professional, we can note some overlap.By its professional outlook parsonsovsky is a supporter of the liberal-democratic values, including - professional duty and selfless service to their customers.Availability of professionalism, according to Parsons, and Storer, assumes responsibility for the storage, transfer and use of specialized knowledge, high autonomy in attracting new members of the professional community, protection from the environment, integrity, and others.
Thus, the concept of averageclass and professional are closely linked in many sociological studies.
Differentiation of the "old" and "new" middle class
The meaning of the concept of the middle class has a dynamic specificity, directly reflecting the socio-economic characteristics of society in a certain period of time.Thus, in a modern interpretation of the middle class it is a qualitatively new social phenomenon.
From the standpoint of the American sociologist C. Wright Mills, in contrast to the "new", "old" middle class mainly consisted of small entrepreneurs to profit from their existing property.In turn, the American middle class was the rural bourgeoisie and its land at the same time acted as a means of production, the method of earnings, as well as an investment object.Thus, maintaining the independence of an entrepreneur, self-set boundaries own professional activities.Labor and property for the American middle class were inseparable.In addition, the social status of this category of citizens is also directly dependent on the condition of being in possession of their property.
Accordingly, the "old" middle class was under a proprietary basis, as well as clearly defined boundaries.Also for its members it was characterized by independence from high society and by the state itself.
functions of middle class in the society
the middle class in the center of the social system thus provides its relative stability and sustainability.Thus, the middle class - a kind of mediator between the extreme poles of the stratification structure of society.In addition, for optimal function of the intermediary is necessary that this layer of society had sufficient strength.
On the other hand, as many Russian sociologists face of massive enough to ensure that the stabilizer function and the source of the social system, which is focused on the middle class.This configuration is possible only when the middle class correspond to certain politico-economic performance: law-abiding awareness actions and the ability to defend their own interests, independence of opinion and others.
Western tradition
originally in the western scientific thought middle class identified with the people and the massesat all.For example, in the concept of Ortega y Gasset it is a middle-class mediocrity in the field of knowledge and skills.Hegel, he appears as a shapeless mass - without any certain goals and ideals.
between domestic and foreign approaches to the category of middle-class society there is a significant difference.For example, the middle class in Europe, in terms of the French sociologist Pierre Bourdieu, in addition to the economic capital allocated as dominant in Marxist theory, should be based on social capital, cultural and symbolic.One form of symbolic capital of Bourdieu's political thought.Ownership solidified documented, when it came to economic ownership.In the case of the cultural part of it he was considered proof of a diploma or academic title.Social ownership of the confirmed title of nobility.Thus formed a complete characterization of middle-class society.
should also note another important point.In the western tradition of the middle strata of society are aware of the fact that private property is not only an object of appropriation, and is also accompanied by the need to fulfill a number of public functions.Otherwise, it can not be untouchable, remaining open to abuse by others.
Discussion of the problem of the middle class in Russian society
middle class in Russia is a separate category for the scientific debate in sociological theory.For example, some Western sociologists deny the existence of this layer of society in the functioning of the Soviet Union and during the transition to the post-Soviet system (Zhvitiashvili, 2005).From the point of view H. Baltsera in Russian social stratification structure occurs presence of the middle layer, but it differs from the classical understanding of the concept of "middle class" in society.
In turn, the Russian sociologist AGLevinson writes that the question of the existence of the middle class in Russia as an empirically verifiable object itself is not significant.In this case it is only the name given to a particular group of people, or on the interpretation of some results.The question of the existence in Russia of the middle class should be decided not in an environment where conducts applied or fundamental research community and among the public and public institutions, as an example - as part of public opinion.However, as the author notes, for many researchers, included in the discussion about the presence / absence of a middle class in Russian society, is preferable to the differentiation of such concepts as "intellectuals", "specialist", "middle ground" and others.
Feature averageclass structure of a modern Russian society
classical understanding implies focus not only on the owners of the property of a certain size, but also on the carrier core societal values - social and political activity, countering social manipulation, personal dignity and independence, and others. Meanwhile, the Russian stateearly 90-ies.Reformers considered the property relations in society only from the economic side.
Even today there are remnants of the perception that a "pillar of civil society 'include any' 'brother' 'or Solntsevo Tambov mafia" (Simonian AD "middle class: the social mirage or reality?", 2009) -for example, on the basis of having two cars in the family and others.
In this regard, the domestic sociological theory there are certain paradoxes, when the middle class in Russia includes primarily private business and not the engineers, doctors or teachers.The reason of this "imbalance" is the fact that representatives of the private sector have much higher incomes than the aforementioned experts.
Many researchers, noting the presence of Russian society, the middle layer of the consumer, it is believed that its transformation into a full class is necessary to create a number of conditions:
- structural transformation of the economy;
- formation of a special ideological position;
- change in the psychology of society;
- revision behaviors, and so on. D.
In any case, the process of forming a full-fledged middle class in Russian society requires a fairly long period of time.
criminal past and the present middle class in Russia
primitive division into sectors of society in terms of economic criteria as the distorted understanding of Marxist theory had some justification.Representatives financially wealthy and super-rich population in the Russian society, there are many.However, the question of how high-ranking official or prominent businessman who take bribes, can be attributed to the category of people from a position of strict social and political significance of the word.It stops the very fact that they are not free.It is not so much citizens as tied with the power of accomplices (Simonian, 2009).
system of privatization in Russia also had its negative impact on the specificity of the formation of the concept of "average social class."Instead, the so-called enrichment of the people was conducted the largest state common scam on the distribution of wealth between the individual representatives of the private business.This situation is only strengthened corrupt state structures.As a result, the owner of a modern capital least meets the requirements of the classical representative of the group, presented the middle class.This support, as the S. Dzarasov primarily criminal, but not the type of rational consciousness.
The problem is that this category of people is able to seize other people's good and while not quite able to create.Not that it was a crime of unawareness of these actions.The middle class of this category with a full understanding of illicitly acquired property are related to it - not as a well-deserved good, but as a desirable production and personal privileges.
Accordingly, the modern Russian nomenklatura does not accept any public function for a given property.It rejects the very notion of the common good, as opposed to how it treats the Western society of the middle class.In this regard, the vast majority of the Russian population refuses to recognize the results of the privatization of the early 90s.Meanwhile, to honor the inviolability of property, you need to have a legitimate.Only under this condition of private property becomes a full-fledged economic foundation of civil society.
Thus, the criminal side of life of society not only contributes to the formation of the middle class, but also leads to deformation of this concept, which is based on the social characteristics of the class.
