What Is the Modern Russian Village?

Using government statistics and data from sociological studies, this article provides a picture of the modern Russian village, which is represented not just by the agricultural industry and related businesses that support it, but also by industrial, construction, and communications businesses and a growing number of recreational, sightseeing, and environmental communities. It also notes a new trend of living in both the city and rural areas (dacha owners, freelancers, independent professionals). After analyzing the organizational forms of land management, including joint-stock companies (former collective and state farms), farming enterprises, and personal plots, it looks at how the rapid growth of agricultural holding companies, whose development has complicated the operation of the agricultural industry, has impacted higher unemployment and given rise to new forms of seasonal work. This article also describes the efficiency and effectiveness of the agricultural industry, its infrastructure, and indicators of crop yield and productivity of livestock farming. It devotes special attention to the state and development of the social sector in rural settlements and reveals the stagnation and strain faced by education, culture, and health care. In conclusion, it provides an assessment of agrarian policy, its consequences, and possible paths for its improvement and simplification.