State regulation of social development in rural territories in Russia

The system of processes of state regulation of social development in rural areas in Russia has been analyzed. The purpose of the study is to identify systemic issues that limit the existing tools effectiveness and to substantiate the possibilities of adapting modern foreign approaches to Russian institutional conditions. The research is based on a set of general scientific and special methods that have made it possible to implement a systematic approach to the analysis of state regulation of social development in rural areas. In particular, the system analysis has been applied to consider rural areas as a complex socio-economic system, to identify the interrelationships among its elements (economy, infrastructure, human capital, and management), and to model the vicious circle of depression. The comparative analysis has formed the basis for studying foreign experience and identifying conditions that limit and facilitate its application in Russia. Regulatory and legal analysis has been used in the study of strategic documents, federal laws, and government programs. Modeling has been used to graphically represent the cause-and-effect relationships forming a vicious circle and to describe the proposed institutions of adaptation. Interrelated issues (financial, managerial, demographic, and infrastructural), forming a stable system, have been identified. It has been proven that the existing list of government tools often works within a vicious circle of depression, and their inconsistency reduces the overall effect of using the tools. Foreign approaches to state regulation of social development in rural areas have been analyzed. The potential of their application in Russia and the internal constraints have been highlighted. Hybrid institutions have been developed to adapt the bottom-up principles in the context of the Russian management vertical. Mechanisms for such adaptation have been proposed (microgrants distributed by residents’ councils, territorial development funds managed by partner councils).