Informal Employment as a Source of Formation of the Precariat in Russia: Research Methodology and Potential Assessment

The article presents the results of studies of the content, structure of sources and conditions for the emergence, growth and development of a new social stratum - the precariat - in Russia. The essential content of this layer, its main characteristics, forms of manifestation, possible consequences of its development are described. The fact is noted that this new social stratum, claiming to be a class, carries a protest potential, which, for the time being, can be weakened. For this, it is necessary to know the structure and content of the sources of formation of this layer in Russia, the conditions for its growth and development. In this regard, a methodology for researching the precariat in Russia has been developed and proposed, the results of researching the potential of one of the sources of its formation and replenishment, namely informal employment, are presented. The results of a survey carried out by the method of expert interviews of one of the groups of informally employed workers, which make it possible to judge about the formation of the structure of this social stratum, are also presented. The results of the study allow concluding that, in Russia, the precariat, as a new socially dangerous stratum, has a material base for its formation, growth and development in the form of informal employment. It is necessary to take appropriate measures to limit this base in order to reduce the protest potential in society. The development of these measures requires further in-depth research, which can be based on the proposed methodology.

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