Social and living conditions of citizens in the late 20th - at the beginning of 21st century) (on the example of Cherkasy region

Abstract

The article is devoted to the analysis of social and living conditions of the urban population of one particular region (in this case, Cherkasy region). Based on the archival documents, the press, and scientific literature, the author analyses the peculiarities of social and living conditions that dominated the everyday life of the urban population of Ukraine, in particular, the Cherkasy region, in the late 20^th and early 21^st centuries, namely, the ratio of wages and purchasing power, provision of housing, consumer services, health care, municipal amenities, etc. In the 1992 – early 2000s, Ukraine experienced an unprecedented economic crisis, the social sphere degraded, and the impoverishment of the population increased. The early 2000s showed an improvement in the social situation, rising incomes, and increased purchasing power of Ukrainians.

The author applied historical and anthropological, historical and situational, and systemic approaches to highlight the everyday life of the urban population of Cherkasy region. The author also used general scientific and special historical research methods.

The results of the study indicate that in 1991-2005, the social and living conditions of the population of the regional subordination cities of Cherkasy region underwent radical and profound changes. They were caused by the transformation of the economic system of Ukraine, which embarked on a very difficult path of transition from a planned administrative command system of management to a market one. The reasons for the social and domestic problems of the urban population in Ukraine in 1991-2005 were the following: a deep economic crisis; miscalculations in attempts to reform the Ukrainian economy; extremely high inflation; insufficient development of legislation and regulatory framework on social protection of the population in the transition to a market economy, shortcomings in the activities of legislative and executive authorities on social security of the population.