20. Economic culture. Godbaz10, §14.

20.1. Economic culture: essence and structure.

20.2. Economic relations and interests.

20.3. economic freedom and responsibility.

20.4. The concept of sustainable development.

20.5. Economic culture and activity.

20.1 . Economic culture: essence and structure.

Cultural development involves the selection of a cultural standard (sample) and consists in following it as much as possible. These standards exist in the field of politics, economics, public relations, and so on. It depends on a person whether he chooses the path of development in accordance with the cultural standard of his era or simply adapts to life circumstances.

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

Economic culture of personality there is an organic unity of consciousness and practical activity.

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

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 know the essence of economic phenomena and processes, operate with learned 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) the norms governing relations and human behavior in it (thrift, discipline, wastefulness, mismanagement, greed, fraud).

20.2 . .

Not only the development of production, but also the social balance in society, its stability depends on the nature of economic relations between people (relationships of property, 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 (getting the maximum profit) and the hired worker (selling their labor services more expensively and getting a higher salary) are determined by their place in the system of economic relations.

Economic interest- this is the desire of a person to receive the benefits necessary for him to provide for his life and family.

One of the ways of economic cooperation of people, the main means of struggle against human egoism has become the mechanism of the market economy. This mechanism made it possible for humanity to put 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, various methods of influencing people's consciousness were also used: philosophical teachings, moral norms, art, religion. This led to the creation of a special element of the economy - business ethics, the observance of which facilitates the conduct of business, the cooperation of people, reducing distrust and hostility. A civilized understanding of entrepreneurial success today is associated, first of all, with moral and ethical, and then with financial aspects => "Being honest is profitable."

20.3 . Economic freedom and responsibility.

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

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

!!! Then, anticipation of the future became its necessary sign (creation of "tomorrow's consumer", ensuring environmental safety, social, political, social stability, raising the level of education and culture). The social responsibility of participants in economic activity today is immeasurably increasing due to the breakthrough of science and technology into the deepest levels of the universe. Aggravation environmental issues led to a change in the attitude of entrepreneurs to environment.

20.4 . .

In the 1980s, they began to talk about eco-development, development without destruction, the need for sustainable development of ecosystems. On the necessity of transition to "development without destruction". on 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."

The concept of sustainable development- such a development of society that allows you to meet the needs of the present generation, without prejudice to future generations to meet their needs.

World Bank experts identified 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 counted physical capital, but also natural and human capital. To be sustainable, development must ensure growth - or at least non-diminishment - over time of all these assets (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 savings rate (rate)” or “true investment rate” in the 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 hand, investment in people - one of the most valuable assets of any country.

The emergence of the concept of sustainable development has undermined the fundamental basis of the traditional economy - unlimited economic growth. Conventional economics argues that profit maximization and consumer satisfaction in a market system is compatible with the maximization of people's well-being, and that market failures can be corrected by public policy. The concept of sustainable development believes that short-term profit maximization and the satisfaction of individual consumers will eventually lead to the depletion of natural and social resources on which the well-being of people and the survival of biological species is based.

In one of the main documents of the UN Conference on Environment and Development (Rio de Janeiro, 1992) "Agenda for the 21st Century", in chapter 4 (part 1), devoted to changes in the nature of production and consumption, the idea is traced, that it is necessary to go beyond the concept of sustainable development, when it says that some economists "question the traditional notions of economic growth", and suggests a search for "patterns of consumption and production that meet the essential needs of mankind."

In fact, it may not be about the immediate cessation of economic growth in general, but about the cessation, at the first stage, of the irrational growth in the use of environmental resources. The latter is difficult to implement in a world of growing competition, the growth of such current indicators of successful economic activity as productivity and profit. At the same time, the transition to the "information society" - the 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 by all more an abundance of information and knowledge resources.

20.5 . Economic culture and economic activity.

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

The concept of economic culture

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

Economic culture dictates a special attitude to forms of ownership, improves the business environment.

Economic culture is an inseparable 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.

Remark 1

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

Consciousness is the basis of human economic culture. Economic knowledge is 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 impact on its formation of economic processes.

Economic knowledge is a paramount component of economic culture. They allow us to develop our understanding of the basic laws of the 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 justified behavior.

Economic culture of personality

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

The choice of patterns of behavior 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 personality is characterized by socially significant values ​​and social attitudes.

The economic culture of a person can be seen by considering the complex of his personal properties and qualities, representing the result of his participation in the activity. 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 is always influenced by the way of life, traditions, and mentality that are characteristic of a given people. Therefore, as a model, or even more so an ideal, one cannot take any foreign model of the functioning of the economy.

Remark 2

For Russia, in all likelihood, the European model of socio-economic development is closest, which is more humane than the American or Japanese one, 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 be used only if the trends and features of the development of national Russian culture are taken into account, otherwise it is completely meaningless 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. It is she who allows a person to adapt to the socio-economic conditions of society, types and forms economic behavior, adapt the socio-economic environment to their needs, for example, produce the necessary economic benefits, distribute them by selling, leasing, exchanging, etc.
2. Cognitive function, which is coordinated with the adaptive function. The knowledge contained in economic culture, familiarity with its ideals, prohibitions, legal norms enables a person to have a reliable guideline for choosing the content and forms of his economic behavior.
3. Regulatory function. Economic culture dictates to individuals and social groups certain standards and rules developed by it that affect the way of life of people, their attitudes and value orientations.
4. A translational function that creates an opportunity for a dialogue between generations and eras, passing on the experience of economic activity from generation to generation.

In sociology - the science of human society and the systems that make it up, the laws of development of society - the concept of culture is a central forming element. Culture from the point of view of sociology is nothing more than a special way of society, which refers to all the achievements of mankind in spiritual, industrial or social terms.

The study of the concept of "culture" by university students

Sociology and cultural studies are studied by students of many specialties as general disciplines. Particular attention is paid to these sciences in the humanities:

• future psychologists study sociology as the doctrine of a "multiple" society, and not a single individual;
• teachers of literature are more concerned with the cultural component, the history of the development of the language and ethnography;
• historians consider the material components of culture, that is, household items of ancestors, architecture characteristic of different eras, the customs of the people in the process historical development etc;
• even law students study sociology and the intangible elements of culture, namely institutions, norms, values, and beliefs.

So, almost all students of not only humanitarian, but also technical faculties face the task “Characterize the main elements of culture” in classes in cultural studies, business ethics, psychology of performance or sociology.

Introduction: what is culture and how does it relate to other sciences

Culture is a very ambiguous concept, which still does not have a single clear definition. The main elements and functions of culture are so interconnected that they create a single whole. The term denotes the totality of the general development human society in the process of evolution and formation, from ancient times to the present, the concept of beauty and attitude to art. In a simplified sense, culture can be called common habits and customs, traditions, language and ideas of people living in the same area and in the same historical period.

The concept includes a set of material and spiritual values ​​that characterize the level of development of both society as a whole and an individual. In a narrower sense, culture is only spiritual values. It is she who is one of the main properties that are inherent in any stable association of people, a permanent group, whether it be a family, a tribal community, a clan, an urban and rural settlement, a state, a union.

Culture is the subject of study not only of cultural studies. The main elements of culture, values ​​and norms, the achievements of mankind in spiritual, industrial and moral relations are also studied by:

• literature;
• sociology;
• geography;
• art history;
• philosophy;
• ethnography;
• psychology.

Tasks of culture: vector development, socialization, formation of the socio-cultural environment

To understand the true role of culture in the life of an individual and society as a whole, it is necessary to analyze its specific functions. In a generalized sense, its task is to connect individuals into a single humanity, to provide communication and communication. Each function is designed to solve a specific task, but all of them can be reduced to three super-tasks of culture:

1. Vector development of humanity. Culture determines the values, directions and goals of the further development of human society in order to improve the created material and spiritual world.
2. Socialization of an individual in a society, a particular social group. Culture provides social organization, as already mentioned, binds people into a single humanity or other small social group (family, labor collective, nation).
3. Formation of the socio-cultural environment and the creation of means for the best implementation and reflection of the ongoing cultural process. This refers to the creation of material and spiritual means, values ​​and concepts, conditions, which are then included in the cultural process.

Functions of culture that ensure the implementation of tasks

Thus, it is culture that acts as a means of accumulation, storage and transmission of human experience from generation to generation. These tasks are implemented through a number of functions:

1. Educational function. Culture makes a person a personality, because it is in the process of socialization that an individual becomes a full member of society. Socialization also includes the process of mastering the norms of behavior, language, symbols and values ​​of one's people. The culture of the development of an individual is associated with erudition, the level of familiarity with cultural heritage understanding of works of art, creativity, accuracy, courtesy, fluency in native and foreign languages, self-control, high morality.
2. Integrative and disintegrative functions. They determine what culture creates in people who make up a particular group, a sense of community, belonging to one nation, religion, people, and so on. Culture provides integrity, but also, uniting members of one group, separates them from another community. As a result, cultural conflicts can arise - this is how culture also performs a disintegrative function.
3. regulatory function. Values, norms and ideals formulate the behavior of the individual in society. Culture defines the framework within which a person can and should act, regulates behavior in the family, at work, in the school community, and so on.
4. The function of broadcasting social experience. Information, or the function of historical continuity, allows you to transfer certain social experience from generation to generation. Human society, apart from culture, has no other mechanisms for concentrating and transferring accumulated experience. That is why it is called humanity.
5. Cognitive or Culture concentrates the best social experience of many generations and accumulates the richest knowledge, which creates unique opportunities for learning and mastering.
6. Normative, or regulatory, function. In all areas public life culture influences in one way or another. interpersonal relationships, people interaction. This function is supported by normative systems, such as character and morality.
7. Sign function of culture. Culture is a certain system of signs, without studying which it is not possible to master cultural values. Language (also a means of interaction between people, is the most important means of mastering the national culture. To learn the world of painting, music and theater allows specific sign systems.
8. Holistic, or Culture forms value needs, acts as a factor that allows you to determine the culture of a person.
9. Social functions: integration, organization and regulation of joint activities of people, provision of livelihoods (knowledge, accumulation of experience, and so on), regulation of individual areas of life.
10. adaptive function. Culture provides adaptation of people to the environment and is necessary condition evolution, development of human society.

Thus, the system of culture is not only diverse, but also extremely mobile.

Types and types of culture: a brief overview and enumeration

Culture is quite complex. The section of the science of cultural studies that studies culture as a system, its structural elements, structure and special features, is called the morphology of culture. The latter is divided into economic, technological, artistic, legal, professional, domestic, communicative, behavioral, religious, and so on.

