Precariat: Behavior of the Social Class During the Crisis

• Main Author: Roman Lunkin
• Format: Article
• Language: Russian
• Published: Institute of Europe Russian Academy of Sciences 2021-02-01
• Series: Научно-аналитический вестник Института Европы РАН
• Subjects: post-crisis world; protest movements; social mobilisation; precariat; informal employment
• Online Access: http://vestnikieran.instituteofeurope.ru/images/Lunkin22021.pdf

In the article analyzed the role of the precariat (people with non-standard or informal employment, temporary or non-permanent work) in modern European society as a new social class of the post-industrial period. Stated that socio-economic and political crises, including the coronavirus pandemic, allow us to see the development trends of the precariat (it’s formation as more monolite class), as well as the conditions under which its representatives become politically active and, moreover, have a decisive influence on the development of a particular society and state. It is noted that the effectiveness of the performance of the precariat in the public space largely depends on the extent to which its interests coincide with the expectations of the rest of the employed population (mainly the working class that could became precariat time to time). The article uses the methods of sociological research (Eurostat surveys etc.), comparative analysis, as well as a political science approach for the scrutiny of the precarious employment.