. its interesting to note elites always existed in one or another form, but they've not always exploited the masses coz selfish possessive needs, from Chrstian aspect in eastern europe Tsars Vasilevs or Knyazes not rarely were employing archaic communism coz Christocentric Needs i.e. to defend Christianity, the same could be said for western europe too but there coz vatican became heir as ruler so as authority simply corruption (aside all the rest reflections) has eaten the free peasant and reached till serfdom, altho must note that on east were not always ideal circumstances ... 