How are economic culture and activity related? What are the main elements of culture? Activation of educational activities

20. Economic culture. Bogbaz10, §14.

20.1. Economic culture: essence and structure.

20.2. Economic relations and interests.

20.3. Economic freedom and responsibility.

20.4. Concept sustainable development.

20.5. Economic culture and activity.

20.1 . Economic culture: essence and structure.

Cultural development presupposes the identification of a cultural standard (model) and consists in following it to the maximum. These standards exist in the field of politics, economics, public relations, etc. It depends on the person whether he will choose the path of development in accordance with the cultural standard of his era or simply adapt to life circumstances.

Economic culture of society- this is a system of values ​​and motives for economic activity, the level and quality of economic knowledge, assessments and human actions, as well as the content of traditions and norms governing economic relations and behavior.

Economic culture of the individual there is an organic unity of consciousness and practical activities.

The economic culture of an individual can correspond to the economic culture of society, be ahead of it, but it can also lag behind it and hinder its development.

The structure of economic culture:

1) knowledge (a set of economic ideas about the production, exchange, distribution and consumption of material goods) and practical skills;

2) economic thinking (allows you to understand the essence of economic phenomena and processes, operate with acquired economic concepts, analyze specific economic situations);

3) economic orientation (needs, interests, motives of human activity in the economic sphere);

4) ways of organizing activities;

5) norms governing relationships and human behavior in it (frugality, discipline, wastefulness, mismanagement, greed, fraud).

20.2 . Economic relations and interests.

Not only the development of production, but also the social balance in society and its stability depend on the nature of economic relations between people (property relations, exchange of activities and distribution of goods and services). The economic interests of people act as a reflection of their economic relations. Thus, the economic interests of entrepreneurs (maximizing profits) and employees (selling their labor services at a higher price and receiving a higher salary) are determined by their place in the system of economic relations.

Economic interest- this is a person’s desire to obtain the benefits he needs to provide for his life and family.

The main content of the economic life of society is the interaction of people's economic interests. From here important task– develop ways to optimally combine their interests, their harmonization. History shows us two levers of influence on people in order to achieve greater productivity - violence and economic interest.

One of the ways of economic cooperation between people, the main means of fighting against human selfishness, has become the mechanism market economy. This mechanism has made it possible for humanity to introduce its own desire for profit into a framework that allows people to constantly cooperate with each other on mutually beneficial terms (Adam Smith on the “invisible hand” of the market).

In search of ways to harmonize the economic interests of the individual and society, they also used various ways influence on people's consciousness: philosophical teachings, moral standards, art, religion. This led to the creation of a special element of the economy - business ethics, compliance with the norms of which facilitates the conduct of business, cooperation of people, reducing mistrust and hostility. The civilized understanding of entrepreneurial success today is associated, first of all, with moral and ethical, and then with financial aspects => “It pays to be honest.”

20.3 . Economic freedom and responsibility.

Economic freedom includes freedom to make economic decisions and freedom of economic action. Economic freedom without regulation of property rights by law or tradition turns into chaos, in which the rule of force triumphs. Therefore, state regulation of a market economy often acts as a tool to accelerate its development. Economic freedom of the individual is inseparable from social responsibility. There is a contradiction inherent in the nature of economic activity. On the one hand, the desire for maximum profit and selfish protection of private interests, and on the other, the need to take into account the interests and values ​​of society.

Responsibility – a special social and moral-legal attitude of an individual to society as a whole and to other people, which is characterized by the fulfillment of one’s moral duty and legal norms. In the beginning, social responsibility was associated primarily with compliance with laws.

!!! Then, its necessary feature became the anticipation of the future (creating “tomorrow’s consumer”, ensuring environmental safety, social, political, stability of society, increasing the level of education and culture). The social responsibility of participants in economic activity today increases immeasurably due to the breakthrough of science and technology into the deep levels of the universe. The aggravation of environmental problems has led to a change in the attitude of entrepreneurs towards the environment.

20.4 . .

In the 1980s, people began to talk about eco-development, development without destruction, and the need for sustainable development of ecosystems. On the need to transition to “development without destruction.” about the need for “sustainable development”, in which “meeting the needs of the present does not undermine the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”

Sustainability concept– such a development of society that makes it possible to meet the needs of the present generation without causing damage to future generations to meet their needs.

World Bank experts determined sustainable development as a process of managing a set (portfolio) of assets aimed at preserving and expanding the opportunities available to people. Assets in this definition include not only traditionally measured physical capital, but also natural and human capital. To be sustainable, development must ensure that all these assets grow - or at least do not decrease - over time (and not just economic growth!). In accordance with the above definition of sustainable development, the main indicator of sustainability developed by the World Bank is the “true rate of savings” or “true rate of investment” in a country. Current approaches to measuring wealth accumulation do not take into account the depletion and degradation of natural resources such as forests and oil fields, on the one hand, and, on the other, investment in people - one of the most valuable assets of any country.

The emergence of the concept of sustainable development has undermined fundamental basis traditional economy - unlimited economic growth. Traditional economics argues that maximizing profits and satisfying consumers in a market system is compatible with maximizing human well-being and that market failures can be corrected by public policy. The concept of sustainable development believes that short-term profit maximization and individual consumer satisfaction will ultimately lead to the depletion of natural and social resources on which human well-being and the survival of species rest.

In one of the main documents of the UN Conference on Environment and Development (Rio de Janeiro, 1992) “Agenda 21”, in Chapter 4 (Part 1), dedicated to changes in the nature of production and consumption, the idea is traced, that we need to go beyond the concept of sustainable development, saying that some economists are "questioning traditional notions of economic growth" and suggesting the search for "patterns of consumption and production that meet the essential needs of humanity."

In fact, we may not be talking about an immediate cessation of economic growth in general, but about stopping, at the first stage, the irrational growth in the use of environmental resources. The latter is difficult to achieve in a world of growing competition and the growth of such current indicators of successful economic activity as productivity and profit. At the same time, the transition to the “information society” - an economy of intangible flows of finance, information, images, messages, intellectual property - leads to the so-called “dematerialization” of economic activity: already now the volume of financial transactions exceeds the volume of trade in material goods by 7 times. The new economy is driven not only by the scarcity of material (and natural) resources, but increasingly by the abundance of information and knowledge resources.

20.5 . Economic culture and economic activity.

