''Mazhory'' (roughly meaning "''the upper ones''", from French ''majeurs'') is a slang term used in the

Soviet Union The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...

and

post-Soviet countries The post-Soviet states, also referred to as the former Soviet Union or the former Soviet republics, are the independent sovereign states that emerged/re-emerged from the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. Prior to their independence, they ...

for children of privileged people, who take advantage of their inborn privileges (

nepotism Nepotism is the act of granting an In-group favoritism, advantage, privilege, or position to Kinship, relatives in an occupation or field. These fields can include business, politics, academia, entertainment, sports, religion or health care. In ...

cronyism Cronyism is a specific form of in-group favoritism, the spoils system practice of partiality in awarding jobs and other advantages to friends or trusted colleagues, especially in politics and between politicians and supportive organizations. ...

, avoiding due punishment, etc.), often in an arrogant and abusive way.

Meaning

Ukraine

The term ''Mazhory'' () is used to describe children of high-ranking, mid-ranking, and sometimes even seemingly low-ranking officials in the

government A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a State (polity), state. In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive (government), execu ...

police The police are Law enforcement organization, a constituted body of Law enforcement officer, people empowered by a State (polity), state with the aim of Law enforcement, enforcing the law and protecting the Public order policing, public order ...

force,

judiciary The judiciary (also known as the judicial system, judicature, judicial branch, judiciative branch, and court or judiciary system) is the system of courts that adjudicates legal disputes/disagreements and interprets, defends, and applies the law ...

army An army, ground force or land force is an armed force that fights primarily on land. In the broadest sense, it is the land-based military branch, service branch or armed service of a nation or country. It may also include aviation assets by ...

.Обережно, діти! Як завершились найгучніші "мажорні" аварії і що з ними робити

Ukrayinska Pravda ''Ukrainska Pravda'' is a Ukrainian socio-political online media outlet founded by Heorhii Gongadze in April 2000. After Gongadze’s death in September 2000, the editorial team was led by co-founder Olena Prytula, who remained the editor-in ...

(3 November 2021)Мажори активізувалися у літній період
Ukrainskyi Tyzhden (12 July 2011)Безкарна справа. Думки з приводу роковин загибелі Ігоря Індила

(23 May 2011)У Запоріжжі "мажор" розстріляв двох чоловіків

(6 July 2009)"Мажор", який ганяв по Києву з ножем, каже, що нарвався на "джигітів"

(14 July 2009)П'яний "мажор" у Нових Петрівцях збив студентів, машину ДАІ та трактор

(16 September 2010)"Мажор", який спровокував смертельне ДТП, бере участь в автоперегонах

(5 July 2011)Закони здорового глузду

(13 July 2011) This term is also used to describe officials themselves as well as wealthy businessmen and their children. 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

crime In ordinary language, a crime is an unlawful act punishable by a State (polity), state or other authority. The term ''crime'' does not, in modern criminal law, have any simple and universally accepted definition,Farmer, Lindsay: "Crime, definiti ...

s.Gang-raped, strangled and set alight, brave Oksana loses her fight

The Age ''The Age'' is a daily newspaper in Melbourne, Australia, that has been published since 1854. Owned and published by Nine Entertainment, ''The Age'' primarily serves Victoria (Australia), Victoria, but copies also sell in Tasmania, the Austral ...

(30 March 2012)Unruly Untouchables

Kyiv Post The ''Kyiv Post'' is Ukraine’s first and most prominent English-language newspaper. It was founded in 1995 in Kyiv by American businessman Jed Sunden. In 2018, the publication was acquired by prominent Ukrainian businessman Adnan Kivan, foun ...

(14 July 2011)Charges dismissed against driver who killed pedestrian

(1 December 2011) This phenomenon is also known in other countries of the

former Soviet Union The post-Soviet states, also referred to as the former Soviet Union or the former Soviet republics, are the independent sovereign states that emerged/re-emerged from the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. Prior to their independence, they ...

Russia

Russia Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...

the term ''Mazhory'' () is connected with young

socialites A socialite is a person, typically a woman from a wealthy or aristocratic background, who is prominent in high society. A socialite generally spends a significant amount of time attending various fashionable social gatherings, instead of having ...

rather than with abuse of power; but the term is also connected with criminal misdemeanour of advantaged youth. The term "" (Russian: Золотая молодёжь) is more commonly used in Russia to describe this advantaged youth.

Soviet Union

In the

the term ''Mazhory'' was connected with children of high-ranked officials who, through their parents, had greater access to

Western Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that id ...

products than the average young person and could travel abroad more easily.

Notes

References

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External links

''Like fathers, like sons: Ukraine’s untouchables''
Open Democracy Corruption in Ukraine Society of Ukraine Corruption in Russia Society of Russia Oligarchy Ukrainian slang Russian slang