Artistic solves the problem of sensual reflection of being in images. The central place in this type of culture is occupied by the art itself, that is, literature, painting, architecture, music, dance, cinema, circus.

Household defines traditional production and household life, crafts, folk crafts, national costume, rituals, traditions and beliefs, applied arts and so on. This type of culture is very close to ethnic.

Economic culture and its elements

Economic culture refers to the respect for private property and commercial success, the creation and development of suitable social environment for entrepreneurship, the system of values ​​in economic (entrepreneurial, working) activities. What are the main elements of economic culture? Everything that in one way or another is connected with human economic activity and correlates with culture. So, the main elements of economic culture are certain knowledge and practical skills, ways of organizing economic activity and norms that regulate relations, the economic orientation of the individual.

Political culture, its characteristics and elements

Political culture is understood as a qualitative characteristic of the political life of society in a broad sense, or a set of ideas of a particular group about politics. Political culture determines the "rules of the game" in the political sphere, sets certain limits, and contributes to the formation of basic types of behavior. The main elements of political culture are political values, generally accepted assessments of the state and prospects of the political system, accumulated experience in this area, conviction in the truth of one's knowledge, certain legal norms, means of political communication and the practice of functioning of political institutions.

Organizational (professional, business, corporate) culture

Organizational culture is inherently close to professional, it is often called the business, corporate or social culture of the organization. This term refers to the norms, values ​​and rules adopted by the majority of members of an organization or enterprise. Its external manifestation is called organizational behavior. The main elements of organizational culture are the rules that the employees of the organization adhere to, corporate values, symbols. Also elements are the dress code, established standards of service or product quality, moral standards.

Moral and spiritual culture

Signs and symbols, rules of behavior in society, values, habits and customs are all elements of culture. Also elements are spiritual and social values, works of art. All these individual components can be classified in different ways.

In the most general sense, the main elements of culture are the material and spiritual components. Material identifies the material (material) side of any cultural activity or process. The elements of the material component are buildings and structures (architecture), tools of production and labor, vehicles, various communications and roads, agricultural land, household items, everything that is commonly called the artificial human environment.

The main elements of spiritual culture include a set of certain ideas and ideas that reflect the existing reality, the ideals and values ​​of mankind, the creative, intellectual, aesthetic and emotional activity of people, its results (spiritual values). The components of spiritual culture are values, rules, habits, manners, customs and traditions.

An indicator of spiritual culture is social consciousness, and the core is spiritual values. Spiritual values, that is, worldview, aesthetic and scientific ideas, moral norms, works of art, cultural traditions, are expressed in subject, behavioral and verbal form.

Brief description of the main elements of culture

The concept of culture, the main elements of culture, its types and types constitute the generality, the integrity of this concept itself. Its morphology, that is, its structural elements as a system, is even a separate, rather extensive section of cultural studies. The study of all diversity is carried out on the basis of the study of the basic elements of culture. Everything that was created by man in the process of spiritual, historical development is subject to consideration. Thus, the main elements of culture are:

1. Signs and symbols, that is, objects that serve to designate other objects.
2. Language as a class of sign systems and as a separate sign system used by a specific group of people.
3. Social values, that is, those preferences that are given priority by various social groups.
4. The rules that govern the behavior of the members of the group set the framework in accordance with the values.
5. Habits are permanent patterns of behavior.
6. Habit-based manners.
7. Etiquette as a system of rules of conduct accepted by society, which is inherent in individual individuals.
8. Customs, that is, the traditional order of behavior inherent in the broad masses.
9. Traditions passed down from generation to generation.
10. Rituals or rituals as a set of collective actions that embody certain ideas, norms and values, ideas.
11. Religion as a way of understanding and knowing the world, and so on.

The main elements of culture are considered in the aspect that is associated with the functioning of society as a whole, as well as in connection with the regulation of the behavior of a particular person and certain social groups. Items listed necessarily present in both small and large, both modern and traditional societies, in every social culture.

What basic elements of culture are the most stable? Language, traditions and rituals, social values, as well as certain norms are distinguished by constancy. These basic elements of culture distinguish one social group from another, unite members of the same family, collective, tribal, urban or rural community, state, union of states, and so on.

taking into account specific economic factors (reasons) for the allocation and mutual arrangement of various social groups in the socio-economic structure of society. A. V. Dorin divides the foundations of socio-economic stratification into objective and subjective.

TO objective grounds socio-economic stratification include:

employment, its measure and type;

position in the social division of labor (managerial or executive labor, physical or mental, agricultural or industrial, etc.);

peculiarity of labor in terms of its conditions and content;

profession and occupation (with or without education, employed or self-employed);

attitude to ownership of the means of production (its presence or absence);

attitude to the organization and management of production and labor (its level, legal and economic foundations, formal or informal nature);

incomes, their measure, sources, legitimacy and morality, stability or instability;

education and qualifications (level, profile, prestige).

TO subjective grounds socio-economic stratification can include:

orientation of people only to certain professions;

difference in behavior styles in the same types of labor;

passivity or activity;

striving for leadership or preference for performing activities;

the importance of labor and wages;

law-abiding or vice versa;

the degree of morality in labor and property matters;

predisposition to individual or joint work. Of course, taking into account all these factors is a very time-consuming task, and

not always necessary. It all depends on the specific situation and the objectives of the study. At the same time, we must not forget that almost all of the above, both objective and subjective grounds for socio-economic stratification, manifest themselves as differences are relative, i.e., acting within specific temporal and spatial boundaries.

Thus, differences in occupations are not so important in conditions of shortage of jobs, or if people are more focused on material incentives.

Differences in income are not so significant if they are large enough on average for the majority of the population, or people are more focused on spiritual values.

Employment and unemployment are less explicit about the socioeconomic status of individuals and groups if the working people are paid low wages, or if unemployment benefits are high enough.

Education can mean only the professional nature of work, but it can seriously determine the socio-economic prospects of a person, it can guarantee employment, or, on the contrary, contribute to unemployment.

Property has a different meaning in different conditions of its distribution (democratic or caste), political and economic stability in the country.

The individual qualities of people (style of behavior, spiritual properties, character traits) are also relative and depend on the state of the socio-economic system as a whole, specific situations and cases.

And, nevertheless, the allocation of various socio-economic strata is necessary not only for the sake of satisfying scientific curiosity. This is necessary, first of all, for the successful solution of specific problems that arise in the practice of socio-economic management.

2. As already noted, the stratification approach to the analysis of the socio-economic structure of society can be supplemented by a description of social differentiation, when different socio-economic groups are distinguished and their features are studied. First of all, this allows us to highlight some important features that are typical for certain groups of people and can have a significant impact on the behavior of these groups, on the characteristics of interaction with other groups.

In particular, A. V. Dorin identifies the following common types social

economic groups:

traditional and new groups (according to the time of existence and the degree of integration of the group into the socio-economic system). New - these are groups that do not have a certain status. Social and demographic differences (sex, age, professional affiliation) are possible between traditional and new groups;

dominant groups. Dominance is manifested in the leadership and dominance of some groups over others; may be long-term or temporary.

Dominance is associated with the priority of the role. This is observed both at the macro level and at the micro level. For example, workers, the peasantry (in conditions of famine), engineering and technical intelligentsia, managers, economists; at the enterprise level, certain groups of workers can dominate. The basis of dominance can also be the division of socio-economic functions into basic and non-basic. Dominant groups always seek various kinds of privileges and want recognition of their position from other groups;

marginal groups. These are groups occupying a borderline, intermediate position, combining the features of several groups. For example, self-employed workers who do not use hired labor (combine the features of owners and workers); new poor (their incomes are below the average level, but not beggarly; or people who suddenly found themselves poor, but by inertia retained the consumer attitudes of the middle class); categories of workers employed in the city, but living in the countryside, and vice versa; some categories of highly skilled workers (between workers and engineers); lower level managers; trade union activists;

problem groups. These are those socio-economic groups that occupy an unfavorable position against the general background. The problematic nature of the group is determined primarily by objective rather than subjective indicators (the unemployed, migrants, working single mothers and heads of large families working in hazardous and difficult areas, low-paid workers who want to improve their skills but do not have such an opportunity, those whose work requires prolonged separation from home and family). The problematic of the group is sometimes amenable to resolution or at least regulation;

closed, open, transitional groups. The general criterion for the selection of these groups is the possibility of intergroup movements, entry into the group and exit from it. There are various economic, administrative and legal ways to secure personnel. There are some professions and occupations, access to which quite legitimately requires the fulfillment of fairly stringent conditions. In some cases, enterprises have limited opportunities for vertical movement of personnel. Transitional - these are groups that are characterized by instability and variability in composition. Each newcomer considers his stay in it as temporary (until he receives some benefits - registration, housing, seniority);

nominal and real groups. Nominal groups are based on the similarity of external signs of a set of people (all having the same specialty, salary, working in state enterprises or in private

firms). Real - these are groups based on actual contacts and interaction (employees of one enterprise). The line between real and nominal group is very fluid. Movements are possible in both directions.

Of the most significant in society, specific social

economic groups can be distinguished: the working class; intelligentsia; employees; bureaucracy and managers; small entrepreneurs and self-employed workers.

The differences between these groups should be analyzed on such grounds as:

The image of the group in the minds of society. It is unstable, changeable, associated with certain stereotypes, but it always really affects the position and living conditions of the group (entrepreneurs, peasants, managers, trade workers).

group solidarity. Members of the group are aware of themselves as a whole and different from other groups. There are active and passive forms of solidarity. Each individual person is simultaneously included in several "circles" of solidarity. Solidarity can be actual and potential.

The economic ideology of the group. Groups evaluate and perceive economic life in terms of their economic interests: they explain their claims as fair and legitimate; promote themselves, their role, methods and results of their activities; indicate acceptable behaviors for themselves; approve such principles of relations and activities in the economic sphere, which correspond to their own capabilities and abilities.

opinion groups. The following types of group opinions on socio-economic issues can be distinguished:

elitism (desire for the formation of elites, attitude to join the elites, passive acceptance of the existence of elites);

egalitarianism (striving for equality, rejection of inequality, passive acceptance of equality);

etatism (desire for administrative regulation, trust in it, expectation of putting things in order with a strong hand, hostility to spontaneity, sympathy for state approaches in the distribution of goods and values);

liberalism (the desire for free distributive relations between people, rejection of interference "from above";

paternalism (the desire to support the weak, the poor, the expectation of help, the adoption of violent forms of redistribution, the willingness to submit to any kind of domination);

individualism (orientation to the principle of "every man for himself" in property relations acceptance of the most acute forms of struggle for material goods, full responsibility for oneself).

social identification. It means the relation of an individual to a social group. In doing so, one should distinguish between:

a) self-identification; b) mutual identification;

c) objective identification (according to objective features).