The level of economic culture of an individual influences the success of fulfilling the social roles of producer, owner, and consumer. In the context of the transition to a new information and computer method of production, the worker is required not only high level training, but also high morality, a high level of general culture. Modern labor requires not so much externally supported discipline as self-discipline and self-control. An example of the dependence of the effectiveness of economic activity on the level of development of economic culture is the Japanese economy. There, the rejection of selfish behavior in favor of behavior based on rules and concepts such as “duty”, “loyalty”, “good will” contributed to the achievement of individual and group efficiency and led to industrial progress.

What are the main elements of culture?

Despite all the differences in specific interpretations and consistency of presentation in the sociological literature, as a rule, the following elements are considered:

Language as a system of signs endowed with a specific meaning, which are used to store, transform and transmit information.

Values, including life-meaning values ​​(ideas of happiness, purpose, meaning of life), vital values, values ​​of social calling, interpersonal communication, democratic freedoms, families). Beliefs, convictions.

Norms expressing society's requirements for behavior. This is an expression of will that allows for social control and provides a model of behavior.

Complex patterns of behavior: customs, traditions, rituals. Customs represent habitual social regulation, which is taken from the past. Traditions are elements of heritage that are passed on from generation to generation and form a continuity in human history. Rituals are stereotypes of symbolic collective actions that express feelings.

All these elements are a means of not only storing and transmitting experience, but also a means of transformative activity. Culture is not consciousness in general, not just a series of spiritual elements (ideas, knowledge, beliefs, values, norms, etc.), but a way, a method of axiological development of reality. These are the skills and abilities of applying knowledge, norms, etc. This is what is embodied in practical activity, in stable, repeating patterns and patterns of activity.

Functions of culture

Culture performs a number of functions. First of all, it acts as a means of storing and transmitting human experience, i.e. performs the function of social memory. At the same time, it is not reducible to it. Culture connects the spiritual wealth accumulated by humanity in the past and the spiritual values ​​of modern society. That is why culture performs educational, educational, communicative and regulatory functions. An individual becomes a personality as he socializes and masters culture: knowledge, language, values, norms, customs, traditions of his social group, his society. It is culture that makes a person human. It also exercises social control, stimulates and regulates his behavior. In this sense, culture is a human cross-section of history. Being a way, a means of social influence, culture ensures the development and transformation of the world, i.e. performs an innovative function. And finally, culture performs the functions of integration and differentiation of society. The development of culture gives people a sense of belonging to a certain group, people, nation, religion, etc. Culture in this regard ensures the integrity of communities and society. At the same time, while uniting some, it opposes them to others and is a source of disintegration.

Methodological approaches to cultural analysis

There are various methodological approaches to the sociological analysis of culture. The functional approach considers values ​​as the main element of culture. According to T. Parsons, culture is a system of values ​​organized in a certain way that meets needs. Culture is characterized by stability and resilience. Different cultures have a lot in common, so natural development is only evolution.

The conflict approach analyzes culture as a dynamic, contradictory system, as an arena of conflicts generated by the inequality of people. Values ​​are influenced by other factors, in particular, K. Marx considers them as a derivative of economic relations. Existing cultural systems are not able to provide equally for all members of society. Social inequality leads to constant social tension and revolutionary cataclysms. The dominant culture is, as a rule, the result of the imposition of its norms and values ​​by the dominant group. It subjugates other groups, consolidates relations of domination through the orientation of social institutions towards the values ​​of the dominant group, and stimulates conflicts. Both of these approaches have their advantages and disadvantages. The functional approach due to its assumptions about stability cultural systems pays less attention to cultural changes and deviations. The conflict approach reveals the contradictions of culture and analyzes the sources of development. At the same time, he overemphasizes the differences between cultures and does not see common features.

Apparently, to provide a more complete analysis it is necessary to combine elements of different approaches.

At one time, an attempt to combine conflict and functional theories was made by R. Merton. He introduced the concept of tension, taking it from conflict theory and applying it to a general functional approach. Continuing this trend, L. Coser emphasizes the functionality of the conflict itself. In Russian philosophical and sociological literature, two approaches to characterizing culture were sometimes contrasted. She was either considered creative activity or as a method (technology) of activity. In fact, these approaches complement each other. Culture as a way of exploring the world ensures the creative, transformative nature of activity.

Culture change

Culture is not frozen, given once and for all. It changes as the needs of society develop. And these changes are associated with the interaction of internal self-development of culture with external factors. Changes in culture also occur under the influence of the interaction of different cultures. Interesting in this regard are the materials of the International Project “Expecting Change in Europe”, which was developed by the International research institute social changes. A comparison of the values ​​of the corresponding Russian and European cohorts indicates that the differences between them are decreasing, especially at a young age. New generations, emerging in modern conditions, are actively mastering a number of Western sociocultural standards, regulations, and norms of behavior. However, this does not exclude the originality and even uniqueness of the Russian mentality. Social changes are manifested in the emergence or disappearance of certain elements of culture, the transformation of external and internal connections, which are reflected in the lifestyle of individuals.

Social changes are universal and at the same time variable. The levels and speed of social change increase with the development of society. They can be spontaneous and planned, differ in duration and social consequences, be fundamental or superficial in nature, contradictory and consistent. Social changes considered in dynamics represent a social process. There are social processes of functioning that ensure the reproduction of the qualitative state of an object, and social processes of development that determine the transition to a qualitatively new state.

Development is nothing more than irreversible natural changes (composition, structure), i.e. having the character of indigenous, high-quality. In terms of direction, development can be progressive or regressive. In the sociological literature, two types of social mechanisms of change and development are distinguished: evolutionary and revolutionary, and accordingly two methodological approaches to the analysis of changes are formulated. Wherein evolutionary processes are interpreted as gradual, slow, smooth quantitative and qualitative transformations, revolutionary - as relatively fast, radical qualitative changes. These approaches are based on the idea of ​​progressive development as a transition from simple to complex, from lower to higher, from less perfect to more perfect. The most complete evolutionary approach is presented by G. Spencer, who considers the historical process as part of the global evolution of the world. G. Spencer considered the criterion of progress to be the complication of the social organization of society.

E. Durkheim, developing these ideas, substantiates the position that the cause and result of the growing complexity of society is the division of labor. Representatives of the evolutionary approach view the development of society as a gradual transition from traditional to modern society. In F. Tennis's book "Community and Society", the criterion of progress is a change in the system of connections and the type of regulation of behavior. If a traditional society, according to F. Tönnies, is characterized by undeveloped specialization, the special importance of family and community, community values ​​and religion, then modern society is characterized by the emergence of a specialized professional activity, large associations of people, weakening social solidarity, focus on personal gain. If the regulation of behavior in a traditional society is carried out primarily on the basis of custom, then in modern society regulation on the basis of formalized legal norms predominates.

