The Russian Middle Class as Policy Objective

Abstract

The subject of the Russian middle class has engaged the attention of scholars and policymakers inside and outside Russia. Debate over how the middle class should be defined and measured has been contentious. This article examines recent Russian social science literature on trends in the development of the middle class since the end of communism, considers problems in defining and measuring the size of the middle class, describes the role assigned to it by the Russian leadership, and looks at factors inhibiting the growth of the middle class.