Bystrova A. Regional’nyye chinovniki i politiki RF: sravnitel’nyy analizkar’yer [Regional officials and politicians of the Russian Federation: a comparativeanalysis of careers]. Vlast’ i elity [Power and Elites], 2022, 9 (2): 122–145. (In Russian)

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Abstract

A comparative analysis of the careers of representatives of regional elite groups is presented. Comparison of career trajectories was carried out according to a number of indicators characterizing the speed of climbing the career ladder, changing fields of activity. A comparison of some parameters of primary and professional socialization was also carried out. This comparison makes it possible to make reasonable judgments about the pool of elite recruitment, mobility within elite groups, inter-elite movements, the degree of professionalization of the careers of persons involved in managerial or political activities in the regions of Russia. The empirical base is an array of biographical data for ten regions of the country: the Republic of Dagestan, Khabarovsk and Stavropol Territories, Kaliningrad, Kostroma, Leningrad, Novosibirsk and Rostov Regions, Moscow and St. Petersburg. The data covers the period from the mid–2000s to the early 2020s. Comparative diachronic analysis of the careers of representatives of regional politicians and senior officials of these regions allowed us to draw the following conclusions. Quite significant differences were found for a number of indicators, while for other indicators, the careers of representatives of both regional elite groups are similar. Thus, the sphere of business and economic activity is losing its significance as a pool for recruiting regional officials, but the importance of managerial activity is increasing. There is also some decline in the importance of  business as a pool for recruiting regional politicians. An increase in the professionalization of careers was revealed, which is manifested in the nomenclature of the first and second higher education — primarily this applies to regional officials, in a change in the recruitment pool and career trajectories. Comparison of indicators characterizing the speed of advancement through the levels of an elite career (the length of time spent in at least three elite positions — the first elite position, the previous elite position and the current elite position) — shows that bureaucratic careers look faster due to a shorter stay at these steps (two years or less). While politicians stay in these positions for 3–5 years