1. RUSSIAN SOCIAL STRUCTURE
sIOBHAN white, yr 11 20th century history

2. MIDDLE CLASS/CAPITALISTS
NOBLES
CHURCH
MIDDLE CLASS/CAPITALISTS
PROLETERIATS/URBAN
POOR
PEASANTS

3. NOBILITY The Russian nobility was the highest social class.
Made up the government (until 1917)
1% of population, but owned 25% of Russia’s land.
Royal family was classed as nobility.

4. CHURCH Russian Orthodox Church
Most Russian people were members of the church.
Highly supported autocracy.
Taught people to worship the Tsar.

5. MIDDLE CLASS
Bureaucrats, merchants, shopkeepers, businessmen. (Also, the intellegentsia.)
Made up 1.5 percent of Russia’s population.
Wealthy, though not as wealthy as nobility.

6. WORKING CLASS Also known as the proletariats.
Included in the working class were soldiers and factory workers.
Lived in bad conditions.
Thought that working in factories would give them a higher quality of life – only somewhat true.

7. PEASANTS Peasants made up most of the population.
Specifically around 82 percent.
Life expectancy: 50 years old.
They were farmers, yet most did not own their own land.
Lived in very bad conditions, e.g. in crowded homes with most people they didn’t know.
Barely had money for food.