ABSTRACT
This chapter shows clearly that levels of household capital not only affect the material conditions of Russian rural peasants but also have substantial effects on their evaluation of the quality of their lives. The material conditions of certain rural households improved during the course of the panel study and this is reflected in higher overall evaluations of income and country. The primary reason for the survival of Russian rural households during the transitional period has been their ability to increase production for consumption and additional income. This has resulted in the development of different types of household enterprises that operate outside official government regulations and taxes. The way in which individuals perceive the quality of their lives is critical in scientific assessments of how they are affected by social change. Residents of Vengerovka have significantly higher levels of satisfaction with their village than do residents of Latonovo in 1996 and in 1997.
