Vectors, Stages and Problems of Nonortodoxal Foundations of Economic Science Formation

The relevance of the study is underpinned by continuing sharp scientific and practical discussion on the evolution of economic science aimed at obtaining exhaustive answers to such questions as: “What is orthodoxy in economic science? Why is it that the theoretical and methodological orthodoxy that accompanies the emergence and transformation of alternative directions of world economic thought cannot be overcome not only in the past but also at the present time? What is the historical significance of a retrospective analysis of vectors, stages and problems of the formation of unorthodox foundations in the development of this branch of human knowledge? and others. The findings of prominent Russian and foreign scientists-economists, allowing to reveal and comprehend the diverse methodological and theoretical components of orthodoxy in the past and present set the subject of this review article. The purpose of the study is to consider, systematize and generalize the evidentiary warnings published in the works of prominent modern researchers about the urgent need to overcome the negative consequences of orthodox maxims, which, having been absolutized since the time of the “fathers of political economy”, continue to manifest themselves to this day. The key research methods include systematic approach, evolutionary and cross-industry analysis. The results of the review incorporate conclusions and evidence that make it possible to unbiasedly comprehend the key scientific and practical problems for the fate of this science in the past and present. In particular, the author’s position is argued that the examples of postulating judgments about the presence and coexistence of “Western-non-Western”, “bourgeoisnon- bourgeois” economic science, which are still found in Russian economic literature, are based solely on the classformational research approach and therefore are completely untenable. It has been proved that from its “ancestors” and “fathers” of economics, i. e. adherents mercantilism and classical political economy principles to modern economists (from institutionalists to Keynesians and neoliberals) the existing palette of orthodox theoretical and methodological innovations accompanying the development of economic science explicitly or implicitly along with its commitment to the class analytical approach are due to a certain subtext of the absolutization of “objective economic laws”.

1. Ivanter V. V., Porfiryev B. N., Sorokin D. E. et al. How to boost the development of the Russian economy: Priority actions (suggestions for the main activities of the state until 2024). Finance: Theory and Practice. 2018;22(S 7):4–15. DOI: 10.26794/2587–5671–2018–0–0–4–15

2. Sorokin D. E. Economic theory, economic reality and economic policy. Zhurnal ekonomicheskoi teorii = Russian Journal of the Economic Theory. 2014;(4):25–39. (In Russ.).

3. Abalkin L. I. Russia: Search for self-determination: Essays. Moscow: Nauka; 2002. 424 p. (In Russ.).

4. Yadgarov Ya. From the orthodoxy of class-formational terms to the terms of the “market system”: the Russian aspect. In: Materiály X mezinárodní vědecko-praktická konference “Moderní vymoženosti vědy — 2014”. Díl 8. Ekonomické vědy. Praha: Publishing House “Education and Science” s. r. o.; 2014:3–5. (In Russ.).

5. Yadgarov Ya. Economic growth in the context of the “laws” of the market system — an orthodox component of the theoretical economy in the past and present. In: Russia’s economic growth and competitiveness: Trends, problems and strategic perspectives. Proc. Int. sci.-pract. conf. (Moscow, April 24–25, 2012). Moscow: Financial University. 2012:281–285. (In Russ.).

6. Yadgarov Ya. Milton Friedman — unorthodox theorist and methodologist of economic science. Byuleten’ Mizhnarodnogo Nobelivs’kogo ekonomichnogo forumu = Bulletin of the International Nobel Economic Forum. 2012;1(1):491–495. URL: https://econforum.duan.edu.ua/images/PDF/2012/1/52.pdf (In Russ.).

7. Yadgarov Ya. Orthodox foundations of the doctrine of the working fund of classical political economy. In: A new model of management and the adequacy of its reflection in modern economics. Tambov: Derzhavin Tambov State University Publ.; 2013:171–172. (In Russ.).

8. Yadgarov Ya. The overcoming of XX century economic science’ orthodoxy through the prism of institutionalistic and neoclassical innovations. Istoriko-ekonomicheskie issledovaniya = Journal of Economic History & History of Economics. 2014;15(3):439–463. (In Russ.).

9. Marx K. Capital (in 3 vols.). Transl. from German. In: Marx K., Engels F. Works. 2nd ed. Moscow: Gospolitizdat; 1961. 545 p. (In Russ.).

10. Plotnikov I. S., ed. Mercantilism. Moscow: Sotsekgiz; 1938. 340 p. (In Russ.).

11. Blaug M. Economic theory in retrospect. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press; 1978. 750 p. (Russ. ed.: Blaug M. Ekonomicheskaya mysl’ v retrospektive. Moscow: Delo Ltd; 1994. 720 p.).

