СРЕДНИЙ КЛАСС В РЕСПУБЛИКЕ БЕЛАРУСЬ: СОСТОЯНИЕ И ПРОБЛЕМЫ ФУНКЦИОНИРОВАНИЯ

Middle class in the Republic of Belarus: state and the problems of functioning On the basis of author’s definition of middle class, criteria of allocation and the characteristics of Belarusian middle class are considered, the problems of functioning of middle class in Belarus are revealed. As social stratification criterion in society is chosen correlation of population incomes level with size of minimum consumer budget (MCB) and subsistence level budget (SLB). Acting as basic social specifications, given criteria allow correlating among themselves the indicators of state statistics, data of selective inspections of household income per capita and the results of sociological researches. The basic functions of middle class in its western variant are: diversification of society into social groups at the expense of middle class filling by new applicants; stabilization of society owing to high level of ascending economic mobility, effective reproduction of scientific and educational potential. Performance of the named functions transforms middle class in the bearer of national culture and the exponent of public interests. It is shown, that in respect of performance of diversification function, and middle class in Belarusian society includes practically all social groups. In respect of performance of educational function, Belarusian middle class includes the specialists of high qualification and the workers with high level of skill. As to realizing of stabilization function in society on the basis of ascending economic mobility, certain mobility is observed, but in the limited range. Since 1995 to 2013, the share of bottom stratum has decreased more than in 7 times, the share of lower stratum has decreased in 2 times. At the same time there was a quadruple increase of stratum “below an average” and its transformation into the basic stratum of society which has made 51.8% of total population in 2013 (middle class has only 23.4% of total population). The basic stratum as though “incorporates” the lower strata and “preserves” half of population in a range from 1 to 2 MCB, originally carrying out function of Belarusian society stabilization as “equality in poverty”. On the results of sociological researches it is revealed, that basic stratum replaces middle class for performance of quantitative functions - diversification and stabilization of society, but cannot replace it for performance of qualitative functions for the agent of technological, economic and social progress.