Based on a comparison of traditional and modern society, the theory arose industrial society, popular in the 60s. American economist and sociologist W. Rostow in the book "Stages of Economic Growth. Non-Communist Manifesto." speaks of five stages of the evolution of society: 1) traditional society continues from primitive society before 1780 (the time of the creation of the steam engine), 2) the stage of preparation for the transition to an industrial society, 3) industrial society, 4) the stage of maturity of industrial society, 5) the stage of mass consumption. The criterion of progress according to Rostow is changes in the nature of production and consumption. In the 70s, the theory " post-industrial society", according to which society in its development goes through three stages: 1) pre-industrial (agrarian), 2) industrial, 3) post-industrial. 3. Brzezinski calls the third stage technotronic, and A. Toffler - super-industrial. If the first stage is characterized by the predominance of agriculture , for the second - industry, then for the third - the service sector. Each stage has its own social structure, purpose, specific organization. In a post-industrial society, these are institutions of science and education, scientists. The stages differ in the primary product and factor of production, in the main technologies, and in the role of man. For the third stage, the initial product is human services, knowledge and experience, Hi-tech- organizational, information technologies. Man acts as a creator. Modern theories overcome the idea of ​​unilinear progress, emphasizing its multi-linearity, diversity, especially when talking about the current development of society. Modern French sociologist J. Gurvich speaks, for example, about ten types of global societies: 1) charismatic theocracies (such as ancient Egypt, Babylon), 2) patriarchal societies, 3) feudal, 4) city-states, 5) societies of the emergence of capitalism (17 -18th centuries in Europe), 6) societies of competitive capitalism (19th - early 20th centuries), 7) societies of developed capitalism, 8) fascist societies on a technical-bureaucratic basis, 9) societies based on the principles of collective centralized statism, 10) societies based on the principles of multiple decentralized collectivism.

Marxism offers the concept of a revolutionary transformation of society. According to Marxism, society in its development goes through 5 main stages: primitive communal, feudal, capitalist and communist. Each stage represents an integral socio-economic formation, in the development of which special role plays material production, economic relations. The transition from one formation to another is carried out through a social revolution. The economic basis of the revolution is the contradiction between the constantly developing productive forces and outdated production relations, which is expressed in the intensification of the class struggle. Social revolutions allow social contradictions and accelerate the development of society. In addition to the evolutionary and revolutionary approach, based on the idea of ​​social progress, there are cyclical theories of social development that consider individual types cultures as historically closed formations and analyze the cycles of their development. Their prominent representatives are the German scientist O. Spengler and the English historian A. Toynbee. O. Spengler identified 8 cultural and historical types: Egyptian, Indian, Babylonian, Chinese, Greco-Roman, Byzantine-Arabian, Mayan culture and Russian-Siberian culture, each of which is unique, original, subject to internal laws and at the same time passes alone and the same stages of birth, ascending and then descending development and death. O. Spengler calls the ascending development living creative history-culture, the descending development - civilization, which contains only dead products of culture.

A. Toynbee gives a different understanding of civilization. He calls all types of cultures civilizations. Considering civilization, A. Toynbee identifies 6 main types: 1) primary isolated civilizations (Egyptian, Andean), 2) primary non-isolated civilizations (Sumerian, Minoan, Indus, Shap, Maya), 3) secondary civilizations (Babylonian from Sumerian, ancient Indian from Indus, ancient Chinese from Shap, etc.), 4) tertiary, daughter (Orthodox-Christian, Russian, Western, Arab-Muslim, Japanese, 5) frozen civilizations (Eskimo, Spartan, Ottoman, nomadic), 6) undeveloped civilizations (Far Eastern Christian, Far Western Christian). A. Toynbee considers the criterion for the development of civilizations to be the most complete development of internal self-determination inherent in a given civilization. A. Toynbee gives comparative analysis civilizations, considering the features of their development. From what has been said, it is obvious that the concept of “civilization” is used in sociology in various senses. Civilization is identified with culture (for example, in A. Toynbee). The concept of civilization is used to characterize later, mature stages in the development of society (for example, civilization as opposed to savagery and barbarism in Morgan). Civilization is seen as special area, part of culture (for example, in O. Spengler civilization is ossified, dead objects culture). Civilization is considered as the level of culture of a society. In the theory of industrial and post-industrial society, such types (levels of culture) are distinguished as agricultural, industrial and post-industrial civilization.

In the modern era, the concept of civilization is increasingly used to characterize the development of society as a whole. Widespread development of mass media, computerization. Information technologies transforms modern society into an information society, which is characterized by much closer connections and interactions. In this regard, humanity is increasingly turning into a single socio-cultural integrity, a single civilization with its global problems. This also affects general process modernization of society - a set of changes that cover the entire society, all its aspects and elements.

There are other positions on the issue of the development of civilizations. The famous American geopolitician S. Huntington came up with the concept of an inevitable clash of civilizations. He defines civilization as a cultural community of the highest rank and predicts significant conflicts along the fault line between civilizations: Western (European and North American), Islamic, Confucian, Orthodox-Slavic, etc. Is it possible to agree with such forecasts that deny the formation of a single civilization? Can we agree that the source of conflicts in the future will not be economic and political contradictions, not a confrontation of ideas, but a difference of cultures? It seems that real processes do not provide grounds for such conclusions. Behind the aggravation of national-ethnic relations and the confrontation between religious movements there are usually certain economic and political interests.

Control questions

• 1. What is culture?

  2. What is the relationship between culture and nature?

  3. Diversity of cultures.

  4. What are the main elements of culture?

  5. Various methodological approaches to the sociological analysis of culture.

  6. Concepts of social change, development.

  7. What is civilization?

Abstract topics

Culture and civilization.

P. Sorokin about supercultures.

Values ​​as elements of culture.

Subculture of professional activity.

Literature

Vitanya I. Society, culture, sociology. - M.: Progress, 1984.

Vygotsky L.S. "Psychology of Art. - M.: Nauka, 1987.

Doctorov B.Z. Russia in the European and sociocultural space. // Sociological Journal, 1994, b3.

Markaryan E.S. Theory of culture and modern science. - M.: Nauka, 1983, p. 33-36.

Fundamentals of Sociology. / Ed. A.G. Efendieva. - M.: MSU, 1993, p. 149-210.

Smelser E. Sociology. - M.: Nauka, 1994, p. 40-68.

Sokolov E.V. Culture and personality. - L.: Science, 1972.

Toynbee A. Comprehension of history. - M.: Progress, 1991.

Huntington S. Clash of Civilizations? // Political studies. 1994. 1.

