Alternative conception of macroregional development in Russia: squeezing of intensively used space

Abstract

There are two strategies of regional development in Russia: expansion (dispersal) and squeezing (concentration) of intensively used space. In the years of totalitarian regime the first strategy promoted excessive movement of population to the North and East, depopulation of Central Russia, one-sided functional development of cities and other negative phenomena, the acuteness of which we can sense today.The author substantiates the advantages of the second conception (squeezing of intensively used space) for modern Russia. It foresees the changing of regional development's vector from eastern to western, the concentration of social and economic activity first of all in the West and South of the country (in more urbanized old industrial regions). As a matter of fact it is a question of transition from frontal large-scale movement to the East regardless of enormous expense, to selected reclamation of some regions that in the east of Urals, first of all the regions abounding in resources of national importance.