Socio-economic factors of the Russian society consolidation: regional aspect

Socio-economic contradictions have become the key obstacles in the transition of contemporary Russian society to a new model of development, which is to replace the obsolete “gas and oil†one. The novel model involves social consolidation to form a civil Russian nation. On the base of statistical analysis, the author’s empirical data (mass all-Russian and regional focus group inquiries) confirm that the social inequality between the rich and the poor has reached extreme critical values making them a disfactor of national integrity. If the gap does not decrease, the Russian society will experience serious difficulties. A number of indicators show that social inequality is caused by inefficient ruling system. Despite positive changes in the quality of life and living standards, the inertia of the social ties destruction and anomie still continue. The transition of the socio-economic system to a new model of reproduction supposes that the values of justice, gradualness, and continuity will be supported by the majority of the population.