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Beyond Stratification: The Emerging Class Structure in Rural Russia
Author(s) -
WEGREN STEPHEN K.,
PATSIORKOVSKI VALERI V.,
O’BRIEN DAVID J.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
journal of agrarian change
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.63
H-Index - 56
eISSN - 1471-0366
pISSN - 1471-0358
DOI - 10.1111/j.1471-0366.2006.00126.x
Subject(s) - social stratification , social class , stratification (seeds) , politics , stock (firearms) , class formation , class consciousness , development economics , upper class , social capital , economics , economic system , economic growth , demographic economics , political science , geography , sociology , market economy , social science , seed dormancy , botany , germination , archaeology , dormancy , law , biology
Using survey data from Russian villages, this article examines the development of a rural class structure in postcommunist Russia. It is argued that as a result of market reforms, social and economic relations have evolved beyond stratification, and that, rather, a rural class structure is emerging. Five measures of an emerging class structure are posited: income stratification, land holdings, capital stock, class consciousness, and shared attitudes and values. Focusing on upper and lower income strata, significant differences are documented for each measure. The economic and political implications of the findings are discussed.