Zuzanna Brunarska.
2015.
Factors influencing economic disengagement in state-society relations in Russia
CMR Working Paper, Nr 84(142)
Abstract
This paper offers a quantitative analysis of factors influencing economic disengagement in state-society relations in Russia. Referring to the concept of disengagement from the state and the notion of syndrome of withdrawal, it examines the relationship between economic disengagement and certain individual, household and region-level characteristics. Economic disengagement is measured by means of a composite index constructed out of several elements comprising the phenomenon. Through a multilevel regression analysis of RLMS-HSE data, the study demonstrates, inter alia, that representatives of minority ethnic groups are on average more economically disengaged than representatives of Russian and titular ethnic groups. Furthermore, the analysis shows that this association holds also when controlling for migratory status which suggests that there is something about ethnic identity per se that has an effect on economic disengagement. It might be both an issue of ethnic discrimination towards the ‘other’ group in access to state resources and a question of a more proactive position taken by representatives of the minority groups. Surprisingly, at the same time the study shows that rootedness enhances economic disengagement.
Keywords
economic disengagement, state-society relations, public-private, Russia, RLMS-HSE
