Social Dynamics in the Russian Far East: Failure of the Institutional Paradigm

Measures to curb population outflow and increase human capital, including by ensuring attractive conditions and high living standards and quality of life, are declared the most important priority for development of the Russian Far East and implementation of state policy in the macroregion. Despite the creation of additional institutional incentives, the adoption of special programs at the state level and joining of two subjects to the Far Eastern Federal District in 2018, the parameters of sociodemographic dynamics in the macroregion remain lower than expected. Based on an analysis of indicators of natural population movement and migration, household income and expenditures, quality of life in all 11 federal subjects of the Far Eastern Federal District, trends, and achieved results of “indirect institutional incentives” are demonstrated. The authors conclude that after 30 years of reforms aimed at improving the level and quality of life of the population in Russia and creating comfortable living conditions in the Far East, the factors hindering these processes remain unchanged. Consequently, failures in stabilizing the demographic potential and developing the social system in the Far East are mainly due to incorrect emphasis of state policy on “institutional regulation” in this area, i.e., failure of the institutional paradigm to achieve the policy goal.