IV. PERSONALITY IN THE SYSTEM OF SOCIAL RELATIONS

The problem of personality is one of the most important in modern sociology. It is impossible to analyze social processes, the functioning and development of social systems, without turning to the study of the essence of the individual as a subject of social behavior and social relations, without studying the needs, interests, spiritual world of the individual, without analyzing its complex and diverse connections with the social micro- and macroenvironment. Personality is studied by various sciences. Philosophy is interested in the individual as a subject of cognition and creativity. Psychology analyzes personality as a stable integrity mental processes, properties. A sociologist studies personality as an element of social life, reveals the mechanism of its formation under the influence of social factors, the mechanism of feedback on the social world, its participation in the change and development of social relations. Sociology studies the connections between the individual and the social group, the individual and society, the regulation and self-regulation of social behavior.

The concept of personality. Status, social roles of the individual

The inclusion of a person in society is carried out through various elements social structure(social groups, institutions, social organizations), through the system of social roles that he performs, through the norms and values ​​of society that he accepts. In sociology, it is customary to distinguish between the concepts of “man,” “individual,” “personality,” and “individuality.” The concept of “man” serves to characterize his biosocial nature. Man is a generic concept indicating belonging to the human race, the highest stage of development of living nature on our planet. How Living being man is subject to basic biological and physiological laws, just as the social is subject to the laws of social development.

The concept "individual" characterizes individual person. The concept of “personality” serves to characterize the social in a person. Sociology is interested in man as a social being, as a product and subject of social processes, as an expression of social relations. Personality can be defined as a stable set of qualities, properties acquired under the influence of the corresponding culture of society and specific social groups to which it belongs and in whose life it is included.

The formation of these qualities and properties is largely mediated by the biological characteristics of the individual. However a vital role in the process of personality formation belongs to social influence, a huge variety of sociocultural factors that introduce a person into the social world. Is every person an individual? Yes, because through the system of his social qualities he expresses the features of a given society, social groups and other social forms. However, the level of personality development may be different.

Individuality is what distinguishes one person from another, both as a biological and as a social being. These are his unique individual characteristics. Sociology is not interested in uniqueness or individuality in itself, but in its influence, place in social processes. The study of personality requires identifying the diverse social connections of the individual with society and its elements (social groups, institutions, organizations, values, etc.). First of all, it is necessary to find out the place and position of the individual in the system of social communities. The position is revealed through the concept of status, i.e. the position of the individual in social system associated with belonging to a social group and analysis of its social roles and how it fulfills these roles.

Sociologists distinguish between prescribed and acquired statuses. If the former are determined by circumstances (for example, the status of a city dweller), origin, place of birth, then the latter are determined by the efforts of the person himself (for example, the status of a specialist). Statuses can be formalized (for example, director of an enterprise) and informal (leader of a team, group). Status and role are closely related. Social roles are those personality functions that are determined by social status. Status and role reflect the dynamic and statistical aspects of social position. If status is objective, then social role is the unity of objective and subjective. Status denotes the place of an individual in the social system, a role is a set of actions that must be performed by an individual occupying a given place. Each status usually involves a whole set of roles. The content of the social role is dictated by society, its requirements, including regulations, assessments, expectations, sanctions. The level of fulfillment of these requirements depends on how they are refracted in the consciousness of the individual and implemented in his activities. From a specialist, graduate high school, society, for example, expects a competent solution to the problems of professional activity, a high level of moral and political culture. From a father - concern for the maintenance and upbringing of children, from a friend - understanding, empathy, readiness to provide help and support.

According to T. Parsons, any role is described by five main characteristics: 1) emotional - some roles require emotional restraint, others - looseness; 2) the method of obtaining - some are prescribed, others are conquered; 3) scale - some roles are formulated and strictly limited, others are blurred; 4) formalization - action in strictly established rules or arbitrarily; 5) motivation. Since each person simultaneously performs many social roles, inter-role conflicts may arise. For example, fulfilling the role of spouses, mother and father and young specialist, the role of a scientific researcher and teacher, etc.

Since entering a social role can be difficult due to personality characteristics, the level of his abilities, preparedness, value orientations, assessment of role requirements by others and other factors, intra-role conflicts may arise. A study of the process of adaptation of a young specialist in work teams showed that intra-role conflicts arise due to the graduate’s unpreparedness to carry out organizational, educational work in a team, the lack of skills, scientific communication skills, due to the fact that the orientation of a university graduate to solving significant and creative problems is often does not correspond to the enterprise’s orientation towards using a young specialist in the first years in executive and often non-creative work, etc.

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The concept of economic culture

The economic culture of a society is the system of values ​​and motives of economic activity, the quality and level of economic knowledge, actions and assessments of a person, as well as traditions and norms governing economic relations and behavior.

Economic culture dictates a special attitude towards forms of ownership and improves the business environment.

Economic culture is an inextricable unity of consciousness and practical activity, which is decisive in the development of human economic activity and manifests itself in the process of production, distribution and consumption.

Note 1

The most important elements in the structure of economic culture include knowledge and practical skills, norms that regulate the characteristics of human behavior in the economic field, and methods of its organization.

Consciousness is the basis of human economic culture. Economic knowledge represents a complex of human economic ideas about the production, distribution, exchange, and consumption of material goods, about the forms and methods that contribute to the sustainable development of society and the influence of economic processes on its formation.

Economic knowledge is a primary component of economic culture. They allow us to develop our understanding of the basic laws of development of the economy of society, about economic relationships in the world around us, develop our economic thinking and practical skills, and allow us to develop economically competent, morally sound behavior.

Economic culture of the individual

An important place in the economic culture of an individual is occupied by economic thinking, which makes it possible to understand the essence of economic phenomena and processes, correctly use learned economic concepts, and analyze specific economic situations.

The choice of behavior patterns in the economy and the effectiveness of solving economic problems largely depend on the socio-psychological qualities of participants in economic activity. The orientation of the individual is characterized by socially significant values ​​and social attitudes.

A person’s economic culture can be seen by considering the complex of his personal properties and qualities that represent the result of his participation in activities. The level of culture of a particular person in the field of economics can be assessed by the totality of all his economic qualities.

In fact economic culture always subject to the influence of lifestyle, traditions, mentality that are characteristic to this people. Therefore, you cannot take any other model of the functioning of the economy as a model, or even more so an ideal.

Note 2

For Russia, in all likelihood, the European model of socio-economic development is closest, which is more humane than the American or Japanese, which is based on the values ​​of European spiritual culture and includes a broad system of social protection of the population.

However, this model can only be used if it is necessary to take into account the trends and features of the development of national Russian culture, otherwise it is completely pointless to talk about economic culture and its role.

