Cutbacks on social sector expenditure as a slowdown mechanism: some socioeconomic aspects
The article is devoted to the methodological problems of socioeconomics analyzing the consequences of the socioeconomic course pursued in Russia at the present time. The main feature of the author’s approach and the main thesis of the article is that the key to the development of the economy and modernization of the country in the 21st century is human potential, which can be transformed into human capital. And, consequently, skimping on an individual is harmful not only from the socio-humanitarian, but also from the economic point of view. The article considers domestic policy on wages and pensions,including proposals for raising the retirement age, as well as chronic underfunding of the social sphere, including health care, education and science. The influence of these factors economic growth of the country is discussed. The author argues that the social sphere should not be perceived as a «state burden» which hinders the development of economy, but, on the contrary, it should be vewed as a sphere of investment in human potential, which largely determines the pace and direction of economic growth. Without such investments, it is impossible to solve the task set by the President of the Russian Federation to ensure the country’s rapid development