Социальная организация России раннего нового времени: Языки описаний = The Social Organization of Early Modern Russia: Languages of Description

Redin, Dmitry A. (2025) Социальная организация России раннего нового времени: Языки описаний = The Social Organization of Early Modern Russia: Languages of Description. RUSSIANSTUDIES.HU, 7 (2). pp. 165-184. ISSN 2677-1640

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Abstract

The author of the article returns to the long-standing discussion about what society was like in Russia in the 17th–18th centuries. Is it possible to explain its structure within the class paradigm? To what extent do authentic texts of official legislative origin, such as the Conciliar Code of 1649, adequately reflect social reality in Russia in the early modern period? Is it possible to more accurately understand social stratification through texts created by ordinary residents and reflecting their ideas about self-identification? The author, in solidarity with a number of researchers, considers all options as equal languages of social description. How do they fit together? Which one is more accurate? Each of them has a right to exist because it fulfills its function in the process of our understanding and explanation of the past. None of them is capable of absolutely adequately conveying the social reality of the past. Each of them is appropriate in its own area of application. Ultimately, the author suggests accepting this as a given and not trying to find or invent some ideal and unique language of social description. This is hindered by the very essence of the social structure – plastic and changeable – and the specificity of the historical process, which is always unique in a specific place and time.

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