Social Role of Enterprises in Russia: a Case of Paternalism?

Abstract

The research examines, whether the term ‘paternalism’ can be adequate to describe the social role of enterprises in Russia both in Soviet and post-Soviet era. If we compare the situation in Russia nowadays with the situation, described in historical researches on the phenomenon of paternalism in major European enterprises of the XIX century and the early XX century, we can find a lot of common features: for instance, the necessity of cultivating the policy of attracting and consolidating personnel, especially by means of providing departmental domicile; and legitimating this policy by means of ideology, religion and morals. But the paternalism of Russian enterprises also has some substantial peculiarities, especially in terms of prevalence of this phenomenon and interrelations of the enterprises with the state. The paternalism of Russian enterprises never opposed itself to the social policy of the state: in the Soviet era it was a part of the social policy and its logical continuation; and in early post-Soviet era (1990-s) the paternalism partially alleviated its weaknesses. Moreover, in the Soviet period, paternalism was more then a privilege of certain major enterprises: it was an integral part of social security system of the majority of the enterprises and organizations in Russia. We have to be very cautious in applying the term ‘paternalism’ to Russian enterprises, because in this case the very understanding of the concept of paternalism is different from the paternalism of major European companies, such as ‘Schneider’ or ‘Michelin’. In future the situation may change, as only a few of the major companies and enterprises will be able to pursue the social policy of the same level. The situation may change only with an introduction of differentiation of workers on the basis of actual access to social security. The appearance of ‘individual’ paternalism, applied only to social policy of a few financial and industrial groups, gradually drives the situation in Russia to the concept of ‘classic paternalism’, described in this article. But it also reminds of the notion of ‘social responsibility’ of the enterprises as well as corporate system of the Soviet era.