This article, based on the latest sociological research data, examines how the current crisis conditions affect Russians' perception of their well-being, their satisfaction with various aspects of everyday life and their ideas about a just state. The author notes that, despite the difficult socio-economic conditions, many Russians have emotionally adapted to the crisis situation, which was greatly facilitated by the growing importance of intangible factors of well-being, primarily harmonious family relations and friendship ties. Based on the studied data, the author notes that many Russians perceive interpersonal relations with their closest circle as a key element of their well-being, which indicates not only the importance of intangible values of communication and emotional comfort, but also the mass demand for stable social ties.

Despite the growing influence of non-material factors on citizens' self-assessment of their quality of life, their subjective well-being is largely influenced by the structural social inequalities historically established in society: age, property and geographical inequalities. Young people and residents of large cities more often assess their lives positively, while representatives of older generations and residents of rural areas tend to express a more negative view of their well-being. This difference in perception is also observed in assessments of the availability of quality medical services, where residents of cities, especially megacities, have clear advantages.

In the perception of modern Russians, an important component of personal well-being is also life in a justly organized society, and the idea of social justice remains relevant for the majority of citizens. Russians understand social justice primarily as equal opportunities for self-realization and success for all citizens. But, although during the post-Soviet period the idea of income equality lost to the demand for the creation of favorable preconditions for self-realization, today more than a third of Russians prefer equal access to life benefits to equality of “starting conditions”.

The author concludes that today public opinion has formed a demand for the active participation of the state in ensuring social justice, which is strengthened under the influence of crisis trends.

quality of life, well-being, public opinion, social justice, social inequalities, mass consciousness, social transformations

