THE HEAVY LEGACY OF FUNDAMENTAL SOCIO ECONOMIC REFORMS

Vyacheslav V. Kruglov; Vera Nikiforova

doi:10.55186/2413046X_2026_11_4_54

UDC

338 316.422

VAK Russia

5.2.1

THE HEAVY LEGACY OF FUNDAMENTAL SOCIO ECONOMIC REFORMS

Published in MOSCOW ECONOMIC JOURNAL · Pages 178–203 · Rubric: Economic theory

DOI: https://doi.org/10.55186/2413046X_2026_11_4_54 · EDN: PUKQCQ

Received: 01.04.2026 Accepted: 18.05.2026 Published: 19.05.2026

Authors

Vyacheslav V. Kruglov

Vera Nikiforova

Vyacheslav V. Kruglov

Academic degree: doctor of economic sciences

Science rang: professor

St. Petersburg State University of Economics Russian Federation · St. Petersburg

Vera Nikiforova

Academic degree: doctor of economic sciences

St. Petersburg University of Industrial Technology and Design Professor · Department of Economics and Production Organization · Russian Federation · Saint-Petersburg

North-West Institute of Management of the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration Professor · Department of Business Informatics · Russian Federation · St. Petersburg

ABSTRACT

The article analyzes the consequences of radical socio-economic reforms in Russia after the collapse of the USSR. The authors emphasize that reforms oriented toward Western development models led to serious social problems: a decline in living standards, rising inequality, the emergence of new social groups (the homeless, the destitute), and the enrichment of a narrow stratum of oligarchs. Special attention is paid to the long-term negative effects in key spheres of society. The aim of the study was to assess the outcomes of key post-Soviet reforms (pension reform, housing and utilities reform, education reform, and reform of state institutions) in the context of their alignment with the interests of the majority of the population. The work employs a historical approach, a comparative method, a critical analysis of the socio-economic consequences of the reforms, and a synthesis of statistical and social data. The analysis showed that: (a) the pension reform did not take into account Russian traditions; (b) the housing and utilities reform led to the growth of bureaucracy, the emergence of management companies as instruments of corruption, and the complication of payment procedures; (c) the Bologna system in education caused an outflow of talented youth abroad and the formation of a "fifth column," although it also allowed for the modernization of some programs; (d) the reform of state institutions copied Western models without considering historical experience, which provoked crises, separatism, and the rise of populism. Consequently, the conclusion is drawn that copying Western models without adaptation to Russian realities has led to systemic problems. For sustainable development, it is necessary to: take into account national and regional specificities when planning reforms, prioritize the interests of the majority of the population over external recommendations, and adjust unsuccessful decisions in light of social justice and historical continuity.

KEYWORDS

post Soviet period, reforms, social problems, reform of the housing and utilities sector, Bologna Education System, Western models

1. Vitte S. Yu. Konspekt lekciy o narodnom i gosudarstvennom hozyaystve: v 2 ch. Ch. 1 : monografiya / S. Yu. Vitte. — Moskva : Izdatel'stvo Yurayt, 2025. — 315 s.

2. Vitte S. Yu. Konspekt lekciy o narodnom i gosudarstvennom hozyaystve: v 2 ch. Ch. 2 : monografiya / S. Yu. Vitte. — Moskva : Izdatel'stvo Yurayt, 2025. — 319 s.

3. Raskov N. V. Kontury politiko-ekonomicheskoy sistemy S.Yu. Vitte/ N.V. Raskov // Problemy sovremennoy ekonomiki. – 2002. – № 1 (1).

4. Glaz'ev. S. Yu. SSSR razvalilo CRU/ S.Yu. Glaz'ev //IA «Avrora». – 2021. – 13 dek. – Rezhim dostupa: https://www.business-gazeta.ru/article/533067 (data obrascheniya 03.04.2026)

5. Batchikov S. A. V tupike zavisimogo razvitiya. Est' li vyhod? / S. A. Batchikov // Delyagin.ru. – 2020. – 30 maya. — Rezhim dostupa: https://delyagin. ru/articles/191-materialy-mgd/80042-v-tupike-zavisimogo-razvitija-est-li-vykhod (data obrascheniya 03.04.2026)

6. Kurgenyan: pravyaschiy klass brosil naselenie, no revolyuciya sverhu vse zhe vozmozhna// IA Krasnaya Vesna. – 2023. – 25 iyulya. – Rezhim dostupa: https://tekstus.livejournal.com/1165938.html (data obrascheniya 03.04.2026)

7. Vladimir Mau perechislil uroki perestroyki dlya Rossii//Gazeta.ru. – 2025. – 30 iyulya. – Rezhim dostupa: https://www.gazeta.ru/social/news/2025/07/30/26381426.shtml (data obrascheniya 03.04.2026)

8. Aganbegyan V. A. Rossiya: ot stagnacii k ustoychivomu social'no-ekonomicheskomu rostu/ V.A. Aganbegyan // Nauchnye trudy VEO Rossii. – 2022. – Tom 237. – S. 310–363. – DOI:https://doi.org/10.38197/2072-2060-2022-237-5-310-362.

