Class Rank: The Concept Content and Transformation in the State Civil Service Sphere in the XVIII to the XXI Century

he article deals with one of the key concepts of the institute of state civil service — "class rank". Turning to the past, the author analyzes the perception of the content of the concept of "rank" in different historical epochs. It is concluded that the rank played a huge role in the XIX century and was perceived as a title that determines the status of a civil servant of the Russian Empire, a guarantee for obtaining certain material benefits. In the current legislation of the Russian Federation, the content and meaning of the definition of "class rank" differ from the understanding that was characteristic of pre-revolutionary Russia. At the same time, the preservation of this concept indicates continuity in the development of the institution of state civil service.

Clerks at the Head of the Census Commissions in the 17th сentury Russia

The membership among the representatives of the service class bureaucracy, who carried on the description of the land allotments and general census of the population during the 17th century, wasn’t invariable. The first General Cadaster is notable for the participation in it of the significant number of high rank clerks and scriveners with considerable service experience. By the end of the century, we can observe the increase of the Landownership Department staff who, were connected with similar activity on professional basis exclusively.

The Source Base for Genealogical Study of Service Class Families of the 17th Century

The article analyzes main sources for genealogical study of service families of the 17th century. The subject of the study is sources on history and genealogy of service class families in the 17th century, revealed in specific study of O(A)stafievs, boyar scions of the Chernavsk uezd. The relevance of the study is determined by lack of scientific publications containing analysis of sources on the genealogy of service class people in Russia (and particularly, in “territory of the southern borderland”) of the time. It should be noted that genealogical aspects of formation of the military-service corporation of the Chernavsk uezd is virtually absent in scholarship. Relying on documentary, analytical, systemic, chronological, and biographical methods, the authors have examined unpublished archival sources from the fonds of the Order-in-charge (Razryadny) and Domestic (Pomestny) Prikazes from the Russian State Archive of Ancient Acts. These are desyatni (books on armament capability, allocation, distribution of allowance), annual budget books, krestoprivodnye knigi (pledge of allegiance books), pistsovye knigi (owner land descriptions), otkaznye knigi (land grants books), petitions, revisions of service class people, etc. Working with these historical sources has allowed the authors to carry out a comprehensive genealogical study and to systematize data on life, family ties, specifics of military service of the service class families representatives in the southern borderlands in the 17th century, in particular, O(A)stafievs, boyar scions of the Chernavsk uezd. As a result of the study, many documents have been introduced into scientific use. The historical and genealogical research carried out by the authors has now been brought up to the 1640s. It has been established that boyar scions Astafyevs were among the first settlers in the uezd who received estates for service from Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov in the mid-17th century. One of unresolved issues in the study is the question of the Astafievs' “exodus” to Chernavsk, in other words, identification of their former place of residence. Service class people moved to different uezds for various reasons (lack of land, the development of new territories, military conflicts, etc.) thus expanding their familial geography. This fact indicates that in the course of studying genealogy of service class families, certain problems may arise associated with absence or fragmentation of sources for individual uezds and difficulties in determining the family ties, especially in the early 17th century.

The early labour-market returns to upper secondary qualifications track in England

