On February 4, 1722, the “Table of Ranks” was officially published in Russia.

This document introduced strict regulation of the system of ranks in the state.

With some changes, it operated for almost two centuries, turning into a powerful social lift and an effective tool for solving personnel issues, historians say.

“About the ranks of all ranks…”

In the 15th-17th centuries, a system of social, official and everyday norms, known as localism, operated in the Russian state.

It was she who determined the order of distribution of posts in the state, based primarily on the nobility of the origin of a particular person.

However, in the period from 1678 to 1682 localism in Russia was gradually eliminated.

“In fact, the way to the future “Table of Ranks” was cleared by the elder brother of Peter I, Fyodor Alekseevich.

He abolished localism and was the first to plan to introduce a unified system of ranks at court, ”historian and writer Dmitry Volodikhin said in an interview with RT.

According to experts, localism could not satisfy the need of the Russian state for personnel for the growing military and administrative apparatus.

However, Fedor Alekseevich died in 1682, without completing the reforms he had begun.

Over time, Peter I returned to administrative issues.

According to Dmitry Volodikhin, large-scale transformations of the administrative sphere in Russia became possible after the end of the Northern War.

“Peter began a collegial reform in Russia, during which the system of orders was replaced by a system of colleges with a new structure and a better distribution of functions.

In this regard, there was a need to clearly structure the promotion of officials, ”said Vitaly Zakharov, a professor at Moscow State Pedagogical University, in an interview with RT.

According to him, when carrying out managerial reforms, Peter I actively used European models, including Prussian, Danish, Swedish and French.

He got acquainted with some of them during the activities of the Great Embassy. 

  • Table of ranks

  • © Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation

The main work on the creation of a new promotion system was completed already at the beginning of 1721, however, Peter I, who took the reform extremely seriously, ordered that the document not be made public until its draft had been carefully studied by the Senate, as well as the Military and Admiralty colleges.

The Russian emperor wanted to hear the opinion of his subjects as to what changes should be made to the document.

In September 1721, the Senate presented its own opinion on the project.

Military and naval positions did not raise any questions, but the classes of other categories of officials were specified taking into account foreign experience.

On February 2, 1722, Peter I approved the final version of the document, and two days later it was officially published under the title “Table of ranks of all ranks, military, civil and courtiers, in which class are ranks;

and those who are in the same class, they have the seniority of the time they entered the rank among themselves, however, the military are higher than the others, even if someone in that class was older.

"Unity and unification"

According to Dmitry Volodikhin, Peter I brought all "factors associated with the passage of public service into a state of unity and unification."

The “Table” consisted of a table that included specific ranks and their corresponding classes, and of explanations for it.

The ranks were divided into three types: military, civil (civil) and court.

Military ranks, in turn, had four ranks: guards, land, artillery and naval.

The oldest class, according to the "Table", was the 1st, and the youngest - the 14th.

Initially, the table contained not only ranks, but also some specific positions, which, however, were either removed from the document over time or also converted into ranks (for example, collegiate advisers and collegiate assessors, who might not have served in colleges at all).

According to experts, the "Table" did not abolish at one moment the traditional Russian ranks that existed before (such as boyars or roundabouts), but since the entry into force of the document they have not been assigned anymore.

The "Table of Ranks" made it possible for people from other classes to receive the nobility.

The right to hereditary nobility initially had military ranks, starting from the 14th grade, and civil ranks from the 8th.

  • Civilian officials of the military department.

    Artillery officer of the headquarters officer rank, topographer of the chief officer rank, officer of the educational service of military educational institutions, who does not have a military rank.

    1883

  • © Wikimedia Commons

“The nobility actually turned into an open class.

It became enough to reach a certain class in the service in order to receive noble status with all its advantages, ”Zakharov explained.

However, as experts note, over time, the authorities began to “raise the bar” for receiving the nobility to higher classes. This was done in order to avoid the complete "erosion" of the nobility as an estate. Since 1845, the opportunity to receive hereditary nobility was provided from the 8th military and 5th civil classes, and from 1856, respectively, from the 6th and 4th. In order to pass on to children a title of nobility, it was necessary to rise to the rank of colonel or to a real state adviser. In addition, some classes assumed the assignment of personal nobility to the officers and officials who occupied them, which could not be inherited.

“There have been a lot of cases of obtaining the nobility thanks to the “Table of Ranks”.

You can recall Father Lenin, who had a very humble origin, but received hereditary nobility, having risen to the rank of a real state councilor, ”Yevgeny Pchelov, associate professor at the Russian State Humanitarian University, told RT.

  • Table of ranks (late 19th century)

  • © Wikimedia Commons

According to historians, despite the fact that the "Table of Ranks" made the system of government more democratic, born nobles still had serious advantages in promotion.

They initially had a higher level of education and material security.

The latter played a special role, since the financial reward for public service in the Russian Empire was relatively modest.

Each class had to serve a certain minimum period.

The level of education of the applicant was taken into account during promotion.

Already in the 18th century, several laws were adopted that allowed persons who graduated from the university or the cadet gentry corps to “jump” over the initial classes when they entered the service.

Due to the lack of high positions and the decrease in the motivation of people to serve, over time, officials began to be assigned higher grades of seniority while retaining their previous job.

According to historians, this led to the gradual transformation of the class category in the "Table of Ranks" into an independent legal phenomenon.

The official who received the next class had the primary right to occupy the vacancy corresponding to his new class after it appeared.

  • Officials of the War Ministry of the 5th and 8th grades.

    1863

  • © Wikimedia Commons

In addition to creating a promotion system, the "Table of Ranks" recorded the ceremonial seniority of ranks and the system of rank.

These requirements were followed very strictly.

Corresponding rules were observed during celebrations and even during communication.

Depending on the class, the military and officials were addressed as "your excellency", "your excellency", "your highness", "your highness" or "your nobility".

Those who demanded honors "above their rank" were held accountable.

The position of married women corresponded to the classes of their spouses.

The "Table of Ranks" operated in Russia until 1917.

After the February Revolution, court ranks and old titles were abolished, and after the October Revolution, all former ranks and estates were abolished.

However, according to Dmitry Volodikhin, due to the decrease in the efficiency of the public administration system, over time, a clear system of positions and ranks in the army and public service was restored in the USSR.

“Immediately after the introduction of the Table of Ranks, it turned out to be super effective.

Of course, like everything new, it had certain flaws, making career growth easier for some crooks and just rich people who bought positions, but in general, it allowed many objectively talented people to replenish the administrative apparatus, ”says Zakharov.

However, in his opinion, in the second half of the 19th century, the system created by Peter I began to become obsolete and required serious modernization aimed at combating corruption.

The "Table of Ranks" proved to be a powerful social lift.

She allowed thousands of gifted people to climb the career ladder, ”summed up Volodikhin.