Begins with the transition to the neighboring community and continues until the beginning of the period. Primitive neighborhood community

At all times, people have tried to unite into certain groups in order to make it easier and more convenient to coexist: to get food, maintain everyday life and defend themselves from the enemy. In this article I would like to talk about such a form of primary community as a community.

What it is?

First of all, it is worth understanding the very concept of “community”. This is a certain form of coexistence of people (both blood relatives and those without close ties), which arose in primitive times. It is worth saying that there is a clan community, a family community, and also a neighborhood community. Let's start with the most important thing. The clan community itself is the first step towards people organizing their way of life, a transition from such a disordered form of people living together as a herd. This became possible during the heyday of matriarchy (a woman was considered the head of the family). This form of cohabitation itself was based on blood relationship. Its essence consisted in the following points:

common housing for all members;
shared household management: division of responsibilities;
joint work for the benefit of the community.

These are the three main points that united people to achieve one goal - a normal existence. Also, this form of living together and living together implied not only caring for oneself, but also for one’s descendants (which was not the case with the herd form of life). An important point was also the primary division of labor: women were mainly involved in housework, men - getting food. As mentioned above, the clan community arose during the heyday of matriarchy, so often the father of the child was not known (this was the form of marriage relations at that time), the line of kinship was traced from the mother. Somewhat later, the circle of persons who could participate in the ceremony was narrowed and sexual relations between half-brothers and sisters were prohibited.

Rulers of the clan community

Who ruled the tribal community? For this purpose, there was a certain structure of government bodies:

general meeting of the clan - here a collective decision was made on a particular issue;
council of elders - decisions were made by special people whom the community trusted;
the leader, elder - could make a personal decision, because again, they trusted him unconditionally.

Family community

Having understood what a clan community is, it is worth spending a few words on such a form of organization of people as the family community. This is the next stage in the development of collective coexistence of people, based on the development of agriculture and the emergence of special tools and labor technologies (the emergence of the plow for cultivating the land, the spread of cattle breeding). The family community included several generations of blood relatives. Interestingly, their number could even reach 100 people. The essence of a family community: collective ownership of everything that is in the family. At the very beginning, the management of this form of organization of people was carried out more democratically: the oldest man (or elected) was considered the head, and on the female side - his wife. Somewhat later, they began to elect a “senior”, who was actually the owner of everything that belonged to the family community.

Neighborhood Community

The next stage in the development of human relations is tribal. It was also called land, or rural. Its distinctive feature from those described above is that here people might not be related by blood to each other. This form of relationship arose during the period of collapse of tribal relations. At first, people were united by all the tools of labor, livestock and land, but a little later everything changed: residents began to be divided according to skills, hard work, and the ability to accumulate wealth. This form of coexistence was more difficult in that it required the unity of the neighboring community, which was not so easy to achieve.

A neighboring community is several clan communities (families) living in the same area. Each of these families has its own head. And each family runs its own farm and uses the produced product at its own discretion. Sometimes a neighboring community is also called rural or territorial. The fact is that its members usually lived in the same village.

The tribal community and the neighboring community are two successive stages in the formation of society. The transition from a tribal community to a neighboring one became an inevitable and natural stage in the life of ancient peoples. And there were reasons for this:

The nomadic lifestyle began to change to a sedentary one.
Agriculture became arable rather than slash-and-burn.
The tools for cultivating the land became more advanced, and this, in turn, sharply increased labor productivity.
The emergence of social stratification and inequality among the population.

Thus, there was a gradual disintegration of tribal relations, which was replaced by family ones. Common property began to fade into the background, and private property came to the fore. However, for a long time they continued to exist in parallel: forests and reservoirs were common, and livestock, housing, tools, and plots of land were individual benefits.

Now every person began to strive to do his own business, earning a living from it. This undoubtedly required the maximum unification of people so that the neighboring community continued to exist.

How does a tribal community differ from a neighboring community?

