About class-stratification system of society in transition period (ABSTRACT)

Jamlet Janjgava

Social stratification processes in independent Georgia – inseparable part of civilised world – are going on in a complex, yet intensive way. In the 90s of the XXth century former class structure of Soviet society went down to history.

Which factors are decisive in class-stratification structurisation process of modern Georgian society and, appropriately, what changes are expectable in the early stage of Georgian state and society formation?
First of all, we should mention that the mentioned processes in Georgia started with radical (though inefficient in some cases) reforms in the sphere of destruction of Soviet political and socio-economic systems. Laying the foundation for transition to market economy, privatisation, transfer of land to private property, preparation of socio-economic grounds for free entrepreneurial activities and in general, formation of legal framework for the functioning of sovereign state are of utmost importance.
Division of our population into three great social groups – higher, middle and lower class – is obvious in the country. As for the layers within the class, the process of social layers’ unification is observable here, too: higher and lower layers within the higher class unite. Similar processes are going on in middle and lower classes.
Taking into consideration specifics of our society’s modern life, different social status of social groups is, mainly, determined by economic factors. Yet in this case we do not have in mind different attitude towards production means, but rather amount of incomes or to be more exact, similar state of property. Population belongs to this or that social class in accordance with similar state of property, incomes, purchasing ability as well as enjoyment of paid service. In any case, amount of incomes is a main factor in determining one’s belonging to this or that class when the matter concerns lower and middle layers of social groups. This can not be otherwise in a country that has not yet come out of deep economic crisis.
At the same time, class distinction of society is also largely dependent on such non-economic factors as education, culture, qualification, etc. Yet, in reality we often observe such factors as individual’s social role, social prestige and certainly, connection with authorities. Therefore, non-economic factors play a great role in the formation of higher classes whereas economic factors are more important in the formation of middle and lower classes. Thus, amount of income emerges as determinant of person’s social state.
According to sociological opinion poll of 15-30 June 2003 in Tbilisi, of 437 respondents only one respondent (0,2%) considered his family rich, 2 respondents (2,7%) think their families belong to well-off layers, 231 respondents (52,8%) belong to middle and 136 respondents (31,1%) – to poor layers while 30 respondents (6,8%) live behind the poverty line. Of them 27 respondents (6,2%) do not yet have ready opinion on this matter.
Radical reforms of the new government that came to power after the so-called “Roses Revolution” in November 2003, give us grounds to believe that in the nearest future class-stratification structure of society will improve significantly and become more similar to the structure in developed countries.