Middle class: the problems of forming and development

Abstract

The forming of the middle class compels a serious attention among the problems of transformation of Russian society's social structure in transition period. This problem is mentioned in the works of Russian politologists and sociologists rather often, but as a rule the concept "middle class" has no adequate content.In the modern developed societies this social formation is more complex: it has its own inner structure, historical roots and many special social, economic and psychological signs. The author analyses the structure and functions of the middle class, its economic role and ideology, perspectives of forming and development in Russia.The existence of powerful middle class in society is a guarantee of political stability, it keeps choosing more moderate course in economics, social sphere and policy. The traditional strates of the middle class are forming quite intensively in Russia. The author underlines that the forming of the middle class in Russia is not optimal process: the strata of owners is formed, but the kernel of the middle class - its intellectual part, working in the science and education, is compressed. The mass groups of intelligentsia become degraded.It's absolutely clear now that “minimization” of the State have led to the reduction of intellectual potential of society and contraction of the social basis of reforms.