We explore the early labour-market returns to following the academic track (such as A levels) rather than the vocational track (for example, NVQs) in upper secondary education in England. England is an interesting country case because students are ‘free to choose’ which upper secondary track they follow, unlike to many other European countries where standardised tests and teachers’ recommendations play a much larger role. We draw on data from the longitudinal survey Next Steps and register data from the National Pupil Database. We consider occupational social class and net disposable income at age 25 as early labour-market outcomes to explore to what extent the upper secondary qualification track has a net influence on them, controlling for pre-track measured ability, relevant socio-demographic characteristics and higher education participation. Our results show that following the academic track in upper secondary education is associated with higher chances of being employed in a service class occupation at age 25, compared to those with vocational upper secondary qualifications or no upper secondary qualifications at all. Subsequent participation in (prestigious) universities further improves the chances of service class membership. Interestingly, there does not seem to be a differentiated effect of following the academic rather than the vocational track by socio-economic status, except for those that did not subsequently attend university. Unlike access to service class occupations, we find no net effect of upper secondary track on disposable income at age 25 after controlling for prior attainment at GCSE and subsequent participation in higher education.<br /><br />Key messages<br /><ul><li>We explore the early labour market returns to following the academic and the vocational track in upper secondary school in England.</li><br /><li>Following the academic track is associated with higher chances of being employed in a service class occupation, and further improved if attending university.</li><br /><li>Unlike access to service class occupations, we find no net effect of upper secondary track on disposable income.</li></ul>

Social origins, track choices and labour-market outcomes: evidence from the French case

This paper examines the labour-market returns to different high school tracks in the French context. We use rich nationally representative longitudinal data running from the beginning of secondary education until entrance into the labour market: the Panel d’élèves du second degré, recrutement 1995 combined with the Entrée dans la vie adulte-EVA follow-up survey. Analysing these data, we are able to identify the consequences of track placement in high school on various labour-market outcomes controlling for social and academic selection into tracking. Our results show that academic diplomas offer higher labour-market benefits than vocational diplomas, even when adjusting for selection into tracks based on prior school performance, family background and other socio-demographic characteristics. The advantage of the academic track stays large, both for the whole group of upper secondary graduates and for those who have not achieved a tertiary degree. Our results further indicate that academic qualifications are even more rewarding for service-class graduates. We discuss the theoretical and policy implications of our results for processes of intergenerational reproduction.<br /><br />Key messages<br /><ul><li>Secondary academic diplomas offer higher labour market benefits than vocational ones, even when adjusting for selection into tracks.</li><br /><li>The academic path is the most rewarding option in France, even among students who do not complete tertiary education.</li><br /><li>Secondary academic qualifications are even more rewarding for service class graduates, in terms of boosting access to service class jobs.</li></ul>

SETS OF CLOTHES AND DECORATIONS IN THE LISTS OF THE DOWRY OF THE XVII CENTURY FROM THE COLLECTION OF THE TVERSKY STATE JOINT MUSEUM

В статье рассматриваются описи приданого второй половины XVII в., выявленные в коллекции документов столбцового делопроизводства Тверского государственного объединенного музея. Документы относятся к частным архивам семейств служилых людей, территориально связанных в Верхневолжьем и Подмосковьем: Теприцких, Скорятиных, Киреевских, Суворовых. Описи выявлены в составе сговорных и рядных грамот, и как самостоятельные документы. Перечни движимого имущества включают украшения и предметы одежды, характеризующие владельцев как сравнительно обеспеченных людей. Это обязательные элементы гардероба: меховые шубы и шапки. Более вариативным является набор остальных вещей: охабней, ферязей, кафтанов, однорядок, телогрей. В обязательный набор ювелирных изделий входили предметы личного благочестия: кресты с цепочками, а также серьги и перстни. Описи приданого отражают характерные явления моды последней четверти XVII в. Источники демонстрируют высокую ценность предметов одежды и украшений в материальном обиходе провинциального дворянства конца XVII в., вне зависимости от материальной стоимости изделий, так как в них наряду с престижными дорогими вещами включались и детально описывались и предметы менее ценные, изготовленные из недорогих материалов. The article is devoted to the records of the dowry of the second half of the 17th century, revealed in the collection of documents of the column office work ( stolbtsy ) of the Tver State Joint Museum (TSJM), No. 1431. The documents relate to private archives of families of service class, geographically connected with Upper Volga region (Tverskoi, Jarovskii, Uglichskii, Bezhetskii, Kashinskii uezds, etc.) and Moscow region (Dmitrovskii uezd): Tepritskiуe, Skoryatny, Kireevsky, Suvorov. The lists are revealed both as part of collusion and contract records, and as independent documents. Lists of movable property include decorations and garments characterizing owners as comparatively well-off people. These are the mandatory elements of the wardrobe: fur coats and caps. More variable is the set of other things: okhaben’, feras, kaftan, odnoryadka, telogreia . The mandatory set of jewelry included items of personal piety: crosses with chains, as well as earrings and finger rings. The descriptions of the dowry reflect the characteristics of fashion of the last quarter of the 17th century. The sources demonstrate the high value of clothing and jewelry in the material environment of the provincial nobility of the late 17th century, regardless of the cost of the things. Along with prestigious expensive things, items of less valuable, made from inexpensive materials were included and described in detail.

