Lived on state land and paid taxes directly to the government. They were technically "free" but still tied to the land.
A unique military estate that guarded the empire's borders. In exchange for military service, they held land and remained free from taxes. Urban Dwellers ( Meschane )
Monks and bishops who took vows of celibacy; they held the highest administrative positions. uchebnik 8 klassa kosulina konspekt 14 paragrafa
Complete exemption from taxes, recruitment, and physical punishment. They controlled the local administration and the military. 3. The Merchantry
They paid a percentage of their capital to the state instead of the poll tax. 4. The Peasantry (The Majority) Lived on state land and paid taxes directly
Belonged to noble landowners. They had no rights, could be sold, and performed either Barshchina (labor on the lord's land) or Obrok (cash payments).
Status passed from parents to children.
The beginning of the 19th century saw a slow transition. While the estate system remained rigid, the under Alexander I was a first, though small, step toward allowing serfs to buy their freedom, signaling that the old social order was beginning to crack.