Title: Sociology SOCI 20182 Demography of Russia and the Former Soviet Union
1Sociology SOCI 20182Demography of Russia and the
Former Soviet Union
- Instructors Leonid Gavrilov, Natalia Gavrilova
- Lecture 2
2Components of population growth in Russia,
1927-2006
Green- Natural increase Pink increase due to
migration Source Demoscope Weekly
3Publication on the history of Russian population
before 1959
- The most detailed publication on the topic is
available in Russian - Andreev, E.M., Darsky, L.E., Kharkova, T.L.
Demographic History of Russia 1927-1957,
Moscow Informatika, 1998 (available online at
Demoscope Weekly)
4Recent events in Russia
5First steps of Gorbachev
- May 1985 - Anti-alcohol campaign
- Sales of alcohol were significantly decreased.
The campaign was highly unpopular. But it had
very strong demographic impact. - May 1986 - Campaign against unearned income.
Directed against unofficial small businesses
6Effect of anti-alcohol campaign on life
expectancy in Russia
From 1984 to 1987 life expectancy of men
increased from 61.7 to 64..8. Life expectancy of
women increased from 73.0 to 74.3.
7Disasters during the Gorbachevs term
- April 1986 - Chernobyl accident. Explosion at
the nuclear plant. Affects mortality many years
later. - August 1986 - Nakhimov cruise ship sank within
minutes. Over 400 dead - June 1989 two passenger trains exploded because
of a leak in the gas pipeline. Over 500 dead,
over 600 badly injured
8Gorbachev and perestroyka
- Gorbachev introduced sweeping political and
economic reforms, bringing glasnost and
perestroika, openness and restructuring, to
the Soviet system. He established much warmer
relations with the West, ended the Soviet
occupation of Afghanistan, and announced that the
Warsaw Pact countries were free to pursue their
own political agendas. In 1990 he was awarded the
Nobel Peace Prize for his contributions to ending
the 45-year conflict between East and West.
9March 1991 Union-wide Referendum
- 80 of population participated in referendum
- 76.4 voted for the retention of the Soviet Union
in a reformed form. (from 70 in Ukraine to 98
in Turkmenia) - The Baltics, Armenia, Georgia and Moldova
boycotted the referendum.
10August 1991 - Military Coup
- On August 19, 1991, four senior officials acted
to prevent the signing of the union treaty by
forming the "State Committee on the State
Emergency." The "Committee" put Gorbachev
(vacationing in Crimea) under house arrest,
reintroduced political censorship, and attempted
to stop the perestroika. - This action did not receive population support
and eventually failed.
11The last days of the Soviet Union
- Bread queue, Moscow (Dec 1991). Waiting for a
bread kiosk to open in a western Moscow suburb.
http//www.4020.net/eastbloc/
121991 - Dissolution of the Soviet Union
- Yeltsin's defiant actions during the couphe
barricaded himself in the Russian parliament and
called for national strikesresulted in
Gorbachev's reinstatement. But from then on,
power had effectively shifted from Gorbachev to
Yeltsin and away from centralized power to
greater power for the individual Soviet
republics. - In the end of 1991 the leaders of Russia, Ukraine
and Belarus made a decision to dissolve the
Soviet Union at the separate meeting in
Belovezhska puscha (Belarus). - Gorbachev resigned on Dec. 25, and Yeltsin, who
had been the driving force behind the Soviet
dissolution, became president of the newly
established Russian Republic.
13Yeltsin and market reforms
- At the start of 1992, Russia embarked on a series
of dramatic economic reforms, including the
freeing of prices on most goods, which led to an
immediate downturn.
14Soviet Economy
- The economy of the Soviet Union was based on a
system of state ownership and administrative
planning. Gosplan (State planning body). - After 1930 all industrial property and virtually
all land were collective. - Personal property was allowed but private
property was abolished - It was a crime to hold and exchange foreign
currency.