Firstly, the fact that in the first a prerequisite was the presence of family (blood) ties between people. This was not the case in the neighboring community.
Secondly, the neighboring community consisted of several families. Moreover, each family owned its own property.
Thirdly, the joint labor that existed in the clan community was forgotten. Now each family worked on their own plot.
Fourthly, so-called social stratification appeared in the neighboring community. More influential people stood out and classes were formed.

A person in a neighboring community has become more free and independent. But, on the other hand, he lost the powerful support that he had in his tribal community.

When we talk about how a neighboring community differs from a tribal community, it is necessary to note one very important fact. The neighboring community had a great advantage over the clan: it became a type of not just social, but socio-economic organization. It gave a powerful impetus to the development of private property and economic relations.

Neighborhood community among the Eastern Slavs

Among the Eastern Slavs, the final transition to a neighboring community occurred in the seventh century (in some sources it is called “rope”). Moreover, this type of social organization existed for quite a long time. The neighboring community did not allow the peasants to go bankrupt; mutual responsibility reigned in it: the richer helped out the poor. Also, in such a community, rich peasants always had to focus on their neighbors. That is, social inequality was still somehow restrained, although it naturally progressed. A characteristic feature of the neighboring Slavic community was mutual responsibility for committed misdeeds and crimes. This also applied to military service.

Finally

Neighborhood community and clan community are types of social structure that existed at one time in every nation. Over time, there was a gradual transition to a class system, to private property, and to social stratification. These phenomena were inevitable. Therefore, the communities have become a thing of history and today are found only in some remote regions.

During the period under review, there is a gradual transition from tribal communities to neighboring ones. The reason for this transition was the strengthening of the economic functions of the family within the clan. The development of production and the emergence of new technical achievements led to the fact that the family could independently ensure its existence. Kinship ties sometimes begin to weigh heavily on the family, since the clan required joint use of property, selfless mutual assistance, and, in extreme situations, equal distribution. This went against the beginning of the accumulation of private wealth. Many families sought to separate themselves from their relatives. However, complete isolation of the family was impossible: there was a need for collective labor for the construction and maintenance of irrigation systems, for cutting down forests for arable land, for transhumance grazing, etc., so families cooperate with their neighbors. Kinship ties are gradually being replaced by neighboring, territorial ones, hence the name - primitive neighbor's community (synonym - territorial). In the primitive neighboring community, tribal and neighborly ties were intertwined for a long time. For example, relatives could maintain common cults and help each other, even if they were separated territorially. Often neighbors began to be treated as relatives (rites of twinning, rites of rites, and adoption).

It is important to note that collective ownership of land continued to exist in the primitive neighboring community. Private ownership of land is established late, as a rule, already in a class society and in the presence of a state. The entire community owned the land; the family's property included tools, livestock, and the yard with all its buildings. Many transitional forms from collective land ownership to private ownership have been recorded. For example, among most Melanesians or some peoples of Africa, a family had the right to own communal land only as long as the land was cultivated by it. Among other peoples of Melanesia, allotment lands were already retained by the family even in cases where they were not cultivated. And among the ancient Germans, land actually became the property of individual families, although it was considered to belong to the community. The form of collective ownership of land was preserved for the longest time among pastoral peoples who led a pastoral or nomadic lifestyle.

