Karavai A.V. Russian workers: social capital and capital accumulation settings

Abstract

The paper is devoted to the analysis of relationships between the volume and the character of social capital of the Russian workers, describes their leisure preferences and life-planning skills. The empirical basis of the paper is the data of the studies conducted by the Institute of Sociology of the Russian Academy of Sciences in 2003—2015. The study shows that social capital is as essential to workers’ well-being and their adaptation amidst the crisis, as to other Russians. Nevertheless, workers possess less social capital than the representatives of other professional groups; at the same time, those with social capital have limited resources. The analysis of leisure preferences of workers shows that workers are lacking their free time to build and maintain social contacts. The share of workers who use the simplest forms of leisure has considerably increased over the recent ten or twelve years. This does not depend on the residential area or income. This attitude towards free time is related to short time horizon and lack of planning a year ahead which is due to specifics of the lifestyles and professional activities