Functions of economic culture

Economic culture performs several important functions.

1. Adaptive function, which is the original one. It is this that allows a person to adapt to the socio-economic conditions of society, types and forms of economic behavior, to adapt the socio-economic environment to his needs, for example, to produce the necessary economic goods, distribute them through sale, rental, exchange, etc. .
2. A cognitive function that is coordinated with the adaptive function. The knowledge contained in economic culture, familiarity with its ideals, prohibitions, and legal norms enable a person to have a reliable guideline for choosing the content and forms of his economic behavior.
3. Normative and regulatory function. Economic culture dictates to individuals and social groups certain standards and rules it has developed that influence people’s lifestyles, their attitudes and value orientations.
4. Translational function, which creates the opportunity for dialogue between generations and eras, passing on the experience of economic activity from generation to generation.

Economic culture of society – this is a system of values ​​and motives for economic activity, the level and quality of economic knowledge, assessments and human actions, as well as the content of traditions and norms governing economic relations and behavior.

Economic culture presupposes:

– respectful attitude towards any form of ownership and commercial success;

– rejection of egalitarian sentiments;

– creation and development of a social environment for entrepreneurship, etc.

Economic culture of the individual– is an organic unity of consciousness and practical activity that determines the creative direction of human economic activity in the process of production, distribution and consumption.

In the structure of economic culture, the most important elements can be identified: knowledge and practical skills, economic orientation, methods of organizing activities, norms governing relationships and human behavior in it.

The basis of the economic culture of the individual is consciousness.

Economic knowledge – a set of economic ideas about the production, exchange, distribution and consumption of material goods, the influence of economic life on the development of society, the ways and forms, methods that contribute to the sustainable development of society. They are an important component of economic culture. Economic knowledge forms an idea of ​​economic relationships in the surrounding world, the patterns of development of the economic life of society. On their basis, economic thinking and practical skills of economically literate, morally sound behavior and economic personality traits that are significant in modern conditions are developed.

An important component of the economic culture of an individual is economic thinking . It allows you to understand the essence of economic phenomena and processes, operate with acquired economic concepts, and analyze specific economic situations.

The choice of standards of behavior in the economy and the effectiveness of solving economic problems largely depend on the socio-psychological qualities of participants in economic activity. Among them, an important element of economic culture is economic orientation personality, the components of which are needs, interests and motives human activity in the economic sphere. Personality orientation includes social attitude And socially significant values .

The economic culture of a person can be traced through the totality of his personal properties and qualities, which are a certain result of his participation in activities.

Based on the totality of economic qualities, one can assess the level of a person’s economic culture.

Sample assignment

B1. Write down the word missing in the diagram.

Answer: Knowledge.

Topic 3. Economic content of property

Own(from Old Russian “sobnost’” – ownership of a thing or someone) – the ownership of things, material and spiritual values ​​by certain persons, the legal right to such ownership and economic relations between people regarding the ownership, division, redistribution of property.

Property as the appropriation of material goods by people in the process of their production, exchange, distribution and consumption is unity of legal and economic content. In real life, they are inseparable: the economic content is protected by law, and the legal content of property receives an economic form of implementation.

Legal content of property is implemented through the totality of powers of its subjects: possession, use, disposal.

These rights are closely interrelated and only together constitute the legal content of property.

Economic content of property is revealed through its functional characteristics: ownership, management And control. Moreover, the main thing is control over the production and financial activities of the subject of ownership.

In addition, the economic content of property is revealed through man's relationship to nature, to himself and to society.

Existing forms of ownership are very diverse. Here are some classifications of forms of ownership.

A modern market economy presupposes the existence of various forms of ownership, including state ownership , collective, group, individual and many mixed forms, such as, for example, collective-private or state-collective etc. A modern market economy is an economy with mixed ownership, both in the sense of the existence of different forms of ownership and in the sense of the formation of mixed forms.

According to the Constitution of the Russian Federation in Russian Federation private rights are equally recognized and protected , state, municipal and other forms of ownership.

In different countries and in different historical periods, the specific ratio of private and state property may change - the state can carry out nationalization(Latin natio - people) property, i.e. the transfer of property from private hands to the hands of the state, and privatization(Latin privatus - private) property, i.e. transfer of state property to individual citizens or legal entities created by them.

Sample assignment

B2. Below is a list of terms. All of them, with the exception of one, are associated with the concept of “property”.

Possession; rent; order; property; promotion; use.

Find and indicate a term that is not related to the concept of “property”.

Answer: Promotion.

Cultural development presupposes the identification of a cultural standard (model) and consists in following it to the maximum.

These standards exist in the field of politics, economics, social relations, etc. It depends on the person whether he will choose the path of development in accordance with the cultural standard of his era or simply adapt to life circumstances. But he cannot avoid the choice itself. Familiarity with economic culture will help you make a more informed choice in a field of activity such as economics.

The economic culture of a society is a system of values ​​and motives for economic activity, the level and quality of economic knowledge, assessments and human actions, as well as the content of traditions and norms governing economic relations and behavior. The economic culture of an individual is an organic unity of consciousness and practical activity. It determines the creative direction of human economic activity in the process of production, distribution and consumption. The economic culture of an individual can correspond to the economic culture of society, be ahead of it, but it can also lag behind it and hinder its development.

In the structure of economic culture, the most important elements can be identified: knowledge and practical skills, economic orientation, methods of organizing activities, norms governing relationships and human behavior in it.

The basis of an individual’s economic culture is consciousness, and economic knowledge is its important component. This knowledge represents a set of economic ideas about the production, exchange, distribution and consumption of material goods, the influence of economic life on the development of society, the ways and forms, methods that contribute to the sustainable development of society. Modern production and economic relations require a large and constantly increasing amount of knowledge from the employee. Economic knowledge forms an idea of ​​economic relationships in the surrounding world, patterns of development of the economic life of society. On their basis, economic thinking and practical skills of economically literate, morally sound behavior and economic personality traits that are significant in modern conditions are developed.

A person actively uses the accumulated knowledge in everyday activities, therefore an important component of his economic culture is economic thinking. It allows you to understand the essence of economic phenomena and processes, operate with acquired economic concepts, and analyze specific economic situations. Knowledge of modern economic reality is an analysis of economic laws (for example, the operation of the laws of supply and demand), the essence of various economic phenomena (for example, the causes and consequences of inflation, unemployment, etc.), economic relations (for example, employer and employee, creditor and the borrower), connections of economic life with other spheres of social life.