As a rule, these types of identifications do not match. People refer to themselves as

more or less wealthy than in reality. People tend to focus on some middle ground. People experience their situation differently (calmly or painfully). People classify themselves and others as “the wrong ones” and according to purely labor criteria: qualifications, status, profession. This is not only a game, but also a manifestation of conflict between people about employment, distribution, responsibility, prestige, authority.

Literature: 1, pp. 147–160, 175–185; 3, pp. 29–70; 4, pp. 87–101; 5, pp. 51–61; 6, pp. 96–124, 223–251; 9, pp. 46–60.

Questions and tasks

1. How, using the four criteria of inequality, to build a stratification model of society?

2. What is socio-economic stratification?

3. Analyze the effect of objective and subjective grounds for co- socio-economic stratification.

4. Why do both objective and subjective grounds for socio-economic stratification appear as relative differences?

5. List and analyze common types socio-economic

6. Describe the specific socio-economic groups that exist in modern Belarusian society on the basis of the proposed features.

7. Compare the pyramidal and rhombic types of the socio-economic structure of society, list their main differences.

8. Why are poverty and wealth socially relative?

10. Try to characterize any specific socio-economic groups, using the proposed categories of public opinion.

Topic 3. ECONOMIC CULTURE

1. Economic culture, its main elements and functions.

2. Economic ideology: concept, types and social carriers.

3. Sociological analysis of economic behavior.

1. In economic sociology, there are different approaches to the definition of the concept of "economic culture". In the context of a sociological analysis of cultural processeseconomic culture societies should most likely be defined as the "projection" of culture (in the broadest sense) on the relationships of people in the economic sphere. Russian researchers T. I. Zaslavskaya and R. V. Ryvkina understand economic culture as “co-

a set of social values ​​and norms that are regulators of economic behavior and perform the role of social memory of economic development: contributing (or hindering) the transmission, selection and renewal of values, norms and needs, functioning in the economic sphere and orienting its subjects to certain forms of economic activity "

Since culture, as a social phenomenon, is primarily a system of norms, values ​​and patterns of behavior developed in the process of social development, then in the composition (structure) economic culture it is also necessary to single out in a certain way interconnected norms, values ​​and patterns of behavior.

They are extremely varied. With a significant degree of convention building blocks economic culture are:

1) social norms determined by the objective needs of the development of the economy (within the historical and geographical boundaries of a particular social system);

2) social values ​​that have arisen in other areas of public life (politics, religion, morality), but have a tangible impact on economic processes;

3) economic interests, expectations, stereotypes and orientations of various

other social groups that become models (patterns) of behavior for people of the corresponding social status. Economic culture primarily regulates social interactions.

actions in the economic sphere (production, distribution, exchange, consumption). Thus, it acts as a regulator of the economic behavior of subjects of economic relations (individuals, communities, social institutions). Economic culture (as part of the general culture) accumulates, stores

nit and conveys social experience associated with the evolution (in time and space) of socio-economic processes.

Among the most significant features of economic culture (in comparison with other types of cultures), attention should be paid to the following:

the main channel of influence of economic culture on the economy is primarily economic behavior, and not any other;

in the transfer, implementation, rejection of certain elements of the economic culture of society, a huge role is played by political groups of power;

economic culture to a much greater extent than other

culture focused on managing people's behavior. Main Functions economic culture according to

G. N. Sokolova are:

translational;

breeding;

innovative.

The translational function of economic culture is manifested in the transmission of norms, values, patterns of behavior, stereotypes, expectations, orientations, etc. The content and orientation of "translations" are quite diverse: between different generations, social communities (territorial, professional, ethnic), economic cultures of different societies.

The selection function of economic culture is manifested in the selection from inherited norms and values ​​of those that can be useful (from the point of view of economic entities) for solving their socio-economic problems.

The innovative function of economic culture is manifested in the constant renewal (of course, with varying degrees of intensity) of norms, values ​​and patterns of behavior. Innovations in the economic culture of a particular society can be developed independently or borrowed from the economic culture of another society.

E. M. Babosov somewhat expands and details the range of functions performed by economic culture.

He considers the initial function of economic culture to be adaptive, which allows individuals and social communities to adapt to the changing conditions of their socio-economic activity precisely through the application of values, norms and patterns of behavior concentrated in economic culture.

In direct connection with the adaptive function, from the point of view of E. M. Babosov, is the cognitive function of economic culture. Its action is expressed in the possibility for each person to obtain a reliable guide for choosing the direction, content and forms of their economic behavior, mastering the knowledge (legal and moral norms, prohibitions, ideals, etc.) contained in economic culture.

A very important function of economic culture, according to E. M. Babosov, is regulatory. The essence of this function lies in prescribing certain standards and rules of behavior to individuals and social groups, developed and enshrined in the economic culture of a particular society. They form the way of life of people, attitudes, value orientations, role expectations, claims and methods of activity in the economic sphere of society.

Agreeing that economic culture performs in society the translational, selection and innovation functions identified by G.N. and mobilizing.

The goal-setting function reflects the ability of economic culture to help people formulate the socially significant goals of their economic activity on the basis of the values ​​and norms existing in society, and, if necessary, supplement and overlap them with new value orientations.

At the present stage of transition to the information society, a special role is assigned to the information function of economic culture. Indeed, the organization of effective economic activity of an individual, a social group, and society as a whole is hardly possible without objective, reliable and verified socio-economic information, which is concentrated in the content of economic culture.

The information function of economic culture is logically related to its communicative function. To establish effective economic activity, it is necessary to transmit, receive, and comprehend socio-economic information. Economic culture implements these processes by linking individuals, social groups, communities and organizations on the basis of existing and developed in the process of interaction of socio-economic norms, values ​​and patterns of behavior.

The fact that economic culture performs a motivational function is objectively determined by its content. The dialectically developing system of norms, values ​​and patterns of human behavior in the economic sphere makes it possible to influence (encourage, direct, regulate) the economy.

Lesson in social science on the topic "Economic culture"

Purpose: to consider the features of economic culture.

Subject: social science.

Date: "____" ____.20___

Teacher: Khamatgaleev E.R.

Message about the topic and purpose of the lesson.

Activation of educational activities.

Does every person need an economic culture? Economic freedom: anarchy or responsibility? Where are the limits of economic freedom? Is it good to be honest? Is Don Quixote Modern?

Presentation of the program material.

Storytelling with elements of conversation

Economic culture: essence and structure

Culture is an attribute of a person, it reflects his development in society. This process of creation by a person of himself takes place in the course of direct activity, through the growth of his material and spiritual equipment. The impact on a person of this activity is different. So, for example, work can not only elevate a person; in conditions when work is of a routine nature, it sucks all the forces - such work leads to the degradation of a person. Culture acts as the result of the confrontation of various, including anti-cultural, tendencies in society.

Cultural development involves the selection of a cultural standard (sample) and consists in following it as much as possible.

These standards exist in the field of politics, economics, social relations, etc. It depends on a person whether he chooses the path of development in accordance with the cultural standard of his era or simply adapts to life circumstances. But he cannot evade the choice itself. To make the choice more conscious in such a field as economics, familiarity with economic culture will help you.

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 actions of a person, as well as the content of traditions and norms that regulate economic relations and behavior. Economic culture of personality represents 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 the individual can correspond to the economic culture of the society, get ahead of it, but it can also lag behind it, hinder its development.

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

The basis of the economic culture of the individual is consciousness, and economic knowledge - its important component. This knowledge is totality economic ideas about the production, exchange, distribution and consumption of material goods, the impact of economic life on the development of society, about the ways and forms, methods that contribute to the sustainable development of society. Modern production, economic relations require a large and constantly increasing amount of knowledge from the worker. Economic knowledge forms an idea of ​​economic interrelations in the surrounding world, patterns of development of the economic life of society. On their basis, economic thinking and practical skills of economically competent, morally justified behavior, the economic qualities of a person that are significant in modern conditions, develop.

A person actively uses the accumulated knowledge in everyday activities, therefore an important component of its economic culture is economic thinking. It allows you to learn the essence of economic phenomena and processes, to operate with learned economic concepts, to 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), the links of economic life with other spheres of society.

The choice of standards of behavior in the economy, the effectiveness of solving economic problems largely depend on the socio-psychological qualities of participants in economic activity. Among them, it is necessary to single out such an important element of economic culture as economic focus personality, the components of which are needs, interests And motives human activity in the economic sphere. Personal orientation includes social attitude And socially significant values. So, in the reformed Russian society, social attitudes are being formed to study modern economic theory (this is required by the transition to new, market economic conditions), to 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). ), to participate in solving various economic problems. Received its development and the system value orientations personality, including economic freedom, competition, respect for any form of ownership, commercial success as a great social achievement.

Social attitudes play an important role in the development of the economic culture of the individual. A person who has formed, for example, an attitude towards creative work, participates in activities with b about greater interest, supports innovative projects, implements technical achievements and so on. Such results will not be produced by a formed attitude towards work. (Give examples of the manifestation of various attitudes to work known to you, compare the results of their action.) If a person has a social attitude to consume more than to produce, then he subordinates his activity only to hoarding, acquisitiveness, 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 diligence, responsibility, prudence, the ability to rationally organize one's work, enterprise, innovation, etc. The economic qualities of a person and norms of behavior can be both positive (thrift, discipline) and negative (waste, 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 are economic relations. Not only the development of production, but also the social balance in society, its stability depends on the nature of economic relations between people (relationships of property, exchange of activities and distribution of goods and services). Their content is directly related to the solution of the problem of social justice, when each person and social group gets the opportunity to enjoy social benefits depending on the social usefulness of their activity, its necessity for other people, society.

The economic interests of people act as reflection their economic relations. Thus, the economic interests of an entrepreneur (maximizing profits) and a hired worker (selling their labor services more expensively and receiving a higher salary) are determined by their place in the system of economic relations. (Think about how the economic interests of a doctor, a scientist, a farmer are determined by the content and place in existing economic relations.) Economic interest - This is the desire of a person to receive the benefits he needs to provide for his life and family. Interests express ways and means of satisfying people's needs. For example, making a profit (which is the economic interest of the entrepreneur) is the way to satisfy the personal needs of a person and the needs of production. Interest is the direct cause of human actions.

