Values and Policies of Russia''s Middle Class During the Economic Crisis

Abstract

Based on the materials of nationwide representative studies carried out by Institute of Sociology RAS (including the data from 2014-2015), values and attitudes of Russian middle class representatives in the conditions of economic crisis are analyzed. It is shown that the crisis has not changed the overall heterogeneity of Russian society in terms of values. Middle class continues to be characterized by a more pronounced modernist orientations and attitudes in their daily lives; however, they do not support Western model of development at macro level. Middle class is also characterized by priority of personal interests; in conditions of economic crisis they are theoretically willing to make some sacrifices for the support of the country, however, this attitude does not apply to the measures which could significantly affect the quality of their daily lives. Migration attitudes of the middle class (for those who are considering this possibility at all) are dominated by the orientation on temporary relocation abroad rather than permanent residence; the crisis has only strengthened this trend. In assessing inequalities that exist today in Russian society, middle class expresses the view of the entire population, though they feel less affected by them themselves. At the same time representatives of the middle class support the existence of social inequalities of certain depth, provided the legitimacy of their bases – a condition with which, apparently, situation in contemporary Russian society does not comply.