During the period of the primitive neighboring community, the formation of private property took place, which accumulated in the form of food products, tools, weapons, handicrafts, and livestock. According to ethnology, wealth was accumulated by representatives of the tribal elite, as well as by the most hardworking and successful members of the community. The accumulation of private property went against primitive ideas about the need for equality and mutual assistance, so traditions that prevented the accumulation of surpluses were preserved for a long time. For example, forced redistribution of wealth that was, in the opinion of fellow tribesmen, excessive could be used. Thus, among the reindeer herders of Northern Siberia in the 17th–18th centuries. The maximum size of the herd per family was determined, according to custom, to be one hundred heads, and the surplus was simply taken away by either relatives or neighbors. It was also practiced to liquidate accumulated wealth in the event of the death of its owner - either its direct destruction or distribution of property to participants in the funeral ceremony. This concerned primarily the leaders and could be an integral part of the funeral ritual. Many owners deliberately redistributed accumulated wealth. For example, among the Indian tribes of North America there was potlatch- a specific holiday with the distribution of wealth. The organizer of the holiday presented the collected wealth, from blankets to boats and slaves, for everyone to see, and then distributed it all to those invited. At the same time, both the size of the wealth distributed and the very fact of their distribution served as a source of special pride. It is important to note that the organizer of the potlatch could count on reciprocal gifts during holidays of the same kind, which were then organized by his former guests. Often reciprocal gifts exceeded the initial ones in their total value. On the islands of Melanesia, the role of a potlatch was played by prestigious feasts, at which food supplies, sometimes accumulated over months, were eaten by the guests in one sitting. At the same time, it was a matter of honor for the organizer of the feast to invite as many companions as possible.

The most important characteristic feature of a primitive neighborhood community is the emergence of classes. With the advent of private property, property and social differentiation becomes more noticeable. As a result of inequality in society, exploitation - gratuitous appropriation of the results of someone else's work. Exploitation could be intracommunity and intercommunity. The main types of exploitation were bondage, military robbery, indemnities, tributary, and slavery. The main source of slavery was military raids, frequent in the era of the primitive neighboring community. This period was characterized patriarchal slavery- “simple”, “primitive” slavery, when slaves were considered junior members of the family, lived with their owners under the same roof, and ate at the same table. The treatment of slaves was quite mild; slaves were used mainly in the household and could have personal rights and property. Sometimes slavery was not for life and did not immediately begin to be inherited.

During this period, society began to classes – large groups of people who differ in their place in the production system and in the distribution of the results of labor. Classes gradually took shape not only economically, but also socially and ideologically. Three classes are outlined: rich community members who claimed power and all sorts of privileges; ordinary and poor community members who did not have privileges; slaves who were personally unfree and had limited rights.

During the period of the primitive neighboring community, the process of formation of the state and law begins, which is called politogenesis. The reasons for the formation of the state can be named as follows: the complication of social production, property and social stratification gave rise to contradictions and conflicts; strengthening of power was required to ensure control over the economy and social sphere. Characteristic features of the formation of the state: the role of the leader in society is strengthening; power is inherited; the leader gets permanent assistants - the prototype of future managers and judges; taxes appear in favor of the authorities; The population is divided not according to tribal, but according to territorial principles. The ways of forming a state are called the following: the aristocratic way, when the tribal nobility takes control into their own hands and claims nobility of origin and the transfer of power by inheritance; the military way, when at the head of the community is a military leader who could be of noble or ignoble origin. The leader relied on a squad, which over time could turn into an army. Wars during the period of the primitive neighboring community became regular, as military raids provided the opportunity for quick enrichment. L.G. Morgan proposed the term “military democracy” - the primacy of a military leader with his squad while maintaining such collective bodies of power as the people's assembly and the council of elders. The third is considered to be the plutocratic way of the emergence of the state (from the Greek “plutos” - wealth); it is associated with the promotion of big men - rich and influential people. Bigmen, as a rule, used enslaving forms of exploitation of their fellow tribesmen, and their power was not inherited. Law is also being formed. Law is a set of norms that express the will of the ruling class and are protected by the state. Law is separated from morality - a set of norms protected by the force of public opinion and customs. Ancient law is called customary law because it was not written down and its source was ancient customs.

The neighborhood community is a traditional form of human organization. It was divided into rural and territorial communities.

Kin and neighborhood community

The neighborhood community is considered the most recent form of clan community. Unlike the clan community, the neighboring community combines not only collective labor and consumption of excess product, but also land use (community and individual).

In the tribal community, people were related by blood. The main occupation of such a community was gathering and hunting. The main occupation of the neighboring community was agriculture and cattle breeding.