The need to resolve the contradiction between the natural desire of a person to save his own strength and the satisfaction of growing needs forced people to organize the economy in such a way that it would encourage 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 achieve economic cooperation and increase labor productivity. At the same time, there is a need for such ways of organizing joint life 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 not infringe on the rights of other people.

One of the ways of economic cooperation of people, the main means of struggle against human egoism has become the mechanism of the market economy. This mechanism made it possible for humanity to bring 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 search of ways to harmonize the economic interests of the individual and society, various forms of influence on people's consciousness were also involved: philosophical teachings, moral norms, art, religion. They played a big role in the formation of a special element of the economy - business ethics, revealing the norms and rules of conduct in economic activity. These norms are an important element of economic culture, their observance facilitates the conduct of business, the cooperation of people, reducing mistrust and hostility.

If we turn to history, we will see that, for example, the Russian school of 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, the 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, the state and social system of life. Academician I. I. Yanzhul, who published the book “The Economic Significance of Honesty (Forgotten Factor of Production)” in 1912, wrote in it that “none of the virtues that create the greatest wealth in the country is of such great importance as honesty ... Therefore, all civilized states consider it their duty to ensure the existence of this virtue with the most stringent laws and require their implementation. Here it is clear: 1) honesty as the fulfillment of a promise; 2) honesty as respect for someone else's property; 3) honesty as respect for existing laws and moral rules.

Today, in countries with developed market economies, the moral aspects of economic activity are given serious attention. Ethics is taught in most business schools, and many corporations adopt codes of ethics. Interest in ethics is due to the understanding of the harm that unethical, dishonest business behavior causes to society. A civilized understanding of entrepreneurial success today is also associated, first of all, with moral and ethical, and then with financial aspects. But what makes an entrepreneur, who seems to be interested only in making a profit, think about morality and the good of the whole society? A partial answer can be found in the American automobile manufacturer, entrepreneur G. Ford, who put the idea of ​​serving society at the forefront of entrepreneurial activity: “Doing business on the basis of pure profit is an extremely risky enterprise ... The task of an enterprise is to produce for consumption, speculation ... It is worthwhile to realize to the people that the manufacturer does not serve him, 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 “make big money”, but to earn it, focusing on the needs of people, and the more specific this orientation is, the more success this activity will bring.

An entrepreneur must remember that unscrupulous business will receive a corresponding reaction from society. His personal prestige, the authority of the company will fall, which, in turn, will cast doubt on the quality of the goods and services he offers. Ultimately, his profits will be at stake. For these reasons, in a market economy, the slogan “Being honest is profitable” is becoming increasingly popular. The practice of management itself educates a person, focusing on the choice of a standard of behavior. Entrepreneurship forms such economically and morally valuable qualities of a person as responsibility, independence, prudence (the ability to navigate in an environment, correlate one’s desires with the desires of other people, goals - with the means to achieve them), high efficiency, creative approach to business, etc.

However, the social conditions that prevailed in Russia in the 1990s - economic, political, social instability, the lack of experience of economic amateur 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 are still far from ideal today. The desire for easy money, indifference to public interests, dishonesty, promiscuity 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, having grown up in conditions of economic freedom, will form new values ​​associated not only with material well-being, but also with the ethical principles of activity.

Economic freedom and social responsibility

The word “freedom”, already familiar to you, can be considered from different positions: the protection of a person from undesirable influence, violence; the ability to act of one's own free will and in accordance with a perceived need; availability of alternatives, possibility of choice, pluralism. What is economic freedom?

economic freedom includes the freedom to make economic decisions, the freedom of economic action. The individual (and only he) has the right to decide which type of activity is preferable for him (employment, entrepreneurship, etc.), which form of proprietary participation seems more appropriate to him, in which area and in which region of the country he will show his activity. The basis of the market, as you know, is the principle of economic freedom. The consumer is free to choose a product, manufacturer, forms of consumption. The manufacturer is free to choose the type of activity, its volume and forms.

The market economy is often referred to as the economy free enterprise. What does the word "free" mean? The economic freedom of an entrepreneur, according to scientists, suggests that he has a certain set of rights guaranteeing autonomy, independent decision-making on the search and choice of the type, form and scope of economic activity, methods of its implementation, the use of the produced product and the profit received.

Human economic freedom has gone through an evolutionary path. Throughout history, its ebb and flow has occurred, various 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 on the market, etc.). Social development, as it were, balances between, on the one hand, greater personal freedom, but with a high degree of economic risk, on the other hand, greater economic security, but with vassalage.

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

The boundaries within which economic freedom serves the efficiency of production are determined by concrete historical circumstances. Thus, a modern market economy, as a rule, does not need systematic, brutal violence, which is its advantage. However, the restriction of market freedom for the sake of about cheniya economic situation is practiced in our time. For example, state 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, satisfying 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 drew attention to the contradiction inherent in the nature of economic activity. On the one hand, the desire for maximum profit and the selfish protection of private property interests, and on the other hand, the need to take into account the interests and values ​​of society, that is, to show social responsibility.

Responsibility - a special social and moral-legal relationship of the individual to society as a whole and to other people, which is characterized by the fulfillment of its moral duty And legal norms. The idea of ​​corporate social responsibility, for example, became widespread in the 1970s and 1980s. in the US and later 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. Initially, social responsibility was associated, first of all, with the observance of laws. Then its necessary sign was the anticipation of the future. Specifically, this could be expressed in the formation of the consumer (American manufacturers set the goal of business to create "tomorrow's consumer"), ensuring environmental safety, social and political stability of society, and raising the level of education and culture.

The ability of participants in economic activity to consciously fulfill the moral and legal requirements of society and be responsible for their activities today immeasurably increases 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 the catastrophic consequences of man's invasion of the natural environment with the help of science.

For many years, industrial activity in most countries was characterized mainly by the unsustainable use of raw materials and a high degree environmental pollution. There was a very widespread opinion in the world that entrepreneurship and environmental protection are incompatible. Profit-making was tied to the merciless exploitation and destruction of natural resources, and environmental improvements led to lower incomes for entrepreneurs and higher prices for consumer goods. Therefore, it is not surprising that the reaction of business to the requirements to comply with environmental standards was often negative, and the implementation of these requirements was not voluntary (with the help of laws, administrative control). However, the strengthening of the global environmental movement, the development of the concept and principles of sustainable development contributed to a change in the attitude of entrepreneurs towards the environment. Sustainable development - it is such a development of society that allows you to meet the needs of the present generation, without prejudice 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 improved 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 entrepreneurial activity. As world experience shows, a combination of entrepreneurial activity, economic growth and environmental safety is possible.

In modern Russia, the level of environmental consciousness in the business environment is still quite low. Thus, by mid-1995, according to the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources, only about 18,000 of the 800,000 registered small and medium-sized enterprises provided for environmental 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 world 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.

Relationship between economic culture and activity

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

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

The level of development of the main elements of economic culture, in turn, determines the nature and effectiveness of economic activity. An example of this is the Japanese market economy. There, the systematic advance from selfish behavior towards behavior based on rules and concepts such as "duty", "loyalty" and "good will" proved to be essential to the achievement of individual and group efficiency and played an essential role in industrial progress.

in Russian society in the 1990s. the ongoing changes led to the rejection of the social and aesthetic values ​​that had developed under the conditions of the command-administrative system, the destruction of past experience. Creative work often began to be replaced by consumer aspirations and the struggle for survival. Comprehending the experience of the transition period shows that the liberal thinking prevailing 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 system of values, where "everything is decided only by money."

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

The process of forming the values ​​of the new economy in Russia continues, which is illustrated by the following two polar judgments in relation to the market economy. The first of them reads: “The principle of utility destroys the conscience, dries up the moral feelings of a person. Private property binds a person to itself in such a way that it 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 both anti-democratic and anti-people.” The second asserts: “Under civilized market relations, the seeming incompatibility of “interest” and “ideal”, material abundance and spirituality is overcome. It is privatized property that makes a person independent, serves as a reliable guarantor of his freedom. Market requirements establish immutable standards of honesty, integrity and trust as prerequisites for the effectiveness of business relations. Competition is a harsh thing, but it is a fight according to rules, the observance of which is vigilantly controlled by public opinion. The secret of democracy lies, above all, 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.

The changes taking place in the country have put a person and society in front of a choice of possible development options. This choice takes place not only in politics and economics, but also in the socio-cultural sphere, on which the direction of life, its value orientations, and the stability of any human community largely depend.

Practical conclusions.

Involving in this or that practical economic activity, use economic knowledge and the norms of economic culture to make the right choice and make a decision that is optimal for the success of your business.

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.

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

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

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

Document.

From the work of a Russian statesman, Doctor of EconomicsE. S. Stroeva "The State, Society and Reforms in Russia".

At turning points like the current one, it is extremely dangerous to stop, limit ourselves to ... a dump filled with various fragments of political, economic and former 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 has collapsed, ceases to be the leading “historical” people or nation and simply turns into “economic human material”, which will be absorbed and used by other, more creative societies and peoples.

This provision is a warning for Russia and other countries that are part of the area of ​​its interests, since now science, culture, education, morality, ideology here are increasingly reminiscent of a "historical dump" of heterogeneous, incompatible socio-cultural types, and the energy of creative transformations to some extent resides in stagnation.

Questions and tasks for the document

Does Russia need a new socio-cultural order?

What past cultural accumulations associated with the command economy could be sent to the "historical dustbin"?

Based on the text of the paragraph, suggest the values ​​of the “new economy” that would become significant elements of the economic culture of the 21st century.

Questions for self-examination.

What are the main elements of economic culture?

What is the significance of the economic orientation and social attitudes of the individual?

Does it own interest the only basis for economic choice?

What determines a person's choice of the standard of economic behavior?

Should economic freedom be restricted?

Is a “voluntary marriage” between economy and ecology possible?

What is the essence and significance of economically competent and morally valuable human behavior in the economy?

What difficulties is the new economy of Russia going through?

Tasks.

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

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

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

International experts put Russia in 149th place in the world in terms of investment reliability. So, 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 optional partners. At the same time, only 60% of them feel guilty.

