KLANOWA STRUKTURA SPOŁECZNA A KRAJOBRAZ POLITYCZNO-GOSPODARCZY PÓŁNOCNEGO KAUKAZU
CLAN SOCIAL SUCTRURE AND THE POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC LANDSCEAPE OF NORTH CAUCAUSUS

Summary/Abstract: In the North Caucasus there has been established two layers of socio-cultural life. Thefirst layer is external, it formally introduces the society in the state ideological andeconomic system. The other – the internal one – embraces traditional structures liketukhums, teyps, wirds etc.,is stable over the centuries and exists independently from thefirst layer. It is the real source of spiritual and ethnic identification of Caucasianpeoples. The structure of traditional mountain societies, which has been disturbed underthe Soviet influence, today often leads to nepotism and corruption in the administration,especially on the lower levels. There is a hierarchy of candidates, which is based on therelationships within “tukhums” and “teyps”. Also there is the opportunity to “purchase”certain electoral activities (signatures of support, votes during the election process). Theinternal structure of North Caucasus societies differs from each other, in every republicthere are their own ethnic peculiarities, clan relationships often have an impact not onlyon the formation of elites in the republics, but also on the continuous rivalries betweenethnic clans for power and economic influences. Important are the unwritten agreementsbetween the most influential clans, which have support from their own communities(mostly in the regions from which they came). It is mostly explicit in multi-ethnicrepublics like Dagestan, Kabardino-Balkaria and Karachay-Cherkessia.

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