| Abstract: | An attempt is made to measure the quality of life in the largest cities of the USSR on the basis of the development of various types of social infrastructure. The study set of cities consists of the cities over one million population and any republic capitals below that population level (republic capitals in the Soviet Union are given priority in development regardless of population size). Point scores are assigned to a variety of infrastructure categories, including housing stock, public transportation, retailing, public health, education, culture, water supply, sewage, greenery and air pollution, and physical setting. Although Moscow and Leningrad top the list in overall scores, even these two cities require improvements in some infrastructure areas. |
