In the past, during the era of feudalism, a person’s status in society almost always depended on their lineage. If you were born into a “noble” family of aristocrats, counts, dukes, or lords, you received various privileges from the king that were inaccessible to ordinary “serfs” under any circumstances, and you could lead an entirely different life. Access to things such as obtaining an education in certain professions (doctor, lawyer, architect) or running a large business was closed to representatives of the lower classes. It would seem that we live in different times now, and if someone is a talented person capable of figuring out how to provide themselves with the means to achieve their goals, then all doors are open to them. But in reality, it is not that simple.
Every day, AML/KYC procedures, which consist of identifying the sources of funds and the personal data of the individuals using them, are becoming increasingly widespread. This is especially noticeable when using cryptocurrencies—many exchanges and crypto-exchangers can easily block any user’s funds if, during their verification, some connection is found to wallets involved in “unapproved” activities, or even if an approved source of funds (for example, their acquisition on one of the known exchanges) is not discovered. In such a case, the user will be required to provide proof of the legality of the source of funds and undergo a “photo session” with their face and passport in hand, based on which the fate of their funds will be decided.
Of course, checks on the origin and legality of funds appeared even earlier in ordinary banking transactions. Many expensive goods, such as a car from a dealership or an apartment from a developer, can no longer be purchased simply by bringing cash. In the European Union, a decision was recently made to ban any cash transactions exceeding 10,000 euros, and sellers of expensive goods were required to thoroughly verify the identities of their clients and the origin of their funds, and to report any suspicions to the authorities. In many countries, it is also no longer possible to open a bank account without initially making some deposit backed by documents regarding its origin.
Ultimately, we find that money, depending on its origin as well as who controls it, can have different “ratings.” But what does this have to do with class privileges? Imagine that you are a descendant of “noble” blood and received your capital from your grandfather Rockefeller. These funds will never face any questions, and you can do anything with them—conclude billion-dollar deals, finance the activities of any organization, acquire any property, no matter how expensive it may be, etc. Your funds will simply be assessed with the highest rating. Now, imagine that you are an ordinary businessman who earned your capital by creating and managing some entrepreneurial activity. Your funds will also have a high rating, but your entry into the “upper circles” is already closed, and you cannot avoid thorough inspections by government agencies and compliance with a number of regulations, although after passing them, you will be able to spend freely. For an ordinary worker, the situation is even worse—when attempting to acquire goods that are “inconsistent” with their salary, problems with the “stationary bandit” are unavoidable. And if it ultimately turns out that they were earned in some “illegal” manner, then most likely, in addition to punishment, this person will be “blacklisted” by government agencies and the structures subordinate to them (banks, exchanges, payment systems), and will not be able to acquire anything other than basic life necessities for quite some time. Money from his hands will have a “zero” rating.
All of this is not some kind of fantasy, as we can already observe the requirement to undergo AML/KYC procedures in many sectors. And the plans of states around the world regarding the introduction of central bank digital currencies (CBDC) will only facilitate all of this. In the end, we are seeing a reincarnation of estate privileges in the modern world.
