A Fair Social State as a Value and as a Reality for Russian Citizens (Part 2. Fairness Principles in a Social State)

The article continues the description of a fair social state in our country research results. The research provided certain evidence that the social state development level in Russia is insufficient according to the citizens' opinions and assessments. Russian citizens judge this by the presence of a considerable number of significant problems for them that the state should solve more effectively, as well as by the problems of ensuring fairness by the state in various spheres of life. Focus groups and a mass questionnaire survey showed a significant discrepancy between respondents' assessments of the fairness principles desired and actually applied by the state for several model situations. Correlation analysis based on the mass questionnaire survey data showed very weak statistical links between respondents' assessments of their expectations and reality in the application by the state of all the principles of fairness included in the study, without any exception. Under such conditions, it is almost impossible for both citizens and public authorities, based on the well-known expectations of citizens, to predict how the state should apply the principles of fairness so that they meet the expectations of citizens. If we add to this that support for the principles of fairness varies between generations and other social groups, then it is necessary to recognize this set of problems as very complex and, at the same time, necessary to solve in order to ensure fairness by the Russian state.