Définition, niveau et facteurs de pauvreté dans la Russie actuelle
In: Revue d'études comparatives est-ouest: RECEO, Band 37, Heft 2, S. 33-58
ISSN: 2259-6100
Definition, level and factors of poverty in contemporary Russia
How to measure poverty? And what are the major economic and social factors that favored its growth in Russia during the first five years of the market economy? This period was marked by a massive decline in the population's real income followed by a decrease in poverty during episodes of economic growth. The official definition of poverty in Russia is based on a methodological approach that differs from the one used in European countries in terms both of the calculation of the poverty threshold and of the appraisal of the population's monetary income. For this reason, the particularities of official calculations of the level and scope of poverty is a central theme herein. Special attention is paid to the causes of poverty among the working-age population and to the impact of social transfers on inequality and poverty. Low incomes are identified as the principal cause of poverty whereas social transfers, apart from old-age pensions, have not really improved the living standard of the underprivileged. Russia is well known for the large number of social transfers in kind, which are mainly available to persons with middle-range incomes. In conclusion, social policies that might reduce poverty are presented; and the limits of an analysis and measure of poverty based on the official approach, which does not take into account nonmonetary forms of poverty, are pointed out.