Economic stratification of the Russian population and its subjective assessment

Social and economic inequality is inherent in any society. During the Soviet period it was manifested in social status and prestige that defined social privileges rather than in income differentiation. The formation of the market relations in Russian society was accompanied by a considerable decrease in living standards and by economic stratification of the population. The relevance of the research is caused by the intensification of the income stratification of the Russian population under the conditions of transformation and development of the economic system. According to the statistical data, the income differentiation of the population was insignificant at the end of the Soviet period: R/P 10% ratio made up 2.99 in 1989. By 2012 it reached the level of 16.4. In 1995?2012, 20% of less provided population accounted for 5-6% of the income. The Gini coefficient increased from 0.387 in 1995 to 0.422 in 2007, when it reached the highest value. The aggregate indicator of the income stratification of the population is suggested for the collective estimate of the income differentiation of the population. The subjective image of the income stratification of the population is formed on the basis of opinion polls data. The subjective poverty index shows that the family’s financial situation was perceived by the population as the most unfavourable in 1998, with the assessment becoming more positive in subsequent years. The share of the population that according to its own estimations can hardly make ends meet gradually decreased from 51% in 1995 to 6% in 2012. The population stratification into the rich and the poor based on the amount of wealth, property was considered by more than a quarter of the population as an acute social problem during all years of the analyzed period. It was noted by more than 40% of the respondents in 1997-1998. The subjective image of the economic stratification of the population is reflected by the aggregate indicator of the subjective assessment of the income stratification of the population. The comparison of the dynamics of the aggregate indicators of the population income stratification and of its subjective assessment revealed their multidirectional dynamics. It can indicate that either people gradually get used to the income differentiation of the population, and it does not bother them as much anymore, or that the real income of the population exceeds the statistical data, by means of shadow income, for example.