Greeks living both inside and outside the Ottoman Empire did not form a homogenous group, socially, financially or educationally. On the contrary, the people who saw themselves as Greeks or Romioi included groups of highly diverse social and economical backgrounds, cultural concerns, political beliefs and, as a result, different interests. All these groups were active during the period before the Greek revolution, and were occasionally in conflict with each other as they tried to impose their own vision. Those most associated with leadership of the Greeks, namely the Church, the intellectuals and the financially powerful, were always aware of the processes taking place in the rest of Europe, and protected their own self interests.

The groups that had special privileges and were content with the status quo, were disguised behind the traditional values of the Orthodox Church and the memory of the Byzantine Empire These groups longed for the Ottoman Empire to evolve in to a revived Byzantine Empire, of which they would be the leaders. On the other hand, a rising middle class with increasing financial power tried to overturn the prevailing balance. This group had a more or less anti-clerical stance and tried to strengthen their cause by supporting the ideas of the Enlightenment.