Relevance of Developing a National Programme to Increase Income, Reduce Poverty and Inequality

Abstract

The Object of the Study. Russian citizens. The Subject of the Study. Socioeconomic relations that lead to absolute monetary and non-monetary poverty and high socioeconomic inequality. The Purpose of the Study. Justification of the relevance and approaches to the development of a national Programme to increase real monetary income, reduce poverty and excessive inequality. The Main Theoretical and Empirical Provisions of the Article include a description of the following areas of poverty and socioeconomic inequality in Russia: 1) in monetary income and capital (wealth); 2) in current consumption of goods; 3) in the sectoral aspect; 4) in the provision of comfortable housing and access to social services; 5) in the spatial aspect; 6) in the level and quality of life of urban and rural populations; 7) in age groups; 8) in the use of digital technologies. The estimation of real monetary income, poverty and inequality was carried out based on official social standards and indicators and those developed by the authors. The excessiveness of inequality in Russia is argued. The tools for increasing real monetary incomes, reducing poverty and excessive inequality are substantiated in the framework of the author's proposals to the development of the draft national Programme "Increasing the Population's Income, Reducing Poverty and Inequality". Proposals, stages and deadlines for the implementation of this Programme have been developed, as well as its possible indicators, resource and regulatory support. In the new situation the sensitivity of society to the problems caused by poverty and high inequality is significantly aggravated, which, according to the authors, makes the need to develop a national Programme non-alternative.