Article task – to study change of the status of the Cossacks of Kabardino-Balkaria during the XX century and its dependence from social and political transformations. Research is based on the principle of a historicism therefore the status of the Cossacks is investigated in dynamics. Throughout the XX century the Cossacks status, its place in society, the attitude of the state towards him repeatedly changed. At the beginning of the century the Cossacks were estate, but as a result of revolutions they lost this status. One part of the Cossacks considered that Cossacks are special people, but other part supported the Soviet state that Cossacks are an integral part of the Russian people. The Soviet scientists coordinated both of these opinions and wrote that Cossacks are a special part of the Russian people, ethnographic group or subethnos. Political reforms of the end of the XX century made again a problem of the Cossacks actual, but also during this period as the power, and Cossacks couldn't decide whether are Cossacks the people, ethnographic group or social movement. At the solution of this question all parties were guided not so much by the scientific facts, how many the political tasks and interests.