Social stratification of Georgia in the period of transitions

Abstract

Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, Georgian society underwent a significant shift in social and cultural formation. A long and challenging transition period, the country's move towards European orientation and the adoption of new market and social norms have resulted in a transformed societal structure. Despite the officially proclaimed classless society in the Soviet Union, the constitutions of 1936 and 1977 recognized three distinct classes: the working class, the peasantry, and the intelligentsia, which encompasses non-manual professions such as scientists, artists, teachers, and various other professionals. Following the rapid deindustrialization and significant economic decline that ensued after the collapse of the Soviet Union, a pronounced hysteresis effect emerged, leading to a situation where a substantial portion of the population experienced a disjunction between their socio-economic conditions and their established social and cultural lifestyle. Although there has been an observable increase in the size of the upper-middle class, over half of households continue to fall below the middle-class threshold. However, limited research has been conducted on social stratification in Georgian social sciences. The only visibly published work related to these issues is Ronald Inglehart's "System of World Cultures”, which assesses the values of Georgian society as one among many others, in the context of world cultures. A study conducted in 2009 examined social classes in the three South Caucasian republics, revealing distinctions based on key indicators such as income, education, and employment. However, it is important to note that the differences among social strata or groups within Georgian society have not been explored in depth. Despite the existence of a few fragmentary assessments and external observer evaluations, there is a paucity of published work on the subject. Therefore, additional research is necessary to expand upon the current body of knowledge. Hypothesis: The rather economic equality characteristic of the Soviet system contributed to the ascendancy of various forms of capital, such as social, symbolic, and cultural capital, which ultimately became dominant in societal interactions. As a result, lifestyles and attitudes became more pronounced as individuals sought to distinguish themselves from one another. Consequently, familial habits persisted even in a market economy, fostering multidimensional social differences within society based on value-attitudes derived from historical experiences. This phenomenon occurred despite the predominance of two socio-economic classes—low and middle—as identified in studies conducted in the South Caucasus region. It is important to note that individuals espousing socio-nativist according to Piketty's notion or materialistic values by Inglehart can be found not only among the lower class but also within the upper class. Conversely, those inclined toward globalist or post-materialist perspectives are typically situated within the middle and upper classes. Such distinctions are shaped by individuals' adaptation to the free market and their family backgrounds in the Soviet Union. Therefore, a comprehensive analysis of the social characteristics of various groups, beyond a rigid class framework, is essential for a nuanced understanding of the complexities within Georgian society. Research Questions: What social milieus exist in contemporary Georgia? What are the main value characteristics of each milieu? How have social milieus changed during the transitional period from the early 1990s to the present day? How do value-attitude milieus intersect with socio-economic status?