Alexander Vladimirovich Buzgalin

The article provides a comparative analysis of human theory within the framework of behavioral economics and modern Marxist political economy. Based on the systematized main items of these theories, the paper concludes that with all the fundamental differences, these directions reflect in different forms the objective phenomena of modern economics which require significant correction in prior notions of «homo economicus”. From the very beginning Marxist political economy would give a more complex picture with the diversity of goals and motives of human activity and behavior in different socio-economic systems. In recent decades behavioural economics has also taken these changes into account. Such corrections include, firstly, the interdisciplinary character of the study of a Man as an economic actor (behavioral economics stresses the importance of a dialogue with psychology and biology, Marxist political economy with social philosophy and sociology). Secondly, it is necessary to account not only for the irrational component of human behavior but also for the rational behavior’s orientation not only on market goals and values. Thirdly, taking into account the aggravation of global problems, both directions emphasize the need to add goals and values related to the development of human qualities, to the previous goals of economic activity (profit growth, GDP). At the same time the concept of «inclusive capitalism» is proposed within the «main trend» and at least deep reforms with concern to modern Marxism. The authors draw a conclusion concerning the possibility of advancing the strategy of eco-socio-cultural-oriented development based on the dialogue of the above-mentioned areas.

The article provides an overview and assessment of the legacy of most significant Russian researcher of the past decades in the field of theory and methodology of classical institutionalism — candidate of science in economics, associate professor Alexander Ivanovich Moskovskiy, who worked for many years at the Department of Political Economy at Lomonosov MSU Faculty of Economics. The article shows the original ideas of A. I. Moskovskiy on the correlation of classical political economy, other schools of the heterodox branch of economic theory and neoclassical, methodology and theory of classical institutionalism. Special attention is paid to the research of A. I. Moskovskiy on the relationship between the technological progress, socio-economic processes, as well as the content and role of labor. The article reveals that A. I. Moskovskiy is among the first and most profound researchers who not only criticized the processes of deindustrialization but showed the importance of focusing on re-industrialization of the economy, showing (based on classical institutionalism and modern Marxism methodology) that strategic planning and active industrial policy can become the most important means to solve this problem. The industrial era, during which huge enterprises were the main institutions for maintaining social order, is not coming to an end; that affects employment and the nature of work. At the same time, the scolar did not deny that postindustrial society is now increasingly characterized as a “knowledge society”, in which knowledge and information become a key resource for technological, economic, and social development. An important point relates to the analysis of A. I. Moskovskiy changes in the methods and forms of managing skilled workers in conditions of increasing complexity and knowledge-intensive labor.