Are liquidated as middle class.
Are liquidated as middle class.
In the obituary dispatched on the Russian mass-media in connection with death
Domestic middle class, one annoying error is admitted. Average
The class has not died. It is live. But lives at all to that address, on what
Condolences are brought.
The last some weeks observers, economists and political scientists
Mourn over untimely died away Russian middle class: crisis has deprived
Means of subsistence of young and nice managers, designers,
Bank employees, lawyers, bookkeepers, reviewers, journalists,
Workers advertising and travel agencies. How still recently lived
These people, we knew very well. As they repaired apartments, what
Home appliances got, in what countries liked to have a rest, on what
fordah-folksvagenah went for a drive, what yoghurts and mjusli fur-trees for a breakfast, where,
How much and what firms bought clothes. Their photos with price labels
It is literally on each button squall were carried by on glossy pages
The illustrated weekly journals. A trouble only that any relation
These people to middle class had no.
Appointed a class.
Whence in general has appeared in Russia it is definition - "middle class"? On
Last presidential elections nobody has told about middle class words,
And in a year the president not only testifies to its presence, but also
Names "the most reliable basis of stability and a guarantee from the revolutionary
Shocks ".
Meanwhile neither small business launch, nor farming lifting, blossoming
We did not observe small retail trade. Anything it was not. Were
Rather specific (about it more low) white collars, which suddenly and
Have appointed middle class. Motives of purpose are quite clear, though are far
From real sociology. First, it was necessary to show to the West: reforms go
At full speed, here already even the middle class is. This number with the known
Reservations, but has passed. The West has almost believed. Secondly, it was necessary to create
Internal ideology for those who earned something, but taxes did not pay.
To tell it, that they now Middle class, instead of who is not known. And it
It has partly turned out. Many have incurred tax declarations. And now,
Having appeared in the street, "on itself are surprised". And correctly are surprised.
Were bought.
But by what principle the nominee on a vacant place got out in
Middle class? On appearance.
"A way of life and tendencies in the field of consumption - status indicators
Middle class in Russia in bolshej degrees, than income level ", - speaks
English sociologist Donald Grew. "The term"middle class"for Russia
It should be defined as a cultural category on the basis of a way of life and
Consumer tendencies, instead of on economic indicators ", - echoes it
The director of the American Center for Euroasian researches Harli Belzer.
The western experts are in many respects right. Are not right in the main thing: a way of life,
Consumer tendencies and the status of newborn Russian middle class
Have appeared are far from the European or American standard. In that sense,
That is ready above.
Spending not on a rank.
The rate in $1,5 thousand was minimum for those who got to the necessary
Orbit. Those who reduced balance or wrote notes to magazines. Not only on
Russian, but also under Central European standards are big money,
If to consider, that they on advantage were paid by "a black cash", expenses
On the rent did not exceed 0,5 % of the salary, and the insurance nobody bought.
That this middle class had big, instead of averages
Money, it is visible on the consumer market of two capitals.
Expensive firms pret-a-porter - Max Mara, Donna Karan, Christian Lacroix,
Hugo Boss, Givanchy - firms are presented much more widely, than,
Traditionally serving middle class in the West. Marks and Spenser and C and A
Are absent at all, and Galerie Lafayette it is presented one small and
Inadequately expensive little shop in GUMe. In the same way and grocery
Shops for middle class - supermarkets in the true sense words,
Where it is a lot of goods and they stand more cheaply, than in other places, - in two
Capitals practically is not present. The today's supermarket is elite shop,
Where the provided people buy import products under the prices above
The European.
Such examples proving, that the goods for the present middle class
In two capitals scanty quantity, it is possible to result much. Antiquarian
The market is focused on collection, instead of interernye things, and antiquarian
Disorders, "flea markets" where people of an average prosperity can buy
The ancient silver pocket mirror during Sunday walk, is not present absolutely.
The price situation in the consumer market has made presence of the goods for
Middle class essentially impossible. So, the Swedish furniture concern
IKEA, essentially making furniture for European middle class,
Did not wish to open here the shops. The representation in Moscow
IKEA had, but to trade agreed only directly from Sweden - under orders.
"The prices in Moscow very high, we on the such cannot trade. Our average
The class will not understand us ", - has considered a firm management. For Europeans opinion
The middle class - argument iron. In Russia opinion of an average
Class anybody was not interested.
Serving in a black way.
The status of the people appointed middle class did not assume the right on
Own opinion. And not only because in overwhelming majority they
Were simply oligarchical servants (operated capitals, created
Image, worked with the real estate and an adjoining landscape, entertained,
Treated, cut and shaved) that is why, that servants they were "black". That
Is being out of a field of lawful relations with the state. Their workers
Relations with the employer were far from the civilised. The contract,
Social protection. The western sociologists specified in it, for example, already also
Quoted Harli Belzer: "Russia still operates in the conditions of the huge
Informal economy, doing the middle class shadow middle class ".