Neighborhood Community

A neighborhood community is usually considered to be a certain socio-economic structure. This structure consists of several separate families and genera. This society is united by a common territory and joint efforts in the means of production. This means of production can be called land, various lands, pastures for animals.

Main features of a neighborhood community

– general territory;
– general land use;
– community management bodies of such a community;

A feature that clearly characterizes such a community is the presence of separate families. Such families run independent households and independently manage all the products produced. Each family independently cultivates its own territory.
Although the family is economically separate, they may or may not be related.

The neighboring community opposed the clan community; it was the main factor in the disintegration of the clan structure of society. The neighboring community had a very great advantage, which helped the neighboring community to eradicate the clan system. The main advantage is not only the social organization, but the socio-economic organization of society.

The neighborhood community was replaced by the class division of society. The reason for this was the emergence of private property, the emergence of excess product and the increase in the planet's population. Community land passes into private land ownership; in Western Europe, such land ownership began to be called allod.

Despite this, communal property has still been preserved to this day. Some primitive tribes, in particular the tribes of Oceania, retain a neighborly structure of society.

Neighborhood community among the Eastern Slavs

Historians call the neighboring community of Eastern Slavs Vervya. This term was removed from “Russian Truth” by Yaroslav the Wise.

Verv is a community organization on the territory of Kievan Rus. The rope was also common in the territory of modern Croatia. The rope was first mentioned in “Russian Truth” (a collection of laws of Kievan Rus, created by Prince Yaroslav the Wise).

The rope was characterized by circular responsibility. This means that if someone from the community commits a crime, the entire community can be punished. For example, if someone in the village committed a murder, all members of the community had to pay the prince a fine called vira.

General military service was finally established.

During its development, Verv was no longer a rural community, it was already several settlements, consisting of several small villages.

In the personal possession of the family in Vervi there was personal land, all household buildings, tools and other equipment, livestock, and an area for plowing and mowing. Forests, lands, nearby reservoirs, meadows, arable land, and fishing grounds were in the public ownership of the Vervi.

At an early stage of development, the rope was closely connected by blood ties, but over time they cease to play a dominant role.

Old Russian neighborhood community

According to the chronicles, the Old Russian community was called Mir.

The neighboring community or world is the lowest link in the social organization of Rus'. Such communities often united into tribes, and sometimes tribes, when threatened with attack, united into tribal unions.

The land has become a fiefdom. For the use of patrimonial land, peasants (community workers) had to pay tribute to the prince. Such patrimony was passed down by inheritance, from father to son. Peasants who lived in a rural neighboring community were called “black peasants”, and such lands were called “black”. All issues in neighboring communities were resolved by the people's assembly. Tribal unions could participate in it.
Such tribes could wage war among themselves. As a result, a squad appears - professional mounted warriors. The squad was led by the prince, in addition, it was his personal guard. All power in the community was concentrated in the hands of such a prince.
Princes often used their military strength and authority. And thanks to this, they took part of the residual product from ordinary community members. Thus began the formation of the state - Kievan Rus.
The land has become a fiefdom. For the use of patrimonial land, peasants (community workers) had to pay tribute to the prince. Such patrimony was passed down by inheritance, from father to son. Peasants who lived in a rural neighboring community were called “black peasants”, and such lands were called “black”. All issues in neighboring communities were resolved by the people's assembly. Only adult men, that is, warriors, could participate in it. From this we can conclude that the form of government in the community was military democracy.

The era of the primitive system is characterized by several forms of social organization. The period began with a clan community, which united blood relatives who later led a common household.

The clan community not only united people who were related to each other, but also helped them survive through joint activities.

As production processes began to be divided among themselves, the community began to divide into families, between which community responsibilities were distributed. This led to the emergence of private property, which accelerated the decomposition of the clan community, which was losing distant family ties. With the end of this form of social system, a neighboring community appeared, the definition of which was based on different principles.

The concept of a neighboring form of population organization

The meaning of the word “neighborhood community” implies a group of separate families living in a certain territory and leading a common household there. This form is called peasant, rural or territorial.

