“We have no reason to rely on them” – Kommersant FM

According to the Higher School of Economics, the share of the middle class in Russia has reached a 10-year high. However, not the entire middle class can be completely considered as such. Only a third corresponds 100% to this title. And this so-called core turned out to be smaller than in 2015. Three criteria were used in the calculations: professional status, higher education and income. Kommersant FM political commentator Dmitry Drize fully agrees with the HSE’s conclusions.

According to calculations by the Higher School of Economics, today almost 32% of the population of the Russian Federation can be classified as middle class, and this is the maximum for 10 years. In theory, one can be happy about this fact, but, as it turns out, everything is good, but not very good. Those who make up the so-called core and can say “yes, I am a real pure middle class” are only a third. And this very core is now smaller than in 2015.

The study provides various criteria for how this is determined. Due to lack of time, we will not dwell on this in detail. If desired, if anyone wants, they can read it themselves. By the way, it’s interesting – I recommend it.

How can all this be characterized? The situation in our country is not exactly good, but overall not bad. Who has it easy now? There is nothing perfect in the world. However, we, illiterate amateurs, are interested in the eternal question: how much is all this in money? Who in Rus’ should live, let’s say, averagely? Rosstat considers the median, that is, the real average, income to be 35 thousand rubles. The Higher School of Economics puts the figure at 23 thousand rubles, that is, even more modest.

And here we remember Vladimir Putin’s 2020 interview with journalist Andrei Vandenko. The President said that the middle class in the Russian Federation is around 17 thousand rubles. He didn’t come up with this – these are the calculations of the World Bank. Now incomes are under 30 thousand – that’s the middle class. Whether this is good or bad is difficult to say. But it turns out that the majority of us live average lives, and this is not bad at all. And the one who receives, say, 100 thousand rubles is an oligarch, without five minutes.

What is all this for? It is generally accepted in the world that the larger and more actively the middle class grows, the better the situation in the state. But the methods for calculating this indicator are different for each country. For us, 30 thousand rubles, that is, €300, seems to be normal. And there, in the unfriendly West, they have a minimum wage of €1.5 thousand. But nevertheless, since this indicator is growing in our country, it means that everything is relatively good.

Then the main thing is: we don’t need to rely on them, we have our own path and, accordingly, our own income levels.

Another cynic will again say, looking solely at the numbers: well, Russia is a country, by and large, not entirely rich, so it turns out, or even completely poor? Yes, but this is compared to the hostile Western world. But we are not there – we are here. Don’t worry, Russian people, you’re not poor, you’re average, or even prosperous. Turn around, look at how they live in India or Pakistan, and everything will immediately fall into place.

In general, it’s good when there are suitable techniques. They explain everything and calm you down. This makes it easier to live and work for the common good. With this we will win.

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