1. Tolkunova stopped being treated for a fatal illness after an operation three years ago
2. Composer Nikolo: “Once, seeing that because of my passion for music, I had a quarter of nine deuces, dad grabbed an ax and wanted to chop up the piano!

What are the main elements of economic culture?

so tired?

The main elements of economic culture: knowledge and practical skills, the economic orientation of the individual, ways of organizing activities, norms that regulate relationships and human behavior in activities.

Help answer the questions:
1. Name the main components social structure society. Give them a description. Be specific with examples.
2. Why is the middle class the guarantor of economic, political and social stability in society?
3. Analyze the social structure of modern Belarusian society in terms of class and stratification approaches.
4. What is a nation? Specify the process of formation of nations on the example of the Belarusian nation.
5. Prove or disprove the thesis: "the modern family is in crisis."
6. Give examples (from history or the present) of cooperation of social groups in various types of social relations.
7. Give examples showing the conflicts of social groups in various types of social relations. What interests of social groups clashed in these conflicts?
8. Every person from birth occupies a cell in the social structure of society. Could he change it in a feudal society? Under classical capitalism? In modern society? What does that require?
9. Prepare a message "Ways to solve the demographic problems of modern society."
10. In modern world there are more than two thousand different nations, and most of them live in multinational states. The national question throughout history is one of the most acute.
Analyze the examples of national movements known to you from the history course. What trends can be traced in the national movement? Describe interethnic conflicts according to the plan: causes, essence, consequences, solutions.
11. What are the main socio-psychological characteristics of the youth as a social group?
12. What does the concept of "youth subculture" include? What are the features of the subculture of the Belarusian youth?

1. The main elements of the social structure of society are individuals occupying certain positions (statuses) and performing certain social functions (roles), associations of these individuals on the basis of their status characteristics into groups, socio-territorial, ethnic and other communities. The social structure expresses the objective division of society into communities, classes, strata, groups, etc., indicating the different position of people in relation to each other according to numerous criteria. Depending on which element stands out as the main one, the structure of society can be represented as a group, class, communal, etc. system. Thus, the social structure is the structure of society as a whole, the system of connections between its main elements.

What are the main elements educational system RF?

Education system in Russian Federation is a set of interacting:
1. Succession educational programs different levels and directions, federal state educational standards and federal state requirements;
2. networks of educational institutions that implement them and scientific organizations;

3. Bodies exercising management in the field of education and institutions and organizations subordinate to them;
4.
associations of legal entities, public and state-public associations carrying out activities in the field of education.

What are the main elements of the educational system of the Russian Federation

1) Preschool education

2) Secondary education:

Primary

Basic mean

Complete secondary

3) Professional education

Specialized secondary

4) higher education

1. educational institution-preschool -primary education. 2 Basic general (secondary complete general education) 3. Professional education - primary (school, prof. Lyceum) - secondary professional (college, technical school) - higher professional (institute, university, academy, post-graduate courses)

1) What are the main meanings of the concept of "society"? How is society defined in the broadest sense of the word? 2) What is the difference between the concepts of "society" and "society"? 3) What are the main levels of consideration of society? 4) How did people's ideas about the relationship between society and nature change? What caused these changes? 5) Show the ambiguity of the concept of "culture". 6) What is the role of culture in the life of society? 7) Illustrate with examples the thesis about the convention of dividing culture into material and spiritual. 8) What kind of relationships do philosophers consider social? 9) How do the laws of social development differ from the laws of nature

1) Society is a system that is isolated from nature, but is closely connected with it.
2) All of humanity and the relationship between them.
3) in a narrow sense, a group of lovers of Chekhov's books or a club of anonymous alcoholics.
4) in different periods of time, a person tried to conquer nature, take power over it without fear of the consequences that occurred in attempts to conquer it. Another moment is when humanity realized that it would not be possible to conquer it, that it was necessary to treat it with care and reverence.
5) Culture is everything that a person has created.
6) For example: the transmission of rituals or traditions from generation to generation.
7) The book is the fruit of culture, both material and spiritual.
9) Humanity is dynamically and constantly developing, development does not have any clear laws, it is unique.

1. What is the process of globalization
2. What are the manifestations of globalization in the economic sphere? What helps her?
3. What is the contradictory nature of the globalization process?
4. What are the main global problems of our time? What caused their appearance?
5. What caused the economic crisis?
6. What are the basic principles of the world order that can prevent the threat of a new world war?
7. What is the North-South problem?
8. How is the interconnection of global problems manifested?

Globalization is the process of the ever-increasing impact of various factors of international importance (economic, political, cultural, religious ties) on the social. reality
2. Cooperation between national economies different countries, the convergence of the markets of each of the individual countries in order to form a single market, the elimination of barriers to the movement of goods, services, capital, labor between countries
3. The impossibility of the state to regulate the economy at the national level in isolation from world economic processes
4. Raw materials (deforestation, lack of water), that is, all resources on Earth are exhaustible
Environmental (water, air pollution, ozone holes)
War and peace (some countries have atomic weapons)
North-South (North - development country (Europe, America), South (Africa) - hunger, poverty, no education)
Diseases (AIDS, HIV, cancer, addiction, influenza)
Terrorism
Population (in China and India there are a lot of people, in Europe and Russia, on the contrary, there are not enough)
5. US mortgage crisis
6. Recognition of the priorities of universal human values
Refusal of war as a means of resolving conflicts
Recognition of the right of peoples and to choose their own destiny
Understanding the interaction of the modern world
7. The gap in the level of social. economically developed countries and developing countries (Africa)
8. Increased demographics-> lack of resources-> environmental crisis-> diseases-> interstate conflicts

1) Describe the social, national and confessional composition of the population in our country (Belarus).
2) What are the main features of the Belarusian socio-economic model of development. What are the priorities of the socio-economic development of the Republic of Belarus in the early 21st century? ? Name the main factors of sustainable development of our country.
3) what are the main directions of innovative development of the Republic of Belarus at the present stage? What factors ensure successful innovative development our country? Describe the contribution of science and education to the country's innovative development.

1. About 9.6 million people live in our country. In terms of population, the Republic of Belarus ranks fifth among the CIS countries. The average population density is 48 people per 1 sq. km. km. - about the same as in many other European countries.
Approximately 74% of the population of our country lives in cities, respectively 26% is the rural population. The urban population is concentrated in 112 cities and 96 urban-type settlements. 13 cities have a population of more than 100 thousand people; about 1 million 800 thousand citizens live in the capital of our country, Minsk. There are about 1145 women per 1000 men; in groups older than 50 years, this difference increases.
Our country is ethnically heterogeneous. According to the 1999 census, representatives of more than 130 nationalities live in the country. 81% of citizens of the Republic of Belarus recognized themselves as Belarusians, 11% - Russians, almost 4% - Poles, 2% Ukrainians, 0.3% - Jews

Divorce rates are rising in both the developed and underdeveloped world, as is the number of female-headed households.

Family values ​​are threatened by non-government programs that hinder
family education (although there are such programs), and no transfer of funds
mass media belittling the family (although there are such programs); them
threatens the economic system itself. This system simply does not allow
families to exist in the old way, with the father providing most of
earnings, and with a mother who does most of the work of raising
children. There is no longer a middle-class family with one breadwinner.

Social relations are not determined by the economy - at the same time
there can be many possibilities - but whatever these relationships are, they
must be compatible with economic reality. Traditional
family relationships are not like that. As a result, the family as an institution
is in the process of changing and is under pressure. The point here is not
"character-building", but in stubborn economic selfishness or, more precisely,
in unwillingness to subordinate their own interest to the interest of the family. Economic
reality forced to reconsider the main issues of organization
families.

L. Thurow

1. In what, according to the author, the crisis of family relations in modern society is expressed. Specify two of its manifestations.

2.
The interaction of which spheres of society's life is revealed by the author using an example
families What, in the author's opinion, is the nature of this interaction?

3.
Why the traditional patriarchal family is becoming a thing of the past
the text of the source and using social science knowledge, indicate three
causes.

4. What type of family is more in line with reality
post-industrial society By drawing knowledge from social science
course, indicate two of its features. The main one is the limited economic resources, which is contrary to the endless human needs ... there is another standard one - the problem of late implementation of results. Practically, in any professional economic theory one can find characteristics and descriptions of actual problems. Here the format does not allow. ..

The concept of economic culture

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

Economic culture dictates a special attitude to forms of ownership, improves the business environment.

Economic culture is an inseparable 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.

Remark 1

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

Consciousness is the basis of human economic culture. Economic knowledge is 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 impact on its formation of economic processes.

Economic knowledge is a paramount component of economic culture. They allow us to develop our understanding of the basic laws of the 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 justified behavior.

Economic culture of personality

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

The choice of patterns of behavior 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 personality is characterized by socially significant values ​​and social attitudes.

The economic culture of a person can be seen by considering the complex of his personal properties and qualities, representing the result of his participation in the activity. 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 is always influenced by the way of life, traditions, and mentality that are characteristic of a given people. Therefore, as a model, or even more so an ideal, one cannot take any foreign model of the functioning of the economy.

Remark 2

For Russia, in all likelihood, the European model of socio-economic development is closest, which is more humane than the American or Japanese one, 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 be used only if the trends and features of the development of national Russian culture are taken into account, otherwise it is completely meaningless 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. It is she who allows a person to adapt to the socio-economic conditions of society, types and forms of economic behavior, adapt the socio-economic environment to their needs, for example, produce the necessary economic benefits, distribute them by selling, leasing, exchanging, etc. .
2. Cognitive function, which is coordinated with the adaptive function. The knowledge contained in economic culture, familiarity with its ideals, prohibitions, legal norms enables a person to have a reliable guideline for choosing the content and forms of his economic behavior.
3. Regulatory function. Economic culture dictates to individuals and social groups certain standards and rules developed by it that affect the way of life of people, their attitudes and value orientations.
4. A translational function that creates an opportunity for a dialogue between generations and eras, passing on the experience of economic activity from generation to generation.

economic culture is a set of social-economic. norms and values ​​that govern the economy. behavior.

Main economic features. culture :

1) includes those values, needs, preferences that arise from the needs of the economy and have an important (positive or negative) impact on it.

2) channels through which economic interaction is regulated. consciousness and economics. thinking.

3) focus on economic management. people's behavior.

Economic structure. highlight crops T:

1. Social economical norms (rules of conduct in the economy) – formal and informal rules governing the economic. activity. They can arise as models of mass behavior and as models for establishing the laws of the state.

