A Society of Unstable Well-Being: Income Mobility and Immobility in Russia

Europe-Asia Studies. 2023. Vol. 75. No. 9. P. 1475–1493.

Svetlana V. Mareeva, Ekaterina D. Slobodenyuk

The article focuses on individual income mobility among Russians in the years 2009–2017, as measured objectively and subjectively. As in previous periods of post-Soviet development, income mobility in Russia remains high. In comparison to member countries of OECD, income mobility is higher, while the level of persistent well-being is lower. Subjective assessments of one’s income situation are more volatile than objective positions, with persistent subjective well-being almost non-existent. Subjective mobility does not correlate closely with its objective counterpart. Persistent well-being is determined by a combination of class and non-class factors, including labor market position, dependency burden, and health status

Keywords: Россия, Russia, social inequality, income mobility, субъективная мобильность, социальные неравенства, subjective mobility, Доходная мобильность, sticky floor, sticky ceiling, «липкий пол», «липкий потолок»

Publication based on the results of: Transformation of the living standard and quality of life of various social groups in changing macroeconomic conditions (2023)