2017: Social Results and Lessons for Economic Policy

The analytical material was prepared by the team of experts of the Institute of Social Analysis and Forecasting (subdivision of the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration). After three years of economic decline in 2017,it claims to be the year of the beginning of the recovery. This is evidenced by positive macroeconomic dynamics and indicators of economic growth. At the same time, growth is also observed in the dynamics of a number of indicators that characterize the state of the social sphere and the socioeconomic status of the population. Is there enough reason to declare in 2017, by analogy with the economic dynamics, the year of social recovery in 2017? This issue is central to this report. Economic processes have a decisive influence on the basic social processes. The authors proceed from the understanding that without a detailed analysis of the social sphere, and, first of all, changes in the social and economic situation of the population, it is impossible to develop a long-term economic strategy and short-term economic policies that would contribute to the country's sustainable social development.