Development of small Russian towns in the 19^th–21^st centuries: socioeconomic factors

Moscow State University of Civil Engineering, Yaroslavskoye shosse, 26, 129337, Moscow, Russia

^* Corresponding author: priadcko.igor2011@yandex.ru

Abstract

This research is focused on small Russian towns and the socioeconomic aspects of their development in the 19th through 21st centuries. Several towns, including Mytischi, Yuzovka, Naro-Fominsk, Myshkin, etc., serve as examples employed to assess the practice of founding townships, to analyze the economic, social, cultural, and political conditions of their functioning, and to make projections for their future development. The methods, employed by this research project, consist in the look-back analysis of sources and the analysis of statistics, including the relevant urban demography. The main conclusion, made by the author, is the need for the revival of small Russian towns in the post-industrial era through their assumption of supplementary administrative functions against the background of continuing de-industrialization and the shutdown of the township-forming production facilities. The author believes that the conversion of small towns into tourist resort areas is a debatable practice. The author addresses this issue in the Discussion section of the article. He offers his pros and cons in respect of these actions. The academic novelty of the article consists in the provision of the novel data concerning the development of small towns as the urban districts of major megalopolises.