2. Social economical values :

1 ur. micro-level values- everything that is valuable for a person in everyday life, in everyday life (housing, clothing, food)

Level 2 organizational level values I am everything a person needs to work (relationships in a team, with superiors)

Level 3 macro-level values(for country)

3. Social economical knowledge - consist of economic consciousness (theoretical scientific knowledge) and economic. thinking (practical knowledge gained as a result of economic and economic activities).

4. Economic ideologies - an orderly view of how society should organize economic life

economy functions. culture

1) Translational There is a transfer of norms and values ​​from one generation to another.

2) Breeding - associated with the selection of values ​​and norms that are adequate in modern conditions

3) innovative manifested through the introduction of new norms and values. 1st way - borrowed, 2nd way - own invention.

4) socializing - the process of accumulation and reproduction.

Main features of a market economy. cultures:

High degree of rationality

High degree of innovation

High degree of legality

Performing discipline

Political neutrality

That. economical culture is a social mechanism, characteristic features which are global manifestation and functional universality. The scope of this mechanism is from the system of norms, rules and patterns of behavior of an individual economic entity (at the micro level) to the sphere of interaction between collective and even mass entities (socioprofessional groups, strata, classes, societies) in the process of social production (at the macro level).

14. Economic behavior of entrepreneurs

Economical behavior is behavior associated with the enumeration of economic alternatives for the purpose of rational choice, i.e. the choice that maximizes cost and maximizes net benefit.

Entrepreneurship is an innovative modification of economic behavior focused on residual income that is not available to other standard agents of the market process.

The innovative effect of entrepreneurial behavior consists of at least 3 components:

1. Unique personal qualities and abilities of individuals;

2. Market environment, saturated with a huge variety of potential and real combinations, which are a multi-alternative field of entrepreneurial choice;

3. Entrepreneurial culture, which includes a certain set of instrumental and terminal values, standards and patterns of behavior.

Functions of entrepreneurial behavior:

Permanent search for rare economic resources;

Invention of new economic resources;

Accumulation and concentration of rare resources in the ownership of individual agents of the market process with the aim of their subsequent launch into entrepreneurial circulation;

Protection of confidential information and other economic benefits from the encroachment of competitors;

Ensuring the stability and survival of entrepreneurial cells and structures;

Transfer of entrepreneurial culture;

Operational search for information in order to select those market sectors where the success of production is most likely.

In the system of entrepreneurial activity, there is a spectrum of division of labor, where highly professional programs (models) of entrepreneurial behavior are formed: 1) investment (organization and implementation of venture investment projects); 2) intermediary (integration of the economic interests of various agents of the market process); 3) commercial (creation of new non-standard channels for the exchange of various goods, services, information); 4) etc.

The characteristic features of the economic behavior of an entrepreneur can be represented through a certain model that expresses the most typical patterns and trends of entrepreneurial behavior.

The economic behavior of an entrepreneur is characterized by:

Vigor and initiative, which are based on legal guarantees of economic freedom, free choice of the type, forms and scope of economic activity, methods of its implementation;

Competence and intelligence; entrepreneurial activity makes it possible to fully realize the creative potential of a person, it is capable of making non-standard decisions, correctly assesses the situation with a significant lack of information;

The ability to select a “team” for oneself and lead it, to direct and organize the effective work of their colleagues, to give them the opportunity to ensure their own independence with their work; the entrepreneur subordinates his comrades with high efficiency and dynamism;

The ability to take risks; independently making a decision, the entrepreneur is financially responsible for their consequences; in all his achievements he owes only to himself; ups and downs in entrepreneurial activity are inevitable;

Striving for leadership and competition; an entrepreneur is able to lead people in the name of business and success; to achieve a result, he is ready for complete exhaustion in work;

Directions and innovations; an entrepreneur is an innovator who, in order to achieve commercial success at minimal cost, always focuses on the introduction of new equipment and technologies for the organization and regulation of labor.

It is the typical characteristics of the entrepreneur as a social stratum in modern society that constitute one of the most important components of the subject area of ​​economic sociology. If we bring all these characteristics together, then we will get a social portrait of an entrepreneur that is more or less adequate to reality. In such a portrait, the following typical features of the social portrait of an entrepreneur should be embodied:

1) ownership or disposal of capital;

2) entrepreneurial spirit;

3) initiative

4) responsibility;

5) ability and willingness to take risks;

6) focus on innovation;

7) entrepreneurial spirit;

8) freedom of enterprise;

9) an irresistible desire for profit.

Detailed solution Paragraph § 12 on social science for students in grade 11, authors L.N. Bogolyubov, N.I. Gorodetskaya, L.F. Ivanova 2014

Question 1. Does every person need an economic culture? Economic freedom: anarchy or responsibility? Where are the limits of economic freedom? Is it good to be honest?

Economic culture is a system of values ​​and motives for economic activity, a respectful attitude to any form of ownership and commercial success as a great social achievement, success, rejection of “leveling” moods, creation and development of a social environment for entrepreneurship, etc.

Economic freedom is limited by the laws of the country. There is a list of items prohibited in trade, such as drugs. There is an obligation to pay taxes, an obligation to obtain a license in order to trade certain goods.

Questions and tasks for the document

The author warns us that any stagnation and inconsistency of various spheres of society (subsystems of society) threatens the country with big problems, including relegation to the background, that is, the loss of its leading positions in the world, as well as such an unstable situation threatens the Russian people exploitation by other more developed countries.

Question 2. Does Russia need a new socio-cultural order?

It is undoubtedly needed now, because not so long ago we moved away from the idea of ​​socialism. Now the entire social system, as well as the consciousness of people, must get rid of the remnants of the past.

Question 3. What past cultural accumulations associated with the command economy could be sent to the "historical dustbin"?

Each person should receive according to his abilities, otherwise talented people simply will not have an incentive for self-development, and this again threatens to stagnate. Secondly, the emphasis is on the implementation of the plan (quantity), and not on quality - hence the result is the same - stagnation, excess production (no one takes low-quality products).

Question 4. Based on the text of the paragraph, suggest the values ​​of the "new economy" that would become significant elements of the economic culture of the XXI century.

The main directions of the state innovation policy in the conditions of the "new economy" are:

Improving the innovation environment by strengthening the innovation component in all areas national politicians and their integration;

Stimulating market demand for innovation and using the concept of "leading" markets, which involves supporting markets that are most receptive to innovation;

Stimulation of innovations in the public sector, overcoming the bureaucratic conservatism of the public administration;

Strengthening regional innovation policy and expanding cooperation.

SELF-CHECK QUESTIONS

Question 1. What are the main elements of economic culture?

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 actions of a person, as well as the content of traditions and norms that regulate economic relations and behavior. The economic culture of the individual is an organic unity of consciousness and practical activity. It determines the direction of human economic activity in the process of production, distribution and consumption. The economic culture of the individual can correspond to the economic culture of society, ahead of it, but it can also lag behind it.

In the structure of economic culture, the most important elements can be distinguished and presented in the following scheme:

The basis of the economic culture of the individual is consciousness, and economic knowledge is its important component. This knowledge is a set of ideas about the production, exchange, distribution and consumption of material goods, the impact of economic life on the development of society, about the ways and forms, methods that contribute to the sustainable development of society. Modern production, economic relations require a large and constantly increasing amount of knowledge from the worker.

Question 2. What is the significance of the economic orientation and social attitudes of the individual?

A person actively uses the accumulated knowledge in everyday activities, therefore, economic thinking is an important component of its economic culture. It allows you to learn the essence of economic phenomena and processes, to operate with learned economic concepts, to analyze specific economic situations.

The effectiveness of solving economic problems largely depends on the socio-psychological qualities of participants in economic activity. Among them, it is necessary to single out 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 personality includes a social attitude and socially significant values. Thus, attitudes are being formed in Russian society to study modern economic theory, to participate in solving various economic problems. The system of value orientations of the individual has been developed, including economic freedom, competition, respect for any form of ownership, commercial success as a social achievement.

Social attitudes play an important role in the development of the economic culture of the individual. A person who, for example, has a mindset for creative work, participates in activities with great interest, supports innovative projects, introduces technical achievements, etc. A formed mindset for a formal attitude to work will not give such results.

Question 3. Is self-interest the only basis for economic choice?

Economic interest is the desire of a person to obtain the benefits necessary to ensure life. Interests express ways and means of satisfying people's needs. For example, making a profit (which is the economic interest of the entrepreneur) is the way to satisfy the personal needs of a person and the needs of production. Interest is the direct cause of human actions.

In most cases, yes, because a person cannot be forced to do what he does not like. Other people can only show a person's interest in something else. But the main choice remains with the person himself.

Question 4. What determines a person's choice of a standard of economic behavior?

The choice of a standard of economic behavior depends on the quality of the factors influencing it, on personal economic viability. The choice of standards of behavior in the economy, 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 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 personality includes a social attitude and socially significant values.

Question 5. Should economic freedom be restricted?

Economic freedom includes the freedom to make decisions and actions. The individual has the right to decide which type of activity is preferable for him (employment, entrepreneurship, etc.), which form of proprietary participation seems more appropriate to him, in which area and in which region of the country he will show his activity. The basis of the market, as you know, is the principle of economic freedom. The consumer is free to choose a product, manufacturer, forms of consumption. The manufacturer is free to choose the type of activity, its volume and forms.

The boundaries within which economic freedom serves the efficiency of production are determined by concrete historical circumstances. Thus, a modern market economy, as a rule, does not need systematic, brutal violence, which is its advantage. However, the restriction of market freedom for the sake of strengthening the economic situation is practiced in our time. For example, state regulation of a market economy often acts as a tool to accelerate its development.

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

Question 6. Is a "voluntary marriage" of the economy and ecology possible?

For many years, industrial activity was characterized by irrational use of raw materials and a high degree of environmental pollution. There was an opinion that entrepreneurship and environmental protection are incompatible. However, the strengthening of the global environmental movement, the development of the concept and principles of sustainable development contributed to a change in the attitude of entrepreneurs towards the environment. Sustainable development is the development of society that allows the needs of the present generation to be met without compromising future generations to meet their needs.

An important step in this direction was the creation of the World 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 are effectively using improved production processes, striving to meet environmental requirements (prevention of pollution, reduction of production waste, etc.) and make the best use of market opportunities. Such companies and businessmen gain advantages over competitors who do not use new approaches to entrepreneurial activity. As world experience shows, a combination of entrepreneurial activity, economic growth and environmental safety is possible.