The choice of standards of behavior in the economy and the effectiveness of solving economic problems largely depend on the socio-psychological qualities of participants in economic activity. Among them, it is necessary to highlight such an important element of economic culture as the economic orientation of the individual, the components of which are the needs, interests and motives of human activity in the economic sphere. The orientation of the individual includes a social attitude and socially significant values. Thus, in the reformed Russian society, social attitudes towards studying
modern economic theory (this is required by the transition to new, market economic conditions), on active participation in the management of production affairs (this is facilitated by the provision of economic freedom to business entities and the emergence of enterprises based on private ownership), on participation in solving various economic problems. The system also received its development value orientations personality, including economic freedom, competition, respect for any form of property, commercial success as a great social achievement.

Social attitudes play important role in the development of the economic culture of the individual. A person who has formed, for example, an attitude toward creative work, participates in activities with great interest, supports innovative projects, introduces technical advances, etc. Such results will not be achieved by having a formal attitude towards work. (Give examples known to you of the manifestation of different attitudes towards work, compare the results of their action.) If a person has formed a social attitude towards consuming more than producing, then he subordinates his activities only to hoarding, acquisition, etc.

The economic culture of a person can be traced through the totality of his personal properties and qualities, which are a certain result of his participation in activities. Such qualities include hard work, responsibility, prudence, the ability to rationally organize one’s work, enterprise, innovation, etc. Economic qualities of a person and norms of behavior can be both positive (frugality, discipline) and negative (wastefulness, mismanagement, greed, fraud ). Based on the totality of economic qualities, one can assess the level of economic culture of an individual.

ECONOMIC RELATIONS AND INTERESTS

An important manifestation of economic culture is economic relations. Not only the development of production, but also the social balance in society and its stability depend on the nature of economic relations between people (property relations, exchange of activities and distribution of goods and services). Their content is directly related to the solution to the problem of social justice, when every person and social group has the opportunity to enjoy social benefits depending on the social usefulness of their activities, their necessity for other people and society.

The economic interests of people act as a reflection of their economic relations. Thus, the economic interests of the entrepreneur (obtaining maximum profit) and the employee (selling their labor services at a higher price and receiving a higher salary) are determined by their place in the system of economic relations. (Think how the economic interests of a doctor, scientist, farmer are determined by the content and place in existing economic relations.) Economic interest is a person’s desire to obtain the benefits he needs to provide for his life and family. Interests express ways and means of meeting people's needs. For example, making a profit (which is the economic interest of the entrepreneur) is a way to satisfy a person’s personal needs and production needs. Interest turns out to be the direct cause of human actions.

The need to resolve the contradiction between man's natural desire to save his own strength and satisfying growing needs forced people to organize the economy in such a way that it encouraged them to work intensively and through labor to achieve an increase in their well-being. History shows us two levers of influence on people in order to achieve greater labor productivity (and, accordingly, greater satisfaction of their needs) - this is violence and economic interest. Centuries-old practice has convinced humanity that violence is not the best way to economic cooperation and increase productivity. At the same time, we need such ways of organizing life together that would guarantee the right of everyone to act according to their own benefit, realizing their own interests, but at the same time their actions would contribute to the growth of the well-being of everyone and would not infringe on the rights of other people.

One of the ways of economic cooperation between people, the main means of fighting against human selfishness, has become the mechanism of a market economy. This mechanism has made it possible for humanity to introduce its own desire for profit into a framework that allows people to constantly cooperate with each other on mutually beneficial terms. (Remember how the “invisible hand” of the market works.)

In the search for ways to harmonize the economic interests of the individual and society, various forms of influence on people’s consciousness were also used: philosophical teachings, moral norms, art, religion. They played a big role in the formation of a special element of economics - business ethics, which reveals the norms and rules of behavior in economic activity. These norms are an important element of economic culture; their observance facilitates the conduct of business, cooperation of people, reducing mistrust and hostility.

If we turn to history, we will see that, for example, for Russian school Economic thought was characterized by the recognition of the priority of the common good over individual interest, the role of spiritual and moral principles in the development of initiative and entrepreneurial ethics. Thus, Russian scientist-economist, professor d.i. Pikhto called the cultural and historical forces of the people one of the factors of production influencing economic development. He considered the most important of these forces to be morals and customs, morality, education, the spirit of enterprise, legislation, government and social order life. Academician I. I. Yanzhul, who published the book “The Economic Significance of Honesty (The Forgotten Factor of Production)” in 1912, wrote in it that “none of the virtues that create the greatest wealth in the country is as important as honesty. .. Therefore, all civilized states consider it their duty to ensure the existence of this virtue by the strictest laws and to demand their execution. Here, of course: 1) honesty
as the fulfillment of a promise; 2) honesty as respect for other people's property; 3) honesty as respect for the rights of others; 4) honesty as respect for existing laws and moral rules.”

Today, in countries with developed market economies, serious attention is paid to the moral aspects of economic activity. Ethics is taught in most business schools, and many corporations adopt codes of ethics. Interest in ethics stems from an understanding of the harm that unethical, dishonest business behavior causes to society. The civilized understanding of entrepreneurial success today is also associated primarily with moral and ethical, and then with financial aspects. But what makes an entrepreneur, seemingly only interested in making a profit, think about morality and the good of the whole society? A partial answer can be found in the American auto industrialist, entrepreneur H. Ford, who put the idea of ​​serving society at the forefront of business activity: “Doing business on the basis of pure profit is an extremely risky enterprise... The task of an enterprise is to produce for consumption, and not for profit and speculation... Once the people realize that the producer does not serve them, and his end is not far off.” Favorable prospects for every entrepreneur open up when the basis of his activity is not just the desire to “earn big money”, but to earn it, focusing on the needs of people, and the more specific such orientation is, the more greater success this activity will bring.

An entrepreneur must remember that an unscrupulous business will receive an appropriate reaction from society. His personal prestige and the authority of the company will fall, which, in turn, will call into question the quality of the goods and services he offers. His profits will ultimately be at risk. For these reasons, the slogan “It pays to be honest” is becoming increasingly popular in a market economy. The practice of management itself educates a person, focusing on the choice of a standard of behavior. Entrepreneurship develops such economically and morally valuable personality qualities as responsibility, independence, prudence (the ability to navigate the environment, relate one’s desires to the desires of other people, goals to the means of achieving them), high efficiency, creativity to the point, etc.

