Socio-economic features of the development of single-industry towns in Russia

Abstract

Among the diversity of cities as a specifc social phenomenon, a special place is occupied by single-industry towns, the history of their origin, the functioning of their city-forming and city-servicing industries, the organization of social and cultural life of the population. The reasons for their occurrence in Russia are different. They are primarily manifested in the uniqueness of geographical and economic features, including natural resources, the variety of goals and objectives of the development of the national economy and the specifcs of the territories, and often without considering the social structure and characteristics of the population of these territories. However, the development of many single-industry towns in the new Russia is undergoing serious difculties, a signifcant part of them has practically ceased to exist or is in a state of degradation. The other part has some reserves for its partial functioning or a plan to rebuild its economic organism. After the crisis of the 1990s, the third part gradually retained and acquired a new niche in the changed economic conditions. But in addition to purely industrial, technical and technological problems, all single-industry towns face an acute social problem of further existence, development, and even survival, which directly affects the life of the population of these cities, well-being, quality and standard of living, and their future.