Conclusion

To the best of my ability, I attempted to review numerous empirical observations and present a generalized picture of the real structure of Russia’s modern provincial society. Data were collected over a period of almost four decades, and I believe all these years many of the described phenomena remained largely unchanged. Others are versatile or transient. Their correlation is different. Stable components refer to the deep, natural foundations of social life. Slightly versatile components pertain primarily to the socio-political sphere; they follow developments in the structure of state power. Therefore, over short stretches of time, such transformations are far from dynamic. However, there are also very rapid and significant shifts in provincial social life, which involve people’s behavioral responses to the political and economic environment. Hence, they are widely represented in the population’s daily subsistence practices. The specific feature of Russian provincial life transformation manifests itself in the different rate at which various components of the social structure change. In conclusion I would like to make a brief overview of the above and for the third time summarize the key research findings.