Demographic stability as a priority of the RF demographic policy[Демографическая Стабильность Как Приоритет Демографической Политики Российской Федерации]

Scientific and methodological support of strategic management in the field of demographic development in terms of implementation of the RF President V. V. Putin’s Decree of 08.11.2021 № 633 “On approving the public policy fundamentals of in the field of strategic planning in the Russian Federation” is gaining practical significance with renewed vigor. The assessment of the strategic documents under implementation in the field of demographic policy revealed the need for their revision / improvement. The concept of the RF demographic policy for the period up to 2025 and the “Demography” national project contain, to a certain degree, a shift in goals and objectives from demographic to social ones. Achieving the increased quality of life of the population, supporting vulnerable categories (including the disabled) and families with children, solving problems in education and employment are not direct goals and objectives of the demographic development. With the seemingly scholastic nature of such theses, it is about the real demographic policy priorities. The article provides arguments, specifically supported by the government state statistics, on the importance of understanding the semantics of terms and categories, in other words, meanings inherent in demographic processes characteristics, when determining the current demographic policy priority areas and making informed managerial decisions. Having analyzed approaches to and views on the “demographic stability” category, the absence of its scientific interpretation and a shift towards the “social stability” concept was revealed which is by no means the same thing. The accumulated demographic scientific and practical knowledge has led the authors to the key research result - development of the “demographic stability” concept. The applicability and relevance of the developed category is determined by how useful for the organization is the demographic research, the development / updating of state concepts, strategies and programs in the field of demographic policy (whether it provides for achieving goals elasticity and clearly defines tasks for achieving it).