General information


                  Sergei V. Zakharov (Center for Demography and Human Ecology. Russia.)

"Length of life of  representatives of Russian elite born in the end of XVIIth - the beginning of XXth centuries:
Did any impovement take place?".

The proposed paper presents results of statistical analysis of biographical data derived from encyclopedias and other source books of the 19th and 20th centuries. The sample counts about 2000 personalities whose names started with the most representative letter in the Russian language ("C" and "K" in English transliteration).

Mean Length of Life has been estimated for birth cohorts, years of death and by occupational groups as well.

In the paper I discuss both changes in longevity of people regarded as "elite" and structural changes within the group. I am seeking to answer to a critical question: have any improvements occurred in the mortality of the social group which was able to enjoy the best living conditions available throughout the period? This should deepen our understanding of the long-standing mortality patterns for the adult population in Russia.