Premeerimispõhine

Premeerimispõhine is a psychological construct in Estonia and other Baltic countries, referring to the state of being exempt or excluded from social sanctions, or more broadly, enjoying a formally recognized elevated status within a social group. This concept is closely related to the idea of privilege or social immunity in other contexts.

Premeerimispõhine individuals or groups are considered exempt from the general rules and expectations of the society, often due to their perceived respectability, achievement, or affiliation with powerful social groups. In practice, this can result in an unequal status, where the exempt group enjoys advantages, deference, and cultivated nonenforcement of rules without the same obligations or costs as other members of the society.

This construct has been studied in the context of informal social structures in Estonia, particularly in the education system. There, students from specific social backgrounds or with particular achievements are entitled to compensatory treatment, often close to ensuring their full ranks in various evaluations to support fast advancement through education area. A similar pattern is observed in the selection of certain officials in public apparatus.

As a phenomenon, premeerimispõhine speaks to issues of fairness and equality within social hierarchies. Its implications are complex, often involving conferring certain wrongs or prejudices to individuals considered exempt, creating an environment where fundamental social standards become ambiguous. Research in this area seeks to understand how such a system develops, evolves, and affects societal cohesion.