12. Polanyi K. The self-regulating market and the fictitious commodities: Labor, land and money. In: Polanyi K. The great transformation. New York: Farrar & Rinehart, Inc.; 1944:68–76. (Russ. ed.: Polanyi K. Samoreguliruyushchiisya rynok i fiktivnye tovary: trud, zemlya i den’gi. THESIS: teoriya i istoriya ekonomicheskikh i sotsial’nykh institutov i system = THESIS: Theory and History of Economic and Social Institutions and Systems. 1993(2):10–17.).

13. Kondratyev N. D. Selected works. Moscow: Ekonomika; 1993. 542 с. (In Russ.).

14. Montchrestien A. Traité d’économie politique: dédié en 1615 au Roy et à la Reyne mère du Roy. Rouen: Jean Osmont; 1615. (Russ. ed.: Montchrestien A. Traktat o politicheskoi ekonomii. In: Mirovaya ekonomicheskaya mysl’. Skvoz’ prizmu vekov (in 5 vols.). Vol. 1: Ot zari tsivilizatsii do kapitalizma. Moscow: Mysl’; 2004:168–182.).

15. Mun T. England’s treasure by forraign trade, or, The ballance of our forraign trade is the rule of our treasure, written by Thomas Mun; and now published for the common good by his son John Mun. London: Printed by J.G. for Thomas Clark, 1664. 148 p. (Russ. ed.: Mun T. Bogatstvo Anglii vo vneshnei torgovle. In: Mirovaya ekonomicheskaya mysl’. Skvoz’ prizmu vekov (in 5 vols.). Vol. 1: Ot zari tsivilizatsii do kapitalizma. Moscow: Mysl’; 2004:153–161.).

16. Marshall A. Principles of economics. London: Macmillan and Co.; 1920. 627 p. (Russ. ed.: Marshall A. Printsipy ekonomicheskoi nauki (in 3 vols.). Vol. 1. Moscow: Progress; 1993. 416 p.).

17. Smith A. An inquiry into the nature and causes of the wealth of nations. London: Methuen & Co., Ltd.; 1904. 1152 p. (Russ. ed.: Smith A. Issledovanie o prirode i prichinakh bogatstva narodov. Moscow: Sotsekgiz; 1962. 684 p.).

18. Schumpeter J. A. History of economic analysis. Oxford: Oxford University Press; 1996. 1320 p. (Russ. ed.: Schumpeter J. A. Istoriya ekonomicheskogo analiza (in 3 vols.). Vol. 1. St. Petersburg: Ekonomicheskaya shkola; 2001. 496 p.).

19. Blaug M. The methodology of economics, or how economists explain. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press; 1992. 316 p. (Russ. ed.: Blaug M. Metodologiya ekonomicheskoi nauki, ili Kak ekonomisty ob”yasnyayut. Moscow: Voprosy ekonomiki; 2004. 416 p.).

20. Mill J. S. Principles of political economy with some of their applications to social philosophy. London: John W. Parker; 1848. 645 p. (Russ. ed.: Mill J. Osnovaniya politicheskoi ekonomii s nekotorymi primeneniyami k obshchestvennoi filosofii. Kiev-Kharkov: F. A. Ioganson South Russian Book Publishing; 1896. 1099 p.).

21. Say J.-B. Traité d’économie politique ou Simple exposition de la manière dont se forment, se distribuent et se consomment les richesses. Paris: Chez Antoine-Augustin Renouard, 1803. 393 p. (Russ. ed.: Say J. B. Traktat politicheskoi ekonomii. Moscow: K. T. Soldatenkov Publ.; 1896. 400 p.).

22. Marx K. Surplus value theories. Transl. from German. Moscow: Politizdat; 1964. 674 p. (In Russ.).

23. Ricardo D. On the principles of political economy and taxation. London: John Murrey; 1817. (Russ. ed.: Ricardo D. Nachala politicheskoi ekonomii i nalogovogo oblozheniya. In: Stolyarov I. A., ed. Antologiya ekonomicheskoi klassiki (in 2 vols.). Vol. 1. Moscow: Ekonov; 1993:397–473.).

24. De Sismondi S. J.-Ch.L. Nouveaux principes d’économie politique, ou De la richesse dans ses rapports avec la population. Paris: Delaunay Libraire; 1819. 554 p. (Russ. ed.: De Sismondi S. Novye nachala politicheskoi ekonomii ili O bogatstve v ego otnoshenii k narodonaseleniyu (in 2 vols.). Vol. 1. Moscow: Sotsekgiz, 1937. 388 p.).

25. Gide Ch., Rist Ch. A history of economic doctrines from the time of the physiocrats to the present day. Boston: D. C. Heath & Co.; 1952. 672 p. (Russ. ed.: Gide Ch., Rist Ch. Istoriya ekonomicheskikh uchenii. Moscow: Ekonomika; 1995. 344 p.).

26. Samuelson P. A. Economics: An introductory analysis. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Co.; 1948. 861 p. (Russ. ed.: Samuelson P. Ekonomika (in 2 vols.). Vol. 2. Moscow: Algon; 1992. 415 p.).

