Social security of the rural population of the Republic of Kalmykia: based on the questionnaire survey 2019
Introduction. Social security means protecting the interests of each individual and society from various challenges, risks and threats, ensuring the most important human rights (to life, to work and its decent wages, to free treatment and training, to affordable recreation, to guaranteed social protection, etc.), and maintaining living and working conditions that satisfy a person. The purpose of the article is to use some results of the questionnaire survey of rural population of the Republic of Kalmykia conducted in May 2019. (N=253), in order to consider: villagers’ assessment of their own financial situation, factors affecting its deterioration or improvement, the opinion about the economic situation in the republic, the degree of villagers’ satisfaction with the activities of social institutions in the district, etc. Results. The conducted research allowed to identify five most urgent social problems in rural areas of the republic: low wages (rank 1), unemployment (2), drunkenness (3), youth migration, loneliness of elderly people (4), lack of a village forming enterprise (5). The survey results show strong polarization of a rural community. The majority (67%) of respondents are not socially protected, because of their difficult financial situation they do not have access to optimal or decent living conditions.