1. Barash R. E. Russian Society in the 2020s: An Attempt at Ideological Self-Identification. Vestnik instituta sotziologii, 2022: 13: 2: 87–101 (in Russ.). DOI: 10.19181/vis.2022.13.2S.818; EDN: DVMJBE.
2. Byzov L. G. The Dynamics of Ideological and Political Preferences over 25 Years: Three Stages of Transformation of Public Consciousness. Rossiya XXI, 2019: 1: 6–29 (in Russ.). EDN: YXHJNR.
3. Vozmitel A. A. Quality of Life in Pre-Reform and Post-Reform Russia. Sotsiologicheskie issledovaniya, 2013: 2: 25–32 (in Russ.). DOI: 10.5922/2074-9848-2016-2-7; EDN: PWUQMT.
4. Voronina N. S. Perception of Social Justice by Russians Based on Data from European Research. Nauchny rezultat. Sotsiologiya i upravlenie, 2019: 5(1): 39–51 (in Russ.). DOI: 10.18413/2408-9338-2019-5-1-0-4.
5. Gorshkov M. K. On the Social Results of Post-Soviet Transformations. Sotsiologicheskie issledovaniya, 2019: 11: 3–17 (in Russ.). DOI: 10.31857/S013216250007445-2; EDN: NLCYDR.
6. Goffe N. V., Monusova G. A. Social Well-Being: Perception of Realities. Yuzhno-Rossiyskiy zhurnal sotsial'nykh nauk, 2018: 3: 21–36 (in Russ.). DOI: 10.31429/26190567-19-3-21-36; EDN: KHUEKS.
7. Gradoselskaya G. V. Subjective and Objective Assessments of Welfare. Sotsiologicheskiy zhurnal, 2003: 3: 86–98 (in Russ.). EDN: PZQNZP.
8. Galbraith J. K. The Affluent Society. Moscow, Olimp-Business, 2018: 404 (in Russ.).
9. Inglehart R. Postmodern: menyayushhiesya cennosti i izmenyayushhiesya obshhestva [Postmodernity: Changing Values and Changing Societies]. POLIS. Politicheskie issledovaniya, 1997: 4: 6–32 (in Russ.).
10. Epikhina Y. B. Social Justice in Russian Education. Problems of Social Equality and Justice in Russia and China. Ed. by Gorshkov M. K., Kozyreva P. M. et al. Moscow, Novy Khronograf, 2021: 59–81 (in Russ.).
11. Karavay A. V. Factors in Accessing Social Network Resources in Contemporary Russia. Sotsiologicheskie issledovaniya, 2022: 10: 74–84 (in Russ.). DOI: 10.31857/S013216250014291-3; EDN: WCITZC.
12. Kozyreva P. M., Nizamova A. E., Smirnov A. I. Equality and Justice in Housing and Social Welfare in Contemporary Russia. Problems of Social Equality and Justice in Russia and Chinai. Ed. by M. K. Gorshkov. Moscow, Novy Khronograf, 2021: 337–367 (in Russ.).
13. Kuzminov Y. I., Frumin I. D. Twelve Solutions for New Education. Report of the Center for Strategic Development and the Higher School of Economics. Moscow, VSHE, 2018: 106 (in Russ.).
14. Lysyukho A. S. Review of Russian Studies on "Social Well-Being": Key Researches and Results. INAB, 2020: 1: 7–17 (in Russ.). DOI: 10.19181/INAB.2020.1.1; EDN: YAGTMJ.
15. Mareeva S. V., Tikhonova N. E. Poverty and Social Inequalities in Russia in Public Consciousness. Mir Rossii. Sotsiologiya, Etnologiya, 2016: 25(2): 37–67 (in Russ.). EDN: WDEMBH.
16. Mareeva S. V. Social Inequalities and Social Structure of Contemporary Russia in Population Perception. Vestnik instituta sotziologii, 2018: 9(3): 101–120 (in Russ.). DOI: 10.19181/vis.2018.26.3.527; EDN: YWAGXR.
17. Mareeva S. V. Spravedlivoe obshhestvo v predstavleniyax rossiyan [A Just Society in the Perceptions of Russians]. Obshchestvennye nauki i sovremennost', 2013: 5: 16–26 (in Russ.). EDN: RDRCBT.
18. Mareeva S. V. Inequality of Life Chances of Russians in the Balance of Life and Work Sphere. Monitoring obschestvennogo mneniya: ekonomicheskie i socialnye peremeni, 2019: 3: 324–344 (in Russ.). DOI: 10.14515/monitoring.2019.3.18; EDN: PLZFUE.
19. Mareeva S. V., Slobodenyuk E. D. Inequality of Investments in Human Capital of Russian Children. Terra Economicus, 2022: 20(3): 98–115 (in Russ.). DOI: 10.18522/2073-6606-2022-203-98-115; EDN: QKFCNV.
20. Medvedeva E. I., Yarasheva A. V., Makar S. V. Happiness and Well-Being: Key Determinants in the Modern World. Diskussiya, 2023: 2(117): 14–26 (in Russ.). DOI: 10.46320/2077-7639-2023-2-117-14-26; EDN: VESMLV.
21. Nazarova I. B. Determinants of Subjective Life Dissatisfaction: Analysis of Russian Data from 1994 to 2021. Monitoring obshchestvennogo mneniya: ekonomicheskie i socialnye peremeni, 2023: 6: 3–16 (in Russ.). DOI: 10.14515/monitoring.2023.6.2433; EDN: YQRIAB.
22. Rimsky V. L. Justice in Contemporary Russia: Dreams and Applications in Social Practices. Obshchestvennye nauki i sovremennost', 2013: 5: 27–36 (in Russ.). EDN: RDRCCD.
23. Russian Society under New Challenges and Threats (Context of Sociological Diagnostics): Information and Analytical Report. Moscow, FNISC RAN. 2022: 240 (in Russ.).
24. Rawls J. Theory of Justice. URSS, 2017: 536 (in Russ.).
25. Social Inequality in Sociological Measurement: Analytical Report. Prepared in collaboration with the Gorbachev Foundation and National Investment Council. Ed by M. K. Gorshkov, N. E. Tikhonova. Moscow, 2006: 135 (in Russ.).
26. Tikhonova N. E. Life Satisfaction of Russians: Dynamics and Factors. Obshchestvennye nauki i sovremennost', 2015: 3: 19–33 (in Russ.).
27. Chernysh M. F. The Problem of Justice in Russian Public Thought. Problems of Social Equality and Justice in Russia and China. Coll. Monograph; ed. by Gorshkov M. K., Kozyreva P. M., Peilin Li, Chernysh M. F.; FNISC RAN. Moscow, Novy Khronograf, 2021: 59–81 (in Russ.).
28. Shilova V. A. Subjective Well-Being in the Understanding of Russians: Assessment Levels, Association with Other Indicators, Subjective Characteristics, and Models. INAB, 2020: 1: 18–38 (in Russ.). DOI: 10.19181/INAB.2020.1.2; EDN: UVGLTN.
29. Graham C., Pettinato S. Frustrated Achievers: Winners, Losers, and Subjective Well-Being in New Market Economies. The Journal of Development Studies, 2002: 38: 100–140. DOI: 10.2139/ssrn.285811.
30. Saris W. E., Andreenkova A. Study of the Effect of Individual Income Changes on Satisfaction in Russia. A Comparative Study of Satisfaction with Life in Europe. Ed. by W. Saris, R. Veenhoven et al. Budapest, Eotvos Univ. Press, 1996: 271–282.