MARRIAGE VALUES AS THE BASIS FOR THE RUSSIAN FAMILIES WELL-BEING

Abstract

Introduction. The demographic policy in Russia had a temporary positive effect, but did not stop depopulation. It is necessary to find out why the demographic policy has not yet achieved its goals and develop proposals to improve its effectiveness
Materials and methods. The main information base for the qualitative study is the materials of in-depth interviews with parents from large families, conducted during the All-Russian sociological study «Demographic
Well-being of the Regions of Russia» in 2021, and for the quantitative study - the materials of a sample survey of
the reproductive plans of the population, conducted by Rosstat in 2022.
Results. The insufficien effectiveness of the demographic policy is largely due to the fact that this policy affects only existing families with children, but does not contribute to the creation of new young families and does not prevent their disintegration.
Discussion. The analysis of research data showed that the only optimal basis for creating a family with three
or more children can be a legal marriage. However, due to doubts about the strength of the marriage, many couples live together without registering the marriage and have no more than one child. It is necessary to revive traditional family values and to form in public opinion the ideal image of a young prosperous family consisting of legal spouses with several children. It is necessary to introduce measures that encourage young people to get married, reduce the frequency of divorces, and increase the prestige of a strong and socially prosperous family with many children. This requires changes not only in the laws on marriage and divorce, but also in the moral norms that determine society’s attitude to cohabitation, to the need to enter into a registered marriage, as well as to the reasons that are considered valid for divorce in families with children