The Monocity: A Potential Replacement for the Company Town in the Russian Federation
The article has described the Russian Federation's (RF) 'company towns', claiming they are inefficient and dysfunctional, particularly in the aftermath of the recent economic crisis. As a potential solution, the paper has proposed a 'monocity' concept – a single-industry-based city – for urban development. Designed to achieve the same socio-economic objectives as its company-town counterpart, the monocity would enable economic diversification and sustain social development. The monocity's distinguishing features, the document relates, would comprise diversification of the company-town profile (reformulating its strategic perspective), and restructuring the local economic infrastructure. Subsequently, the commentary states that the RF Ministry of Regional Development has not yet approved the monocity scheme or accepted it as an alternative to the already-authorized company town. To overcome this 'handicap', the report calls for seeking official approval (as an alternative to the company-town arrangement) and the support of major stockholders (urban and state authorities, business community and investors). It would do so, the blueprint indicates, by emphasizing the company-towns' shortfalls and the monocities' socio-economic benefits. Strategic support for the monocity program, the review says, would be sought from independent experts, with the long-term objective of resolving Russia's continuing single-industry-tied challenges.