The political system of the free society of Akhty – para in the first half of the 19th century

the Akhty-para was politically a feudal socio-political organization on the eve of joining Russia. If we compare it with the old tribal organization, then this system was distinguished, firstly, by the division of the population of this free society along territorial lines. If earlier unions of the clan organization arose on the basis of blood kinship, were connected with a certain territory, then in the first half of the 19th century these ties lost their former significance. By the beginning of the 19th century, Akhty–para included societies or jamaats that were completely unrelated to kinship. For example, the Akhtyparinsky free society included not only Lezgian villages, but also Rutul villages – Borch and Khnov. They also remained part of the aforementioned society even after Dagestan joined the Russian state. Territorial ties, which arose on the basis of private property, enabled representatives of this political entity to implement their social rights and duties at the place of settlement, regardless of their clan and tribe. Describing the state system in the so-called "free societies", representatives of pre-revolutionary historiography sought to show its patriarchy in their works and denied the existence of the foundations of statehood in them. The Akhtyparinsky free society, although it retained various forms of tribal organization, nevertheless, in its social content, it served as an instrument of confrontation between opposing classes. The main governing bodies and sources of power were the aksakals, the council of aksakals, and the kazii (kadii).

Akhty, Akhty – para, Lezgistan, South Dagestan, Bakhtachiyars, free society