Origin and development of Russian intelligentsia: economic analysis

Economic conditions of Russian intelligentsia origin and formation are analysed in the paper. It is shown that a necessary condition for intelligentsia's existence is free time, which is spent initially on education, and then on the production of a spiritual product. Initially, within the framework of the Orthodox religion, the Russian intelligentsia begins to form. The development of the Russian intelligentsia is considered in the context of human and social capital. It is proved that in the conditions of a modern market economy there is a decrease in intelligentsia quantity and quality.