The rise of a hybrid welfare state in Putin's Russia

Abstract

Starting in the mid-2000s, the development of the Russian welfare state institutions was influenced by the authoritarian turn in Russian politics under Vladimir Putin. Gradually, the Russian government started viewing social welfare not only as a mechanism for promoting the economic and social wellbeing of its citizens but also as an instrument of social and political control and a force for structuring social relations, guaranteeing national security and securing the regime’s stability and legitimacy. As a result, some scholars preferred to categorise the Russian welfare state under Vladimir Putin as an example of a hybrid welfare regime and an authoritarian welfare system. The liberalisation of the welfare sector continued with the monetisation of social benefits. To recapitulate, under Yeltsin, the Russian welfare system displayed contradictory trends. The credibility of the communist welfare system was also enhanced with the help of ideology, which continuously emphasised its humanitarian and egalitarian principles.