Traditions of Dominance of Moral Foundations in Russian Political Economy (Second Half of the XIX — First Third of the XX Century)

The subject of the study is alternative scientific and practical works by Russian scholars from the second half of the 19^th and the first third of the 20th century, dedicated to ideal models of economic life based on moral values and connected with the German historical school and Marxism.

The purpose of the study is to examine and systematize the unique traditions of the moral approach in Russian political economy. This approach was formed during the period under study based on the theoretical and methodological ideas of the German Historical School and Marxism. It includes moral and ethical principles and norms of human behavior in society.

The methods used were: analysis and synthesis, logical, and historical-economic. The reasons why traditionalists in Russian political economy do not absolutize the moral foundations associated with Smithian metaphors of the «economic man» and the «invisible hand» have been identified. The enduring values of their legacy have been identified, which are based on research into the development and justification of a holistic toolkit for the moral and ethical development of the national economy. The authors conclude that the traditions of prioritizing moral foundations in Russian political economy, which took shape in the second half of the 19th and the first third of the 20th centuries, anticipated subsequent political economic research that emphasizes the need for all economic actors to adhere to the principles of justice and ethics, spirituality and honesty. The prospect of further research in this area is primarily linked to the development by the scientific economic community of a system of morally oriented measures in economic life that will permanently contribute to giving it a social focus.

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