The contemporary Russian concept of wealth and poverty has under-gone a change that is different from the traditional one,shifting from being proud of poverty and ashamed of wealth to pursuing wealth and hating poverty.The economic transition that began in the 1990s led to increased poverty and deepening social differentiation in Russia,which was the internal cause of the transformation of the concept of wealth and poverty;The impact of Western values has led to a gradual imbalance of traditional Russian concepts,which is an external factor in the evolution of the concept of wealth and poverty.The differences in political stand,economic status,and class position have led to differences in people's values.Different views on the concept of wealth and poverty lead to diverse,conflicting and divisive values,which have a nega-tive impact on the unity and development of the Russian state.Consolidating consensus and reconstructing core values based on traditional culture has be-come the primary task of contemporary Russian state.