9. Denisenko M. B. Demograficheskiy kontekst povysheniya vozrasta vyhoda na pensiyu: doklad / M.B. Denisenko, L. N. Ovcharova, E. Ya. Varshavskaya [i dr.]; NII VShE. – 2018. – 21 s. – Rezhim dostupa: https://www.hse.ru/data/2018/07/02/1153116734/%D0%94%D0%BE%D0%BA%D0%BB%D0%B0%D0%B4_%D0%94%D0%B5%D0%BC%D0%BE%D0%B3%D1%80%D0%B0%D1%84%D0%B8%D1%8F%20%20%D0%BF%D0%BE%D0%B2%D1%8B%D1%88%D0%B5%D0%BD%D0%B8%D1%8F%20%D0%9F%D0%92_2_07_%D0%94%D0%B5%D0%BD%D0%B8%D1%81%D0%B5%D0%BD%D0%BA%D0%BE_%D1%80%D0%B5%D0%B4%D0%9E%D0%B2%D1%87%D0%B0%D1%80%D0%BE%D0%B2%D0%B0%5B1%5D.pdf (data obrascheniya 03.04.2026)

10. Sennyh L. N. Podvodnye kamni pensionnogo zakonodatel'stva/ L. N. Sennyh // Vestnik Voronezhskogo gosudarstvennogo universiteta. Seriya: Pravo. – 2025. – № 3 (62). – S. 142–148. DOI: https://doi.org/10.17308/ law/1995-5502/2025/3/142-148

11. Matyushkina I. A. Klyuchevye problemy razvitiya zhilischno-kommunal'nogo hozyaystva v sovremennoy Rossii / I. A. Matyushkina, D. D. Prokopova //Nauchnyy zhurnal «Ekonomika. Sociologiya. Pravo.» – 2023. – № 4 (32). – S. 9-15. – DOIhttps://doi.org/10.22281/2542-1697-2023-02-04-09-15.

12. Litvinova R. N. Organizacionno-pedagogicheskie usloviya formirovaniya predprinimatel'skih kompetenciy v obrazovatel'noy srede vuza / R. N. Litvinova // Gercenovskie chteniya: psihologicheskie issledovaniya v obrazovanii. – 2021. – № 4. – S. 357-363. – DOI:https://doi.org/10.33910/herzenpsyconf-2021-4-44.

13. Zeer E. F. Konceptual'no-teoreticheskie osnovy personalizirovannogo obrazovaniya/ E. F. Zeer, O. V. Krezhevskih // Obrazovanie i nauka. – 2022. – Tom 24. – № 4. – S. 11-39. – DOI:https://doi.org/10.17853/1994-5639-2022-4-11-39.

14. Yakunin V. I. Ustoychivost' gosudarstvennyh sistem na postsovetskom prostranstve: kontury teoreticheskoy modeli/ V.I. Yakunin, I. I. Kuznecov, M.V. Vilisov // Kontury global'nyh transformaciy: politika, ekonomika, pravo. – 2020. – T. 13. – № 4. – S. 6–33. – DOI:https://doi.org/10.23932/2542-0240-2020-13-4-1.

JATS XML

Chairman of the editorial board

Aleksandr Fomin

e-science@list.ru

Publishing editor

Ekaterina Syamina

e-science@list.ru

GOST

Kruglov V. V., Nikiforova V. D. THE HEAVY LEGACY OF FUNDAMENTAL SOCIO ECONOMIC REFORMS // . 2026. pp. 178-203. DOI: https://doi.org/10.55186/2413046X_2026_11_4_54. EDN: PUKQCQ. (Date of access 19.08.2026).

MLA

Vyacheslav V. Kruglov, Nikiforova V. D.. "THE HEAVY LEGACY OF FUNDAMENTAL SOCIO ECONOMIC REFORMS." (2026): 178-203. DOI: https://doi.org/10.55186/2413046X_2026_11_4_54. EDN: PUKQCQ.

APA

Kruglov V. V., Nikiforova V. D. (2026). THE HEAVY LEGACY OF FUNDAMENTAL SOCIO ECONOMIC REFORMS. , 178-203. https://doi.org/10.55186/2413046X_2026_11_4_54 EDN: PUKQCQ.

Chicago

Vyacheslav V. Kruglov, Nikiforova V. D.. "THE HEAVY LEGACY OF FUNDAMENTAL SOCIO ECONOMIC REFORMS." , no. (2026): 178-203. https://doi.org/10.55186/2413046X_2026_11_4_54. EDN: PUKQCQ.

WIKI

{{cite journal | author = Kruglov V. V., Nikiforova V. D. | title = THE HEAVY LEGACY OF FUNDAMENTAL SOCIO ECONOMIC REFORMS | journal = | year = 2026 | pages = 178-203 | doi = 10.55186/2413046X_2026_11_4_54 }} EDN: PUKQCQ

Copy

Export: BibTeX EndNote RefMan RusMARC

THE HEAVY LEGACY OF FUNDAMENTAL SOCIO ECONOMIC REFORMS

Confirmation