Der Immobilienmarkt in Moskau: Grundtendenzen der 90er Jahre

Abstract

"Perestroika" and the subsequent economic reforms resulted in a review of the entire system of values. Money became crucial to such an extent that it overshadowed the importance of education and profession as factors of prestige. People, who until recently regarded themselves elite, viz. scientists, creative intelligentsia, suddenly realised they were poor. It was only the affiliation to the top echelon of power that retained its capacity to compete with large amounts of money, thereby providing one's access to the benefits. The barriers dividing society on the basis of property ownership have grown significantly. The life of "nouveaux riches" virtually has become isolated from the life of the rest of the people. Even in the sphere of culture and education these contacts have been relaxed. Thus, a new social division of society by virtue of distinctions between the principles of differentiation only partly has inherited the old structure. In conditions, where social prestige began to be associated with money and power by virtue of different principles of differentiation, the "money" clings to "power". Analysis of the housing market indicates that mutual gravitation of power and money exists not only in the sphere of politics or economics, but also in the city itself. Urban environment is polarised. The problem is not only different living conditions and incomes of the population. It is much deeper: there is a growing difference in the views of the people on social justice and means of achieving it. Thus, we have residents of the central and south-western sectors of Moscow plunging deeper and deeper in a world governed by "capital" and regarding "social justice" as an equivalent of labour, whereas residents of the rest of the city continue living in a world of "socialism", where all benefits, housing included, are distributes free of charge, and "social justice" is a natural right of any individual.