ИЗВЕСТИЯ СОИГСИ

Renaissance of various elements of Caucasian highlanders’ authentic political culture at present necessitates the revision of the time when this culture functioned in its original state – before and during the integration of the Caucasus into Russia in the XIX century. One of the important aspects of that was leadership, vividly exemplified by the Abkhazian society. Personal authority among Caucasian highlanders resulted from the combination of reputation and connections, and defined the success and influence of a person. Titles, estates, and wealth were subordinate factors; therefore, the political hierarchy did not match the social one. Personal qualities and reputation of a leader were the basis of his power. For the highlanders power itself was an element of personality. The leader’s power was based on the number of his voluntary followers, which forced people to maintain mutually beneficial cooperation with the leader. As the leader’s personality was an integral part of his followers’ society, the leadership among the highlanders was rather a corporate phenomenon than a personal one. The goal of the Abkhazian culture and society was not to suppress people’s social activity, but to regulate it so that the growth of the leader’s influence, wealth, and fame would be considered as an achievement of his group. Moreover, the leader’s team did not only support him, but also significantly limited his ambitions. Highlanders’ self-government traditions prevented political leaders from participating in the economic and spiritual spheres. There was a special type of leaders in the Caucasus – the elders, which were the dominant force in the non-political aspects of the society’s life. The elders were a medium between subjects and objects of political system. They served as outside observers responsible for the moral appraisal and legal evaluation of all current events.

Keywords: Caucasus, leadership, authority, social relationship, political culture.

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