However social conditions The conditions that developed in Russia in the 1990s - economic, political, social instability, and the lack of experience of independent economic activity among the majority of the population - made it difficult to develop a civilized type of economic activity. Real moral and psychological relations in entrepreneurship and other forms of economic activity today are still far from ideal. The desire for easy money, indifference to public interests, dishonesty, and unscrupulousness in means are quite often associated in the minds of Russians with the moral character of modern business people. There is reason to hope that the new generation, raised in conditions of economic freedom, will form new values ​​associated not only with material well-being, but also with ethical principles of activity.

ECONOMIC FREEDOM AND SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

The word “freedom”, already familiar to you, can be considered with different positions: human protection from unwanted influences, violence; the ability to act of one’s own will and in accordance with perceived necessity; availability of alternatives, choice, pluralism. What is economic freedom?

Economic freedom includes freedom to make economic decisions and freedom of economic action. An individual (and only he) has the right to decide what type of activity is preferable for him (hired labor, entrepreneurship, etc.), what form of ownership participation seems more appropriate to him, in what area and in what region of the country he will show his activity. The market, as is known, is based on the principle of economic freedom. The consumer is free to choose a product, manufacturer, and forms of consumption. The manufacturer is free to choose the type of activity, its volume and forms.

A market economy is often called a free enterprise economy. What does the word “Free” mean? The economic freedom of an entrepreneur, as scientists believe, presupposes that he has a certain set of rights that guarantee autonomy, independent decision-making on the search and choice of the type, form and scope of economic activity, methods of its implementation, use of the product produced and the profit received.

Human economic freedom has gone through an evolutionary path. Throughout history, its ebbs and flows have occurred, different aspects of human bondage in production have been exposed: personal dependence, material dependence (including the debtor from the creditor), the pressure of external circumstances (crop failure, unfavorable economic situation in the market, etc.). Social development seems to be balancing between, on the one hand, greater personal freedom, but with a high degree of economic risk, and, on the other hand, greater economic security, but with vassal dependence.

Experience shows that the principle of “nothing in excess” is applicable to the relationship between different aspects of economic freedom. Otherwise, neither freedom of creativity nor guaranteed well-being is achieved. Economic freedom without regulation of property rights by law or tradition turns into chaos, in which the rule of force triumphs. At the same time, for example, a command-administrative economy that claims to be liberated from the power of chance and limits economic initiative is doomed to stagnation in development.

The limits within which economic freedom serves production efficiency are determined by specific historical circumstances. Thus, a modern market economy, as a rule, does not need systematic, brutal violence, which is its advantage. However, restriction of market freedom for the sake of strengthening the economic situation is still practiced in our time. For example, government regulation of a market economy often acts as a tool to accelerate its development. (Remember what methods of regulation the state uses.) The growth of production ensured in this way can become the basis for strengthening the sovereignty of the individual. After all, freedom also needs a material basis: for a hungry person, self-expression means first of all the satisfaction of hunger, and only then its other possibilities.

The economic freedom of the individual is inseparable from his social responsibility. Theorists and practitioners of economics initially paid attention to the inherent contradiction in the nature of economic activity. On the one hand, the desire for maximum profit and selfish protection of private interests, and on the other, the need to take into account the interests and values ​​of society, i.e., to show social responsibility.

Responsibility is a special social and moral-legal attitude of an individual to society as a whole and to other people, which is characterized by the fulfillment of one’s moral duty and legal norms. The idea of ​​social responsibility of business, for example, became widespread in the 1970s and 1980s in the USA, and then in other countries. It assumes that an entrepreneur should be guided not only by personal economic interests, but also by the interests of society as a whole. At first, social responsibility was associated primarily with compliance with laws. Then anticipation of the future became its necessary feature. Specifically, this could be expressed in the formation of a consumer (American manufacturers set the business goal of creating “tomorrow’s consumer”) and ensuring environmental safety. Social and political stability of society, increasing the level of education and culture.

The ability of participants in economic activity to consciously fulfill the moral and legal requirements of society and bear responsibility for their activities today increases immeasurably due to the breakthrough of science and technology into the deep levels of the universe (the use of intra-atomic and other energies, the discovery of molecular biology, genetic engineering). Here, every careless step can become dangerous for humanity. Remember what catastrophic consequences the human invasion of the natural environment led to with the help of science.

For many years, industrial activity in most countries was characterized mainly by irrational use of raw materials and a high degree of environmental pollution. There was a widespread belief around the world that business and environmental protection were incompatible. Making a profit was linked to the merciless exploitation and destruction of natural resources, and the improvement of the environmental situation led to a decrease in the income of entrepreneurs and an increase in prices for consumer goods. It is therefore not surprising that the response of businesses to demands to comply with environmental standards has often been negative, and compliance with these requirements has not been voluntary (through laws, administrative control). However, the strengthening of the global environmental movement and the development of the concept and principles of sustainable development have contributed to a change in the attitude of entrepreneurs towards the environment. Sustainable development is the development of society that allows us to meet the needs of the present generation without causing harm to future generations to meet their needs. An important step in this direction was the creation of the Business Council for Sustainable Development at the UN Conference on Environment and Development, which included representatives of many of the largest transnational companies in the world. These companies and individual entrepreneurs, who have adopted the principles of sustainable development, effectively use more advanced production processes, strive to meet environmental requirements (prevention of pollution, reduction of production waste, etc.) and the best way take advantage of market opportunities. Such companies and businessmen gain advantages over competitors who do not use new approaches to business. As world experience shows, a combination of entrepreneurial activity, economic growth and environmental safety is possible.

In modern Russia, the level of environmental awareness in the business environment is still quite low. Thus, by mid-1995, according to the Ministry of Environment Protection and Natural Resources, only about 18 thousand out of 800 thousand registered small and medium-sized enterprises included environmental protection activities in their charters. And only 20% of them act in this direction. Improving the quality of life of Russians largely depends on how the economy and the environment complement each other. To do this, it is necessary to combine legal and regulatory methods with economic mechanisms and self-control of entrepreneurs, increasing their social responsibility. Using global experience, Russian entrepreneurs need to develop standards of conduct for national firms in the field of environmental protection and the transition to a sustainable development model.

CONNECTION OF ECONOMIC CULTURE AND ACTIVITY

Practice proves the close relationship and interdependence of economic culture and economic activity. The ways of organizing activities, the fulfillment by an individual of such basic social roles as producer, consumer, owner, influence the formation and development of all elements of economic culture. In turn, the level of economic culture of an individual undoubtedly affects the effectiveness of economic activity and the success of fulfilling social roles.

One of the most important social roles of an individual is the role of a producer. In the conditions of transition to a new, information-computer, technological method of production, workers are required not only to have a high level of educational and professional training, but also to have high morality and a high level of general culture. Modern work is increasingly filled creative content, which requires not so much discipline supported from the outside (boss, foreman, product inspector), but rather self-discipline and self-control. The main controller in this case is conscience, personal responsibility and other moral qualities.

