Monotowns and the political economy of industrial restructuring in Russia

During the 2008-2009 economic crisis, Russia\u27s monotowns - one-industry towns left from the Soviet era - gained widespread attention as potential sources of social protest and unrest. Will such worries resurface under current economic conditions? While fears about monotowns were exaggerated during the last economic crisis, Russia\u27s leadership has reason to remain concerned. Despite the dramatic transformations of the last two decades, Russia\u27s post-Soviet industrial landscape has largely survived intact, leaving a significant number of monotowns with unprofitable enterprises in a precarious position. Yet given its emphasis on social stability, we can expect the government to continue subsidies, both explicit and hidden, that seek to maintain employment and avoid social conflict, but that preserve the country\u27s inefficient industrial geography