In the West too is shadow obsluga - people from among illegal
Immigrants. Poles, Yugoslavs, Algerians, Latin Americans. But Kohl,
Chirac unlike the Russian president do not declare their guarantor
Stability. The opinion, a position of illegal immigrants mean nothing, because them
It is possible to throw out at 24 o'clock from the country - in the same way as have thrown out from
Firms and the companies Russian "middle class".
Deposits of averages.
The one who after these reasonings will be upset, that have deprived of it the liked
Ideas of middle class, it is possible to console easily. The middle class in Russia was, is
And anywhere will not get to. Last Post-Soviet years he has created in
The Russian scales demand in the market of building materials, clothes,
Import home appliances, cars. It many saw, but has not learnt
Anybody. It presents two thirds of structure of tourist groups,
Travelled all over Cyprus and Turkey. Travel companies confirm: yes,
Really much go both from Magnitogorsk, and from Murmansk, and from Tyumen,
And from tiny Noyabrsk. Five-stars hotel "Meridian" on Cyprus with
Almost that is completely bought up by every possible pleasures regionalami,
Have told to us in "Diskaveri Turz".
Available this middle class any interested person can be convinced,
It is enough to take the service book to any Bosch or Siemens and to look,
In what cities there are representations, shops and repair shops of those
The goods which recognised for distinctive line of middle class.
We read everywhere the same list: Tyumen, Nefteyugansk, Sayanogorsk,
Nizhnevartovsk, the same tiny, but oil Noyabrsk. Raw regions,
Giving out competitive production in the world market and voting, as
It is necessary to middle class, for the existing power. Shortly before elections
The president directly talked to representatives of middle class in language
Middle class and in a place of its residing. There was it on one of combines
The Belgorod area (then also it has appointed the personal representative
Directors of the Belgorod combine Anatoly Kalashnikov). Boris Yeltsin
Argued aloud: "the Salary at you - two million... It is the salary...
Means, there should be such director and such president ". In transfer on
Clear language: you live well, means, you should support
The existing power. Correct argument.
The cities-combines connected with export branches, oil,
Gas, metallurgical - such as Norilsk, Magadan, Sayanogorsk,
Krasnoyarsk, Nefteyugansk, Surgut New Urengoj, Nadym and so on -
Samples of stability in all senses represented and represent:
The salary was paid regularly, fluctuating from $500 to $1 thousand, a city
On itself live safely - for example, in Boksitogorsk (Leningrad
Area) on one thousand inhabitants as much cars, how much and in Moscow.
Or a city Polar, it is universal occupied with the nickel smelting, standing on
To permafrost, - the sample existing for today Russian
Cities where lives middle class: under lasting at 15-metre height
Cables well dressed people peacefully perambulate, at schools of the teacher teach
Languages and history, instead of merznut in pickets, the criminality and drunkenness are
At surprisingly low level. The combine contains even kirkenesskuju a brigade
Marines - what to do, time they here stand, it is necessary to feed them.
The people living in such cities - typical Russian representatives
Middle class that is natural as Russia - raw power. They
Have a transparent financial situation with incomes and expenses. Also obey
Laws. Both are loyal. Also do not bang in a working way a helmet on cross ties.
Eternally live.
Whether alarms of the Russian public for destiny of the Russian are proved
Middle class? It is obvious, that is not present. Even appointed, created the unknown
Surpluses of second-hand office furniture - as to a class threatens nothing.
The group serving elite, will be saved until will be
To exist elite. And it is eternal. Servants can be not hundred, but five, and
The salary at them can be not five roubles, and rouble, but an essence of the phenomenon from
It will not change. When the capital is, it necessarily "soaks through",
Creating financial possibilities that who serves its owners.
That to the present Russian middle class, to it in general nothing
Threatens, while Russia exports raw materials. It out of a policy and out of
Competition. Badly, of course, when in the world markets the prices for oil fall
-- The salary decreases. But it "badly" once comes to an end, the prices
Are restored, and all starts to go the turn. A real life of these
People depends from typically Russian and absolutely absurd on
To sociological measures of parametres: from obogashchennosti raw materials (in Zheleznogorsk
Live worse, than in Gubkin, not because there crisis, that is why, that there
More low the iron maintenance in ore), from distance to border, from the permission on
tollingovye operations, from a personal contact of the director, from the world prices for raw materials and
So further. Instead of how there in Moscow there is a dismantling between
Oligarchs or how much at the prime minister of vice-premiers and what of them
Are called as the first. This Russian middle class will live at everyone
To the made policy.
MARIA GOLOVANIVSKY.
//* an information Source: the Businessman (weekly journal), 29.09.98
//* Reg. Nom. - 1080900317.22-------------------------------------------
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