Among the main features of a neighboring community are:

common area;
common use of land;
separate families;
subordination to community governing bodies of a social group.

The territory of the rural community was strictly limited, but the territory with forests, pastures, lakes and rivers was quite enough to conduct individual cattle breeding and farming. Every family is like this social system owned its own plot of land, arable land, tools and livestock, and also had the right to a certain share of communal property.

The organization, included in society as a subordinate element, performed only partially social functions:

accumulated production experience;
organized self-government;
regulated land ownership;
preserved traditions and cults.

Man ceased to be a tribal creature for whom connection with the community was of great importance. People were now free.

Comparison of tribal and neighboring communities

Neighborhood and clan communities are two successive stages in the formation of society. The transformation of a form from a generic form to a neighboring form is an inevitable and natural stage in the existence of ancient peoples.

One of the main reasons for the transition from one type of social organization to another was the change from a nomadic lifestyle to a sedentary one. Slash-and-burn agriculture became arable farming. The tools needed to cultivate the land were improved, and this led to an increase in labor productivity. Social stratification and inequality among people appeared.

Gradually, clan relationships disintegrated and were replaced by family ones. Public property found itself in the background, and private property took first place in importance. Tools, livestock, housing and a separate plot belonged to a specific family. Rivers, lakes and forests remained owned by the entire community . But each family could run their own business, with the help of which she earned her livelihood. Therefore, for the development of the peasant community, the maximum unification of people was required, since with the acquired freedom a person lost the great support that was provided in the clan organization of society.

From the table comparing the tribal community with the rural one, one can highlight their main differences from each other:

The neighborly form of society had more advantages than the tribal one, since it served as a powerful impetus for the development of private property and the formation of economic relationships.

East Slavic neighborhood community

Neighborhood relations among the Eastern Slavs were formed in the 7th century. This form of organization was called a “rope.” The name of the East Slavic rural neighboring community is mentioned in the collection of laws “Russian Truth”, which was created by Yaroslav the Wise.

Verv was an ancient communal organization that existed in Kievan Rus and in the territory of modern Croatia.

The neighborhood organization was characterized by mutual responsibility, i.e. the entire community had to answer for the offense committed by its participants. When a murder was committed by someone from a community organization, the entire community group had to pay a viru (fine) to the prince.

The convenience of such a social system was that there was no social inequality, since the rich had to help the poor if they had a lack of food. But, as the future shows, social stratification was inevitable.

During the period of their development, the Vervi were no longer rural organizations. Each of them was a union of several settlements, which included several towns. The early stage of development of community organization was still characterized by blood kinship, but over time this ceased to play a major role in the life of society.

Verv was subject to general military service. Each family had private land with all household buildings, tools, various equipment, livestock, and plots for farming. Like any neighboring organization, the Vervi's public lands included forest areas, lands, lakes, rivers and fishing grounds.

Features of the Old Russian neighborhood community

It is known from the chronicles that the ancient Russian community was called “mir”. It was the lowest level of the social organization of Ancient Rus'. Sometimes the worlds were united into tribes, which gathered into alliances during periods of military threat. The tribes often fought among themselves. The wars led to the emergence of squads - professional mounted warriors. The squads were led by princes, each of which owned a separate world. Each squad represented the personal guard of its leader.

The lands turned into fiefdoms. Peasants or community members who used such land were obliged to pay tribute to their princes. Patrimonial lands were inherited through the male line. Peasants who lived in rural neighborhood organizations were called “black peasants”, and their territories were called “black”. The People's Assembly, in which only adult men participated, resolved all issues in peasant settlements. In such a social organization, the form of government was military democracy.

In Russia, neighborly relations existed until the 20th century, in which they were eliminated. With the increasing importance of private property and the emergence of surplus production, society was divided into classes, and communal lands were transferred to private ownership. The same changes were happening in Europe. But neighboring forms of population organization still exist today, for example, in the tribes of Oceania.