Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russia has made great progress concerning the improvement of the standard of living. At least this is according to offi cial statistics. However, the results of numerous sociological studies carried out by VTsIOM, Levada Center and other organizations engaged in the study of public opinion show that fi nancial problems remain a key issue for the Russians. Th e vector of the problems changed; nowadays people worry not so much about the low level of income (although the problem has not disappeared), as about income distribution, inequality of opportunities to meet the needs and implement one’s own potential and, accordingly, about the issues of social justice. Th e rise of the standard of living, along with the issues of social inequality coming to the fore, leaves its mark on public consciousness and is manifest in people’s attitude toward state and social institutions, conditions of everyday life, their own desires and needs, and aff ects their behavior patterns. Th e article is devoted to the analysis of some (not all) transformations in the post-Soviet society, which were identifi ed during the study of the dynamics of public opinion of the Vologda Oblast residents (in comparison with the data collected by Russia’s leading sociological centers such as IS RAS, VTsIOM, Levada Center). Th e information base for the research presented in the article is formed by the results of sociological assessments carried out by the Institute of Socio-Economic Development of Territories of RAS in the monitoring mode, which helps to determine the specifi cs of social reality transformation remaining “beyond the scope” of offi cial statistics
Keywords
standard of living, social consciousness, income groups, social reality, transformation of values, level of aspiration