Mazhory Explained

Mazhory (roughly meaning "the upper ones", from French majeurs) is a slang term used in the Soviet Union and post-Soviet countries for children of privileged people, who take advantage of their inborn privileges (nepotism, cronyism, avoiding due punishment, etc.), often in an arrogant and abusive way.

Meaning

Ukraine

The term Mazhory (Ukrainian: мажо́ри) is used to describe children of high-ranking, mid-ranking, and sometimes even seemingly low-ranking officials in the government, police force, judiciary or army.^{[1] [2] [3]} This term is also used to describe officials themselves as well as wealthy businessmen and their children.^[1] They are seen to lead easier lives than normal people, due to their parents' influence. Often they are able to avoid punishment, or receive less severe punishments than usual, when committing crimes.^[4] This phenomenon is also known in other countries of the former Soviet Union.^[5]

Russia

In Russia the term Mazhory (Russian: мажо́ры) is connected with young socialites rather than with abuse of power;^{[6] [7]} but the term is also connected with criminal misdemeanour of advantaged youth.^[8] The term "" (Russian: Золотая молодёжь) is more commonly used in Russia to describe this advantaged youth.^[9]

Soviet Union

In the Soviet Union the term Mazhory was connected with children of high-ranked officials who, through their parents, had greater access to Western products than the average young person and could travel abroad more easily.^{[10] [11] [12]}

See also

• Princelings, a term for the children of senior communists in China

External links

• Like fathers, like sons: Ukraine’s untouchables, Open Democracy

Notes and References

1. Web site: Ukrainian Woman's Rape Stirs Public 'Vendetta' . Bloomberg . Leonid Bershidsky . 10 April 2012.
2. http://www.kyivpost.com/news/nation/detail/118030/ Charges dismissed against driver who killed pedestrian
3. Обережно, діти! Як завершились найгучніші "мажорні" аварії і що з ними робити, Ukrayinska Pravda (3 November 2021)
   Мажори активізувалися у літній період, Ukrainskyi Tyzhden (12 July 2011)
   Безкарна справа. Думки з приводу роковин загибелі Ігоря Індила, Ukrayinska Pravda (23 May 2011)
   У Запоріжжі "мажор" розстріляв двох чоловіків, Ukrayinska Pravda (6 July 2009)
   "Мажор", який ганяв по Києву з ножем, каже, що нарвався на "джигітів", Ukrayinska Pravda (14 July 2009)
   П'яний "мажор" у Нових Петрівцях збив студентів, машину ДАІ та трактор, Ukrayinska Pravda (16 September 2010)
   "Мажор", який спровокував смертельне ДТП, бере участь в автоперегонах, Ukrayinska Pravda (5 July 2011)
   Закони здорового глузду, Ukrayinska Pravda (13 July 2011)
4. http://www.theage.com.au/world/gangraped-strangled-and-set-alight-brave-oksana-loses-her-fight-20120330-1w1rk.html Gang-raped, strangled and set alight, brave Oksana loses her fight
5. https://www.theguardian.com/world/feedarticle/10159425 Ukraine rape victim searches for justice
6. Как отрывается "золотая молодежь", Komsomolskaya Pravda (1 April 2004)
7. Мажоры берутся за ум, RUSSIA.RU (20 October 2010)
8. http://kp.ru/daily/25665.4/827044/ "Золотая молодежь", гоняющая на автомобилях с риском для нас, остается безнаказанной
9. https://themoscowtimes.com/news/traffic-cops-declare-war-of-russias-golden-youth-55355 Traffic Cops Begin Crackdown on Moscow's 'Golden Youth'
10. Book: Pilkington, Hilary. Gender, Generation and Identity in Contemporary Russia. 1996. Psychology Press. 978-0-415-13543-6. 261 .
11. Web site: http://libozersk.ru/pages/index/343 . ru:Молодёжные субкультуры . Libozersk.ru (Municipal Cultural Institution "Centralized Library System Ozyorsky Urban Okrug"). 10 April 2012. ru.
12. Book: Rai. Shirin. Pilkington. Hilary. Phizacklea. Annie. Women in the Face of Change The Soviet Union, Eastern Europe, and China. registration. 1992. Routledge. 978-0-415-07541-1. 126 .