Societies that undergo social change face dilemmas related to social justice. Rapid change inevitably leads to the transformation of social structure, scale and forms of inequality. This problem is particularly relevant for the BRICS countries that demonstrate economic and social dynamism, ambition to challenge the existing production hierarchies. The choice that they face is reflected in the social policies and redistribution of available resources. Social policies are influenced by the path set by previous regimes and prior policies. The Russian Federation and its policies are shadowed by the Soviet past and left-wing ideologies of radical redistribution. It is countered by the current policies that stem from the neo-liberal ideologies insisting on the state’s withdrawal from social sphere. The contradiction between the ongoing rise of commercialisation and popular expectations lays ground for continuous deliberations over social justice and its possible implementations in government policies.