Abstract:

Kazakh society, taking into account its inherent specificity, has formed a social order where social positions and distribution by strata were determined by both economic and traditional factors.Structural changes in the nomadic economy were reflected in its social stratification. Affluent individuals, known as bai, began to play an increasing role in the new structure. In historiography there is no unified understanding of functional differences of bai from other social groups. The status of bai combined two aspects - economic and political. In the social structure, his economic importance was determined by the size of his property, as wealth was the key factor for achieving a "prosperous and peaceful life". This in turn gave him political importance and influence. The purpose of this article is to analyze the theoretical and methodological aspects of the social status of baistvo in Kazakh society.