TO THE PROBLEM OF STUDYING THE PREREQUISITES OF THE NATIONAL STATEHOOD OF THE CHUVASH

The article presents a historiographical analysis of methodological approaches to the concepts of “the service class Tatars”, “the service class Chuvash” and “the tribute Chuvash”. These social categories of the population of the late medieval period who lived in the territory of the Middle Volga region, including the Chuvash region, for a long period caused historians’ interest to the problem of their ethnicity. In the period of land expansion of the Moscow state and the formation of the Russian state (second half of the 16th–19th centuries), individual representatives of the Chuvash ethnos formed part of the ethnosocial category of service class people. As representatives of the military service class, they participated in military companies on the side of the Moscow state and drew duties of a security service for the protection of its south-eastern borders. In the middle of the 16th–17th centuries the Chuvash region became a territory of colonization and integration into the system of the Russian statehood. Moreover, the Chuvash land became one of the most important outposts in the process of expanding the territorial borders of Russia. The Chuvash, who were in the service corporation, took an active part in the events. The process of colonization and integration into the system of Russian statehood became a stage for the formation of prerequisites for the formation of the Chuvash ethnos, which later developed into a state-constituting one. It is in the era under consideration in the Chuvash region that the settlement structure, specifics of spiritual culture, economic and domestic life were formed, as well as the city-fortress Alatyr was built which was one of the leading strategic points of the Moscow state in the eastern direction. The retrospective analysis of the statehood history of the Chuvash prompts to have a new look at historical processes related to the prerequisites of its formation and, in particular, interaction with other peoples of the Middle Volga region, and to enrich ideas about the role of the Chuvash in the formation of a multinational Russian state.

To See the Sovereign's Eyes: The Admission of Members of Court at Easter in the Reign of Mikhail Romanov

This article studies a tradition that existed in the Muscovite state between the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, according to which at Easter, servicemen had the honour of being personally greeted by the sovereign and “seeing the sovereign’s eyes”. A set of documents has survived from the reign of Mikhail Fyodorovich about the admission of different groups of Moscow nobles and clerks to “see the sovereign’s eyes” at Easter either in the komnata (tsar’s personal room), the perednyaya (reception room) or the seny (entrance hall). This set of documents is first introduced into scholarly circulation here. Servicemen considered their reception in the said rooms an indicator of their status and position at court. Of particular importance for the courtiers was the admission during Easter celebrations to “see the sovereign’s eyes” in the tsar’s room. The author analyses the composition of persons included in the “room lists” between 1619 and 1644, which provides a clearer idea about the nature of relationships at the top of the service class and determines the real situation of various persons and clans at court. The article shows that traditionally, it was primarily representatives of aristocratic families who were allowed to enter the tsar’s room. At the same time, almost half of the people admitted belonged to new noble families. However, their presence was not accidental. As a rule, they were representatives of clans firmly established at court thanks to family and personal ties with the royal family and influential boyars and courtiers. The author concludes that the admission of representatives of the most diverse layers of servicemen into the tsar’s room at Easter indicates a process whereby new court relations were formed, according to which the real status of serviceman was determined not only by their origin but also by the degree of proximity to the court.