The nature and effectiveness of economic activity, in turn, depends on the level of development of the basic elements of economic culture. An example of this is the Japanese market economy. There, systematic progress from selfish behavior toward rule-based behavior and concepts such as duty, loyalty, and good will proved essential to the achievement of individual and group effectiveness and played a significant role in industrial progress.

In Russian society in the 1990s. the changes taking place led to the abandonment of the social and ethical values ​​that had developed under the command-administrative system and the destruction of past experience. Creative work has often begun to be replaced by consumer aspirations and the struggle for survival. Understanding the experience of the transition period shows that the liberal thinking dominant in economic policy contributed to the development of a market economy, but at the same time caused unjustified social stratification, an increase in poverty, and a decrease in the quality of life. Many experts believe that this process of liberalization was accompanied by the formation of a new value system, where “only money decides everything.”

This shift in values ​​is confirmed by the fact that during the transition to a market in our country, fraud took on a large scale. This phenomenon has many faces, but the basis of any of its varieties (theft, embezzlement, forgery, forgery of documents, deception, etc.) is the malicious appropriation of someone else’s property, regardless of the form in which it appears: money (for example, the activities of financial pyramids ), other material assets, intellectual developments, etc. In 1998 alone, about 150 thousand economic crimes were detected in Russia. The state is forced to take measures to ensure favorable changes in legal economic conditions for business, to establish public control over the activities of business entities within the boundaries of the “legal field,” to look for ways to protect the population from financial fraudsters, to protect savings, and to protect the institution of private property itself.

The process of forming the values ​​of the new economy in Russia continues, as illustrated by the following two polar judgments regarding the market economy. The first of them says: “The principle of benefit destroys conscience and dries up a person’s moral feelings. Private property binds a person to himself in such a way that separates him from other people. The market, with its deification of economic freedom, is incompatible with true equality, and therefore the entire market society is inherently anti-democratic and anti-people.” The second states: “Under civilized market relations, the apparent incompatibility of “interest” and “ideal”, material abundance and spirituality is overcome. It is privatized property that makes a person independent and serves as a reliable guarantor of his freedom. Market demands establish immutable standards of honesty, integrity and trust in quality mandatory conditions efficiency business relations. Competition is a harsh thing, but it is a struggle according to rules, the observance of which is vigilantly monitored public opinion. The essence of democracy lies primarily in freedom - economic, political and intellectual. And equality in poverty inevitably leads to a crisis of public morality.” Which of the judgments is more reasonable is up to you to decide.

The changes taking place in the country have confronted people and society with a choice possible options development. This choice takes place not only in politics and economics, but also in the sociocultural sphere, on which the direction of life largely depends. value guidelines, the sustainability of any human community.

PRACTICAL CONCLUSIONS

1 When engaging in any practical economic activity, use economic knowledge and norms of economic culture to make the right choice and make decisions that are optimal for the success of your business.

2 Expand your economic horizons, follow the socio-economic changes taking place in society, which will help you fulfill your responsibilities as a citizen. As a voter, by participating in elections you will be able to influence the economic policy of the state.

3 Determine your position in relation to such negative phenomena as the cult of profit, money, deception and appropriation of other people's property, unfair competition.

4 Try to refuse uncivilized forms of participation in economic life, from “not playing by the rules.” When making a decision, not only weigh it on the scales of reason, but also listen to the natural judge - conscience.

5 Cultivate in yourself economically significant qualities that will help you gain greater resilience and competitiveness: efficiency and enterprise, initiative and independence, the need to achieve success and social responsibility, creative activity.

Document

From the work of the Russian public figure, Doctor of Economic Sciences E. S. Stroev “State, Society and Reforms in Russia.”

IN turning points, such as the current one, it is extremely dangerous to stop, to limit ourselves to... a landfill filled with various fragments of political-economic and previous socio-cultural accumulations.

Pitirim Sorokin drew attention to this phenomenon long ago: “...Any people, society or nation that cannot create a new socio-cultural order instead of the one that collapsed ceases to be a leading “historical” people or nation and simply turns into “economic human material” "that will be absorbed and used by other, more creative societies and peoples."

This situation is a warning for Russia and other countries within its area of ​​interests, since now science, culture, education, morality, and ideology here are increasingly reminiscent of a “historical dump” of heterogeneous, incompatible sociocultural types, and the energy of creative transformations to some extent resides in stagnation.

Questions and tasks for the document

1. What is the author warning Russian society about? What choice should it make and why?
2. Does Russia need a new sociocultural order?
3. What previous cultural accumulations associated with the command economy could be consigned to the “historical dustbin”?
4. Based on the text of the paragraph, suggest the values ​​of the “new economy” that would become significant elements economic culture of the 21st century.

SELF-TEST QUESTIONS

1. What are the main elements of economic culture?
2. What is the importance of economic orientation and social attitudes personalities?
3. Is self-interest the only basis for economic choice?
4. What determines a person’s choice of standard of economic behavior?
5. Should economic freedom be limited?
6. Is a “voluntary marriage” of economics and ecology possible?
7. What is the essence and significance of economically competent and morally valuable human behavior in the economy?
8. What difficulties is the new economy in Russia experiencing?

TASKS

1 What words do you associate with market relations in the Russian economy: anarchy, economic
efficiency, barbarism, honesty, social partnership, deception, stability, justice, legality, profit, rationality? Illustrate with examples and justify your choice.

2. These lines are from a letter from your peer to the editor of a newspaper: “Only intelligence, only sober calculation - that’s what you need in life. Rely only on yourself, then you will achieve everything. And trust less in so-called feelings, which also do not exist. Rationalism, dynamism - these are the ideals of our era.” What can you agree or argue with the author of the letter?

3. “Freedom can be preserved only where it is conscious and responsibility for it is felt,” says the German philosopher of the 20th century. K. Jaspers. Can you agree with the scientist? Give examples to support his idea. Name the three main values ​​of a free person, in your opinion.

4. International experts rank Russia 149th in the world in terms of investment reliability. Thus, according to domestic experts, more than 80% of Russian businessmen believe that it is better not to break the law. But in practice, more than 90% are faced with non-obligatory partners. At the same time, only 60% of them feel guilty. How do you feel about the existence of two moralities among participants in economic relations - for yourself and for your partner? Is it possible to create a system in a country to protect and support economic behavior that is reliable, predictable and trustworthy? What would you suggest doing about this?

If you have corrections or suggestions for this lesson, write to us.