Social Imperatives of Economic Development

Abstract

The paper analyzes social imperatives in Russian society in the 2010s in the context of the ongoing reforms and tasks arising from the presidential decrees of 2012 and 2018. The subject of research is the social and economic implications of the population aging and their impact on the state macroeconomic policy. The purpose of research was to identify the real problems of demographic aging and differences in approaches to their solution in developed countries and in Russia. The paper also analyzes the experience of the retirement-age increase in the OECD countries and substantiates the conclusion about its fundamental difference from the Russian reform of 2018 characterized by the socially dangerous transition speed. It is concluded that the economic activity of elderly people in the Russian economy is increasing and has an impact on its future even without raising the retirement age; the real demographic burden of the elderly is revealed which in Russia is much lower at present and in the long term, therefore, there can be no arguments in favor of the reforms carried out. The niche of social transformations related to the growing share of the «NEET» generation unused in the state policy is demonstrated.