Question 7. What is the essence and significance of economically competent and morally valuable human behavior in the economy?

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

Depending on how the property is acquired (by legally and morally permissible means or criminal) and how it is used, the social significance of the owner can be manifested either with a “plus” sign or a “minus” sign. You probably know examples of such manifestations.

In the process of self-realization as a consumer, either healthy needs (sports, tourism, cultural leisure) or unhealthy needs (need for alcohol, drugs) are also formed.

The level of development of the main elements of economic culture, in turn, determines the nature and effectiveness of economic activity.

Question 8. What are the difficulties experienced by the new economy in Russia?

Firstly, almost a huge part of the Russian economy depends on the prices of energy resources and minerals in the world markets, as a result, if their prices go down, the Russian economy will lose quite a lot of money.

Secondly, there is a significant stratification of society. The formation of the "middle class" is taking place at an extremely low pace, despite the fact that many people have good incomes, many of them are not sure about the future.

Third: Corruption in Russia continues

Fourth: is the development of small businesses.

TASKS

Question 1. Economist F. Hayek wrote: “In a competitive society, the poor have much more limited opportunities than the rich, and yet a poor man in such a society is much freer than a person with a much better financial position in a society of a different type. Do you agree with this statement?

A person with low material wealth is much more mobile. Nothing is holding him. He can drop everything and leave at any moment (since he has nothing to throw). A rich man is chained to his source of wealth, he is vulnerable to external changes. The rich need to work much harder to maintain and increase their wealth. Stopping the accumulation of capital will lead him to poverty.

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

One can agree with the author of the letter, but I would highlight the contradictions in the letter. Many problems are not easy to solve with reason (rationalism). Problems sometimes need to be solved physically. And in life, not only the mind is needed. Still, there must be a spark of romanticism in life for a person to achieve success with his soul. Dynamism in the character of today's man must undoubtedly be present, because this is the main feature of a person's desire to win. Hope only for yourself always invigorates a person.

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

Freedom is associated with the presence of a person's free will. Free will imposes responsibility on a person and imputes his words and deeds to merit. Freedom gives rise to responsibility primarily for oneself, for one's actions, thoughts and deeds. Responsibility grants freedom to a person: a simple example - when a person is held accountable for his activities, then the Criminal Code is not terrible for him. If everyone thinks that freedom is only the absence of restrictions, then there will be chaos in the world.

The values ​​of a free person: development, freedom of action, freedom of thought.

Question 4. International experts put Russia in 149th place in the world in terms of investment reliability. So, 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 optional partners. At the same time, only 60% of them feel guilty. How do you feel about the existence of double morality among the participants in economic relations - for yourself and for a partner? Is it possible to create in the country a system of protection and support for economic behavior that is characterized as reliable, predictable and credible? What would you suggest to do for this?

Often, Russian businessmen have negative economic qualities (waste, mismanagement, grabbing, fraud) outweigh the positive ones. The system of protection and support of economic behavior can and is possible, but first of all, it is necessary to educate the moral principles of future entrepreneurs so that momentary profit is not a priority. It is necessary to raise the level of ethics and economic culture of the individual. The state should provide economic freedom, but with real legal regulation. Participants in economic activity must consciously comply with the moral and legal requirements of society and be responsible for their activities. What can be offered? From childhood, to form the correct moral and ethical standards, for enterprises implementing environmental safety programs, paying attention to the development of their employees, their safety and improving labor protection, introducing new technologies, there should be some kind of encouragement in the form of state support, tax benefits. It is also necessary to pay serious attention to economic crimes (so that there is a real punishment for misconduct), the impossibility of evading responsibility.

REVIEW QUESTIONS FOR CHAPTER 1

Question 1. How are the economy and other spheres of public life interrelated?

The economic sphere is a set of relations between people that arise during the creation and movement of material goods.

The economic sphere is the area of ​​production, exchange, distribution, consumption of goods and services. In order to produce something, people, tools, machines, materials, etc. are needed. - productive forces. In the process of production, and then exchange, distribution, consumption, people enter into a variety of relations with each other and with the product - relations of production. Production relations and productive forces together constitute the economic sphere of the life of society: productive forces - people (labor force), tools of labor, objects of labor; production relations - production, distribution, consumption, exchange.

The spheres of public life are closely interconnected. In the history of the social sciences, there have been attempts to single out any sphere of life as determining in relation to others.

Within the framework of real social phenomena, elements of all spheres are combined. For example, the nature of economic relations can influence the structure of the social structure. Place in the social hierarchy forms certain Political Views, opens appropriate access to education and other spiritual values. The economic relations themselves are determined by the legal system of the country, which is very often formed on the basis of the spiritual culture of the people, their traditions in the field of religion and morality. Thus, at various stages of historical development, the influence of any sphere may increase.

Question 2. What does economics study?

Economic science is the science of economy, management, relations between people, as well as people and the environment, arising in the process of production, distribution, exchange, consumption of a product, goods, services. Combines features of exact and descriptive sciences.

Economics is a social science. It studies a certain aspect of the life of society and, as such, is closely related to other social sciences: history, sociology, political science, psychology, jurisprudence, etc. In particular, the connection between economics and jurisprudence is due to the fact that in the economic life of society, economic and legal relations are closely intertwined. The economy cannot function normally without appropriate legal basis- a set of norms regulating the activities of economic entities both at the micro and macro levels. At the same time, the very need for appropriate legal norms is generated by the changes taking place in the economic life of society.

Question 3. What is the role of economic activity in society?

Economic activity (economy) plays a huge role in the life of society. First, it provides people with the material conditions of existence - food, clothing, housing and other consumer goods. Secondly, the economic sphere of society's life is a system-forming component of society, a decisive sphere of its life that determines the course of all processes taking place in society. It is studied by many sciences, among which the most important are economic theory and social philosophy. It should also be noted that such a relatively new science as ergonomics, it studies a person and his production activities, with the goal of optimizing tools, conditions and the labor process.

Question 4. How can the producer and consumer make a rational economic choice?

In order for the consumer to make the right choice, he must check and compare all possible offers on the market. Compare price and quality.

In order for the manufacturer to make the right choice, he must check the market for demand for a particular product in the place where he plans to sell it. Also check the solvency of the population in the region.

Question 5. Why is economic growth one of the criteria for progress and economic development?

Economic growth is an increase in the volume of production in the national economy over a certain period of time (usually a year).

Economic growth is understood as the development of the national economy, in which the real volume of production (GDP) increases. A measure of economic growth is the growth rate of real GDP as a whole or per capita.

Economic growth is called extensive if it does not change the average productivity of labor in society. When GDP growth outpaces the growth in the number of people employed in manufacturing, intensive growth takes place. Intensive economic growth is the basis for the growth of the welfare of the population and a condition for reducing differentiation in the incomes of various social strata.

Question 6. What are the features of market regulation of the economy?

With this method of trading, entrepreneurs must compete, which favorably affects the price of goods, sooner or later it decreases. Like in a real market or bazaar.

If there is an overabundance of a certain product on the market, then they simply will not buy it and will not produce it. Everything is regulated in this way.

In addition, in a developed country, there are systems that do not allow entrepreneurs to collude and keep high prices. So, ultimately, market relations are beneficial to buyers.

Question 7. How to make production efficient?

An economically efficient method of production is considered to be one in which the firm cannot increase output without increasing the cost of resources and at the same time cannot provide the same output using fewer resources of one type and without increasing the cost of other resources.

Production efficiency is the sum of the efficiency of all operating enterprises. The efficiency of the enterprise is characterized by the production of goods or services at the lowest cost. It is expressed in its ability to produce the maximum amount of products of acceptable quality at minimal cost and sell this product at the lowest cost. The economic efficiency of an enterprise, in contrast to its technical efficiency, depends on how well its products meet market requirements and consumer demands.

Question 8. What is necessary for business success?

In today's society, a successful business needs start-up capital.

You need to set a goal, make a plan and start implementing it. To be successful in business, you must have certain personal qualities: the ability to communicate with people, connections (you need the support of influential people), intelligence and luck. To achieve certain results, you need to be consistent and constant in your actions, have patience and fortitude. Constantly grow and improve.

Question 9. What laws regulate entrepreneurial activity?

Normative legal acts regulating entrepreneurial activity at the federal level:

Federal normative acts: The Constitution of the Russian Federation.

Codes: Budget Code of the Russian Federation; Tax Code of the Russian Federation; Civil Code of the Russian Federation.

Federal Law of July 24, 2007 No. 209-FZ "On the development of small and medium-sized businesses in the Russian Federation";

Federal Law of February 25, 1999 No. 39-FZ "On investment activities in the Russian Federation, carried out in the form of capital investments";

Federal Law of the Russian Federation of August 08, 2001 No. 128-FZ “On Licensing Certain Types of Activities”;

Federal Law of December 26, 2008 No. 294-FZ "On the protection of the rights of legal entities and individual entrepreneurs in the exercise of state control (supervision) and municipal control";

Federal Law No. 271-FZ of December 30, 2007 “On Retail Markets and Amendments to the Labor Code of the Russian Federation”;

Federal Law No. 59-FZ of May 2, 2006 “On the Procedure for Considering Appeals from Citizens of the Russian Federation”;

Federal Law No. 129-FZ of August 8, 2001 “On State Registration of Legal Entities and Individual Entrepreneurs”;

Federal Law No. 14-FZ of February 8, 1998 "On Limited Liability Companies".

Question 10. How modern state participates in solving the economic problems of society?

State regulation of the economy - a set of measures, actions used by the state for corrections and the establishment of basic economic processes.

State regulation of the economy in a market economy is a system of standard measures of a legislative, executive and supervisory nature, carried out by authorized state institutions and public organizations in order to stabilize and adapt the existing socio-economic system to changing conditions.

The main goals of state regulation of the economy include:

Minimization of inevitable negative consequences of market processes;

Creation of financial, legal and social background effective functioning of the market economy;

Ensuring social protection of those groups of the market society whose position in a particular economic situation becomes the most vulnerable.

Question 11. Who and how regulates cash flows in the economy?

In a capitalist economy, capital flows from industries with lower rates of return to industries with higher rates of return through the financial instruments of stocks, bonds and equity participation in business, as well as through direct real investment.

The state indirectly regulates these flows through changes in the refinancing rate, government orders, etc.

Question 12. Why does the economy need a labor market?

The labor market is an economic environment in which, as a result of competition between economic agents, a certain amount of employment and wages are established through the mechanism of supply and demand.

