О тех, кто называет себя "средний класс"

Вестник общественного мнения. Данные. Анализ. Дискуссии. 2004. № 5(73). С. 48–62.

Levinson A. G., Щукин Я. М., Стучевская О. И.

The authors do not claim to give their own definition of the middle class, the much disputed issue in contemporary Russia. They rather describe the two cases of the 'middle class' selfdefinition: the broad one (when over 80% of Russian population place themselves in this category), and the narrow one. Here, entrepreneurs and employees in the new private sector of economy are singled out. This group view themselves as the only social class who have managed to achieve what the authors see as norms and expectations rooted in the consumption and ethical ideals of the Soviet period. This make them different from either the 'low class' who have failed to find means to do this, and the 'upper class' who have failed to find the adequate social ideal. This would-be middle class is in the process of acquiring its own identity and discourse that is reflected in ideology, as well as in the consumption behavior. The authors do not share the view that the present political regime has an interest in these people as in law-abiding citizens, but think that they definitely have an interest in a regime that would implement the proper execution of the law.

Keywords: средний класс, социология