27. Blaug M. Great economists before Keynes: An introduction to the lives and works of one hundred great economists of the past. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press; 1989. 304 p. (Russ. ed.: Blaug M. 100 velikikh ekonomistov do Keinsa. St. Petersburg: Ekonomicheskaya shkola; 2005. 352 p.).

28. Proudhon P.-J. Qu’est ce que la propriété? Paris: Librairie internationale Éditeur; 1867. 256 p. (Russ. ed.: Proudhon P.-J. Chto takoe sobstvennost’? ili Issledovanie o printsipe prava i vlasti. Moscow: Respublika; 1998. 367 p.).

29. Abalkin L. I. From economic theory to the concept of long-term strategy. Voprosy ekonomiki. 2010;(6):4–9. (In Russ.). DOI: 10.32609/0042–8736–2010–6–4–9

30. Heilbroner R. L. The worldly philosophers: The lives, times and ideas of the great economic thinkers. New York.: Touchstone Publishing; 1999. 368 p. (Russ. ed.: Heilbroner R. Filosofy ot mira sego. Velikie ekonomicheskie mysliteli: ikh zhizn’, epokha i idei. Moscow: Astrel, Corpus; 2011. 432 p.).

31. Owen R. Selected works (2 vols. set). Transl. from Eng. Moscow-Leningrad: USSR Academy of Sciences Publ.; 1950. 768 p. (In Russ.).

32. Saint-Simon H. Selected works (in 2 vols.). Vol. 1. Transl. from French. Moscow-Leningrad: USSR Academy of Sciences Publ.; 1948. 468 p. (In Russ.).

33. Fourier Ch. Selected works (in 4 vols.). Vol. 4. Transl. from French. Moscow-Leningrad: USSR Academy of Sciences Publ.; 1954. 587 p. (In Russ.).

34. Hildebrand B. Die Nationalökonomie der Gegenwart und Zukunft. Frankfurt am Main: Rütten; 1848. 329 p. (Russ. ed.: Hildebrand B. Politicheskaya ekonomiya nastoyashchego i budushchego. St. Petersburg: V. Bezobrazov and Co. Print.; 1860. 280 p.).

35. List F. Das nationale System der politischen Ökonomie. Stuttgart-Tübingen: Cotta Verlag, 1841. 352 p. (Russ. ed.: List F. Natsional’naya sistema politicheskoi ekonomii. St. Petersburg: A. E. Martens Publ., 1891. 452 p.).

36. Seligman B. B. Main currents in modern economics: Economic thought since 1870. New York: The Free Press of Glencoe; 1963. 887 p. (Russ. ed.: Seligman B. Osnovnye techeniya sovremennoi ekonomicheskoi mysli. Moscow: Progress; 1968. 600 p.).

37. Menger K. Grundsätze der Volkswirtschaftslehre. Wien: Wilhelm Braumüller Verlag; 1871. (Russ. ed.: Menger K. Osnovaniya politicheskoi ekonomii. Odessa: A. Khakalovskii Publ., 1903. 496 p.).

38. Commons J. R. Institutional economics. New York: The Macmillan Company; 1934. 921 p.

39. Avtonomov V. Human model in economics. St. Petersburg: Ekonomicheskaya shkola; 1998. 230 p. (In Russ.).

40. Veblen T. The place of science in modern civilization. New York: B. W. Huebsch; 1919. 509 p.

41. Mitchel W. C. The backward art of spending money. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Co.; 1937. 312 с.

42. Keynes J. M. The general theory of employment, interest and money. London: Macmillan; 1936. 383 p. (Russ. ed.: Keynes J. M. Obshchaya teoriya zanyatosti, protsenta i deneg. In: Stolyarov I. A., ed. Antologiya ekonomicheskoi klassiki (in 2 vols.). Vol. 2. Moscow: Ekonov; 1993:137–424.).

43. Social market economy. Theory and ethics of economic order in Russia and Germany. St. Petersburg: Ekonomicheskaya shkola; 1999. 368 p. (In Russ.).

44. Robbins L. The subject-matter of economics. In: An essay on the nature and significance of economic science. New York: New York University Press; 1932:1–22. (Russ. ed.: Robbins L. Predmet ekonomicheskoi nauki. THESIS: teoriya i istoriya ekonomicheskikh i sotsial’nykh institutov i system = THESIS: Theory and History of Economic and Social Institutions and Systems. 1993(1):10–23.).

45. Leontief W. Essays in economics: Theories, theorizing, facts and policies. New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction Books; 1985. 411 p. (Russ. ed.: Leontief W. Ekonomicheskie esse. Teorii, issledovaniya, fakty i politika. Moscow: Politizdat; 1990. 415 p.).

46. Abalkin L. Essays on the history of Russian socio-economic thought. Moscow: Plekhanov Russian Academy of Economics; 2008. 224 p. (In Russ.).