15Gaydar Reforms of 1992
- Regulated retail prices became free (skyrocketed)
- Currency exchange was allowed
- Large and small businesses were allowed
- Privatization of everything
- Now these reforms are called infamous in the
Russian mass media.
16Impact of Disintegration of Central Planning
Apparatus
- Distribution system disappears no market to
replace it. - Non-cash economy becomes barter economy.
- Dramatic decline of industrial sector,
particularly military related industry
17GDP Crisis
18Effect of market reforms on life expectancy in
Russia
Life expectancy of men dropped from 63.8 years in
1990 to 57.4 years in 1994. Life expectancy of
women dropped from 74.3 years to 71.1 years
19October 1993
- In September 1993, Yeltsin dissolved the
legislative bodies. Tanks were used to shoot the
Russian Parliament - Bloodshed continued further in Chechnya
201996
- Yeltsin won the president elections
211998 - new economic crisis
- On Aug. 28, 1998, amid the Russian stock market's
free fall, the Russian government halted trading
of the ruble on international currency markets.
This financial crisis led to a long-term economic
downturn and political upheaval.
221998 crisis stopped demographic recovery
23The Rise of Putin
- Yeltsin nominated Vladimir Putin as a Prime
Minister on Aug. 9, 1999, announcing that in
addition to serving as prime minister, the former
KGB agent was his choice as a successor in the
2000 presidential election.
24Putins rule
- On March 26, 2000, Putin won the presidential
election with about 53 of the vote. Putin moved
to centralize power in Moscow and attempted to
limit the power and influence of both the
regional governors and wealthy business leaders.
Although Russia remained economically stagnant,
Putin brought his nation a measure of political
stability it never had under the unpredictable
and erratic Yeltsin.
25Medvedev the New Russian President
- In December, Putin endorsed Dmitri Medvedev in
March 2008's presidential election. A Putin
loyalist who is said to be moderate and
pro-Western, Medvedev is a first deputy prime
minister and the chairman of Gazprom, the
country's oil monopoly. Medvedev said that if
elected, he would appoint Putin as prime
minister. Medvedev won the March presidential
election with 67 of the vote.
26Putin about populationDecember 2009
- We can say with a high degree of confidence that
Russia will register a growth in population for
the first time since 1995. - Putin said at an end-of-year government meeting
broadcast on state television. - The prime minister said official statistics to be
released later would bear this fact out and his
spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, confirmed that Putin
was referring to 2009 for the change in the trend.
27Population of Russia after 2000
Source Goskomstat Russia
28Population changes ( per year) in Russia after
2000
Source Goskomstat Russia
29Components of population change
Source Goskomstat Russia
30Changes in Russian fertility rates
Source Goskomstat Russia
31Changes in life expectancy in Russia
Source Goskomstat Russia
32What is Russia Now?
33Economic Performance 1999-2006
34Real GDP (1989100)
Russia Average, transition countries
35Changes in GDP
36Balance of Trade
- 2000 - Surplus of 60 billion
- 2001 Surplus of 48 billion
- 2002 Surplus of 46 billion
- 2003 Surplus of 48.7 billion
- 2006 Surplus of 125.9 euro
- 2007 Surplus of 111.2 euro
- 2008 Surplus of 127.4 euro
- Source IMF
37Dynamics of Russian Software Exports
As for future, the country is projected to export
software worth over US 15 Billion by 2012.
38Unemployment and poverty rate
39Real Wage Growth
40Moscow City
The Moscow City complex, where Renaissance
Capital has their main offices. RenCap CEO
Stephen Jennings predicts that Moscow will soon
become one of the world's top five financial
centers
41Final Remarks on Russian History
- Russia is a thing of which
- The intellect cannot conceive
- Hers is no common yardstick
- You measure her uniquely
- In Russia you only believe
- Fjodor Tyutchev, Russian poet
- Russia is a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside
an enigma (Sir W. Churchill)