Municipal inequality as a negative factor in the economic development of the Volgograd Oblast

Subject. The article considers inequality in the economic development of internal territories. Objectives. The purpose is to assess the degree of municipal inequality in the Volgograd Oblast and its significance as a negative factor hindering the achievement of sustainable socio-economic development of the region. Methods. The study employs indicative methodology for assessing the severity of municipal inequality, methods of statistical analysis of quantitative information, tabular and graphical methods. Results. The Volgograd Oblast has no major non-economic negative factors contributing to the outflow of the population from the region (like harsh climate, unfavorable political situation, etc.). Nevertheless, there is an outflow, which, combined with the natural decline in the population, leads to critical losses of human resources, hindering successful socio-economic development. A pronounced negative migration balance is typical only of the peripheral territories, whereas in the agglomeration there is an influx of population. This indicates significant imbalances in the development of economic systems and social infrastructure between the periphery and the center of the subject of the Russian Federation, which give rise to serious differences in their attractiveness to the economically active population. Conclusions. The problem of municipal inequality can only be solved by replacing the concept of the territorial engine of growth in the form of agglomeration with the uniform socio-economic development of all municipalities of the subject of the Federation.