Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1915-10-23

class hatreds. The Russian noble
mixes with the Russian merchant. and
mas no feeHng. as a noble Of the in
superable gulf between him and the
peasant In theory. at least. oppor-
tuntties for advancement and honors
In the service OF the government are
eqoaI Tor all. as are the opportunities
Tor education and social intercourse
IN the sense accepted in Western Eu-
rope. Russia, in reality. has no bour-
seoisie. no aristoeracy, and no prole-
However. the RussophiPs insist
ence that Russia has no social class
es Is not strictly correct. II is true.
as incongruous as it seems, that RusN
slams, the supporters Of AutOcracy.
are among the most democratic OF
all peoples In their local organiza-
tons. the village communes, the Rus
sian peasants possess an almost Der-
rect organization from the social denir-
Gratis point OF view while their MOBILES
once freeholders, remade into servants
OF the state by Peter the Great and
modified by succeeding sovereigns. have
developed no strong class Conscious
ness. no iron-clad traditions, and no
tsoiating esprit de CORPS They con-
prise rich and poor Russian citizens.
citizens OF high and low degree, citi-
gems OF culture and illiterate citi-
Gems Nevertheless. position, wealth,
and culture in Russia. as everywhere
while until just recently. the clergy OF
Russian church have formed the most
exclusive OF fixed castles The mobiles
mostly large landed proprietors. and
the Tchinovniks. OF the innumerable
government officials also form special
classes, and, in Western Europe. there
are circles within circles. Moreover,
these various classes are recognized
/ by mass OF legislation in the Rus
sian code. Nevertheless, Russians
I FanWW aN~Fw
| their country Is almost free from class
hatreds. and that the existing class
i es are, generally speaking. very fluid
A firmly established Autocracy leaves
little room for a bitter struggle be-
| tween class and class; a country.
where more Lhan two-thirds of the
people are Engaged in agricultural
/ pursuits. has still less occasion for
class animosities. and when IL is fur
/ fher considered that the true Rus
sian is a social democrat by nature,
| II is no longer an object for wonder
r1ent that the catchwords Of the West.
used in the political and economic
| struggles OF the classes. have but lit
tie substance and meaning for tho
| Russian"
The distinctions between man ana
man, and family and family. in Rus
STA. are largely superficial The law
/ recognizes-as the Russophil explains
merely by way Of administrative fc-
tions. four general divisions OF the
people-the nobility, the Clergy the
town-dwellers and the peasantry.
/ Peter the Great. a passionate organ
/ Ter who spent his energetic life in
/ the endeavOr to centralize the state
/ and give II an efficient scheme OF gov
| eminent made class distinctions in
the land much more definite than they
had been before. and also. added to
| them His successors Travelled in the
paths which he had pointed out. Cath
rine the Great, a German princess,
| endeavored to create a West-European
aristocracy and a bourgeoisie in mar
empire, and with these objects In
view. as. also, probably that OF her
own fame. she was untiring in her
efforts to found towns. Peter the
Great made efficiency the road TO rank.
/ and among the counts whom he Gre
ated. some had begun life as peasants
buffers. etc Cathrine IL took the
organization OF the French monarcy
as her model
The great landowners and the gov
eminent officials form the first society
OF the realm. the wealthy merchants.
smaller landowners and the great
part or the professional people make
up the middle class. while the small
tradespeople, the artisans. and the
peasantry constitute a third class
There is practically no proletariat-
| though such class is in the making
In Moscow and in some other Of the
greater cities Decorations are very
common, as are titles. There are more
then 100000 members OF the nobility.
among whom their are hundreds Of
princes and princesses. Russia's
Plentiful supply OF nobilities has kept
| them from becoming objects Of awe to
Russian folk in general. The Russian
pays most honor to the government
Officials. the tchinovnilxa. or the rank
holders In bureaucracy"
i