INCOMES OF THE POPULATION IN THE SPATIAL DIMENSION OF THE CHELYABINSK REGION

Abstract

The purpose of the study is to assess the connectivity of the economic space of the Chelyabinsk region in terms of the monetary income of the population, both statically and dynamically. A specific research tool is the local Moran index, which allows evaluating spatial autocorrelation. The study includes municipalities of the Chelyabinsk region. The author received the following conclusions. The dominant majority of territories, including the Chelyabinsk urban district, is characterized by negative values of the local Moran index, which indicates the absence of territorial connectivity. A small number of territories are characterized by positive autocorrelation, but the size of negative autocorrelation is much larger than the size of positive. There is no correlation between local Moran indices calculated by economic growth rates and household income growth rates. The region’s space is fragmented according to both criteria, but its fragmentation is significantly higher in terms of income dynamics than in economic growth dynamics. This is confirmed by the results of the obtained clusters. The leaders in terms of population income growth are Zlatoust, Troitsky, Chebarkul urban districts, Plastovsky and Sosnovsky municipal districts. All five territories form a cluster of rich areas surrounded by poor ones. In fact, the results of the study challenge the established paradigm of “poles of growth.” The capital territory — the Chelyabinsk urban district — “does not help” neighboring territories, but rather, on the contrary, makes them poorer. The results of the study can be useful in both methodological and applied aspects. The author puts in the center of assessing the polarization of space not economic growth as such, but the well-being of people and its dynamics, in fact, the end “users” of economic growth. Understanding the space of the region is necessary for accurate zoning and specific targeted decisions at the regional level. The Chelyabinsk region is not just a separate point on the map, it is an industrial region with problems that may turn out to be typical for many territories of our country.