The functions of the labor market are determined by the role of labor in the life of society. From an economic point of view, labor is the most important production resource. In accordance with this, two main functions of the labor market are distinguished:

Social function - is to ensure a normal level of income and well-being of people, a normal level of reproduction of the productive abilities of workers.

The economic function of the labor market is the rational involvement, distribution, regulation and use of labor.

The demand for labor is determined by the needs of employers to hire a certain number of workers with the necessary qualifications for the production of goods and services.

The demand for labor is inversely related to the real wage rate, which is defined as the ratio of nominal wages to the price level. In a competitive labor market, the demand curve for labor has a negative slope: as the general level of wages rises, the demand for labor falls.

The supply of labor is determined by the size of the population, the share of the able-bodied population in it, the average number of hours worked by a worker per year, the quality of labor and the qualifications of workers.

The supply of labor depends on wages. The labor supply curve has positive angle Slope: As the general level of wages rises, the supply of labor increases.

Question 13. Why do countries have to trade with each other?

International trade is the exchange of goods and services between state-national economies. World trade is a set foreign trade all countries of the world.

Countries are forced to trade with each other because they are forced to exchange with each other the missing resources and products of production.

MT determines what is more profitable for the state to produce and under what conditions to exchange the produced product. Thus, it contributes to the expansion and deepening of the MRT, and hence the MT, involving more and more states in them. These relations are objective and universal, i.e. they exist independently of the will of one (group) person and are suitable for any state. They are able to systematize the world economy, placing the states depending on the development of foreign trade (BT) in it, on the share that it (BT) occupies in international trade, on the size of the average per capita foreign trade turnover.

Question 14. What is the economic culture of the individual?

Economic culture is a system of values ​​and motives for economic activity, a respectful attitude to any form of ownership and commercial success as a great social achievement, success, rejection of “leveling” moods, creation and development of a social environment for entrepreneurship, etc.

The basis of the economic culture of the individual is consciousness, and economic knowledge is its important component. This knowledge is a set of economic ideas about the production, exchange, distribution and consumption of material goods, the impact of economic life on the development of society, about the ways and forms, methods that contribute to the sustainable development of society. Modern production, economic relations require a large and constantly growing amount of knowledge from the worker. Economic knowledge forms an idea of ​​economic interrelations in the surrounding world, patterns of development of the economic life of society. On their basis, economic thinking and practical skills of economically competent, morally justified behavior, the economic qualities of a person that are significant in modern conditions, develop.

Question 15. How are economic freedom and social responsibility of economic participants interrelated?

Economic freedom is an opportunity for business entities to choose forms of ownership and the scope of application of their abilities, knowledge, opportunities, profession, methods of income distribution, consumption of material goods.

Social responsibility - the conscious attitude of the subject of social activity to the requirements of social necessity, civic duty, social tasks, norms and values, understanding the consequences of the activities carried out for certain social groups.

What are the main elements of culture?

With all the differences in specific interpretations, the sequence of presentation in the sociological literature, as a rule, the following elements are considered:

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

Values, including life-meaning values ​​(ideas about happiness, about purpose, about the meaning of life), vital, values ​​of social vocation, interpersonal communication, democratic freedoms, families). Beliefs, beliefs.

Norms expressing the requirements of society for behavior. This is an expression of will that allows social control and gives 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 down from generation to generation and form a continuity in human history. Rites are stereotypes of symbolic collective actions expressing feelings.

All these elements are not only a means of storing and transferring experience, but also a means of transformative activity. Culture is not consciousness in general, not just a series of spiritual elements (representations, knowledge, beliefs, values, norms, etc.), but a way, a method of value development of reality. These are the skills and abilities to apply knowledge, norms, etc. This is what is embodied in practical activity, in stable repeating patterns and models 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. However, it does not come down to her. Culture combines the spiritual wealth accumulated by mankind in the past and the spiritual values ​​of modern society. That is why culture performs educational and educational, communicative and regulatory functions. An individual becomes a person as he socializes, masters culture: knowledge, language, values, norms, customs, traditions of his social group, his society. It is culture that makes a person a person. She also exercises social control, stimulates and regulates his behavior. In this sense, culture is a human slice 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 assimilation of culture forms in 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 the analysis of culture

There are various methodological approaches to the sociological analysis of culture. The functional approach considers values ​​as the main element of the culture. According to T. Parsons, culture is a system of values ​​organized in a certain way that meets needs. Culture is stable and resilient. Different cultures have much in common, so the only natural development is 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 equally provide for all members of society. Social inequality leads to constant social tension, to 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 to the values ​​of the dominant group, stimulates conflicts. Both of these approaches have their advantages and disadvantages. The functional approach, due to its assumptions about the stability of cultural systems, pays less attention to cultural changes and deviations. The conflict approach reveals the contradictions of culture, analyzes the sources of development. At the same time, he overemphasizes cultural differences and does not see commonalities.

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

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

Culture changes

Culture is not fixed, given once and for all. It changes as the needs of society evolve. And these changes are connected with the interaction of the internal self-development of culture with external factors. Changes in culture also occur under the influence of the interaction of different cultures. Of interest in this regard are the materials of the International Project "Waiting for Change in Europe", which was developed by the International research institute social change. A comparison of the values ​​of the corresponding Russian and European cohorts shows that the differences between them are shrinking, especially at a young age. New generations that are being formed in modern conditions are actively mastering a number of Western socio-cultural standards, prescriptions, 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 communications which are reflected in the way of life of individuals.

Social change is universal and yet variable. Levels, speed of social changes increase with the development of society. They can be spontaneous and planned, differ in duration and social consequences, be radical or superficial, contradictory and consistent. Considered in dynamics, social changes represent a social process. There are social processes of functioning, which ensure the reproduction of the qualitative state of the object, and social processes of development, which determine the transition to a qualitatively new state.

Development is nothing but irreversible natural changes (composition, structure), i.e. bearing the character of indigenous, qualitative. The direction of development can be progressive and 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. At the same time, evolutionary processes are interpreted as gradual, slow, smooth quantitative and qualitative transformations, revolutionary processes - as relatively fast, radical qualitative changes. These approaches proceed from 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 complication of the social organization of society to be the criterion of progress.

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

Based on the comparison of traditional and modern society, the theory of industrial society, popular in the 60s, also arose. American economist and sociologist W. Rostow in the book "The Stages of Economic Growth. Non-Communist Manifesto." speaks of five stages in the evolution of society: 1) the traditional society continues from primitive society until 1780 (the time of the creation of the steam engine), 2) the stage of preparing the transition to an industrial society, 3) an industrial society, 4) the stage of maturity of an industrial society, 5) the stage of mass consumption. Rostow's criterion for progress is changes in the nature of production and consumption. In the 1970s, the theory of "post-industrial society" was being developed, according to which society goes through three stages in its development: 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 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, in the role of the person. For the third stage, the initial product is services, human knowledge and experience, advanced technologies - organizational, information technologies. Man acts as a creator. Modern theories overcome the notion of unilinear progress, emphasize its multi-linear, multifaceted nature, especially when talking about the current development of society. The modern French sociologist J. Gurvich speaks, for example, of 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 formation of capitalism (17 -18 centuries in Europe), 6) societies of competing capitalism (19th - early 20th centuries), 7) a society of developed capitalism, 8) fascist societies on a technical and 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 of the stages is an integral socio-economic formation, in the development of which material production and economic relations play a special role. 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 aggravation class struggle. Social revolutions resolve social contradictions and accelerate the development of society. In addition to the evolutionary and revolutionary approaches based on the idea of ​​the progress of society, there are cyclical theories of the development of society, which consider certain types of cultures as historically closed formations and analyze the cycles of their development. Their prominent representatives are the German scientist O. Spengler, the English historian A. Toynbee. O. Spengler singled out 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, obeys internal laws and at the same time passes through the same and the same stages of birth, ascending, and then descending development and death. O. Spengler calls the ascending development a living creative history-culture, the descending development - a civilization that contains only dead products of culture.

A. Toynbee gives a different understanding of civilization. He calls civilizations all types of cultures. Considering civilization, A. Toynbee distinguishes 6 main types: 1) primary isolated civilizations (Egyptian, Andean), 2) primary non-isolated civilizations (Sumerian, Minoan, Indus, Shapskaya, Maya), 3) secondary civilizations (Babylonian from Sumerian, ancient Indian from Indian, 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 most complete development of the internal self-determination inherent in a given civilization to be the criterion for the development of civilizations. 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, A. Toynbee). The concept of civilization is used to characterize the later, mature stages in the development of society (for example, civilization, in contrast to Morgan's savagery and barbarity). Civilization is considered as a special sphere, part of culture (for example, in O. Spengler, civilization is ossified, dead cultural objects). Civilization is considered as a level of culture of society. In the theory of industrial and post-industrial society, such types (levels of culture) as agrarian, industrial and post-industrial civilization are distinguished.

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 technology turns modern society into an information society, which is characterized by much closer ties 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 the general process of modernization of society - the totality of changes that cover the whole society, all its aspects and elements.

There are other positions on the development of civilizations. The well-known 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. Can we agree with such forecasts that deny the formation of a single civilization? Is it possible to agree that the source of conflicts in the future will not be economic and political contradictions, not opposition of ideas, but the difference of cultures? It seems that real processes do not give grounds for such conclusions. Behind the aggravation of national-ethnic relations, behind the opposition of religious movements, there are usually certain economic and political interests.

test 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?

Essay topics

Culture and civilization.

P. Sorokin on supercultures.

Values ​​as elements of culture.

Subculture of professional activity.

Literature

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

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

Doctorov B.Z. Russia in the European and socio-cultural space. // Sociological magazine, 1994, b3.

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

Fundamentals of sociology. / Ed. A.G. Efendiev. - M.: MGU, 1993, p. 149-210.

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

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

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

Huntington S. A clash of civilizations? // Political research.1994. one.

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 referring 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 personality as a subject of knowledge and creativity. Psychology analyzes personality as a stable integrity of mental processes and 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 the reverse impact on the social world, its participation in the change and development of social relations. Sociology studies the relationship 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 of the 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", "individuality". The concept of "man" serves to characterize his biosocial nature. Man is a generic concept that indicates belonging to the human race, the highest stage of development of living nature on our planet. As a living being, a person obeys the basic biological and physiological laws, as a social being - the laws of the development of society.

The concept of "individual" characterizes an individual person. The concept of "personality" serves to characterize the social in man. 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 relevant culture of the society and the specific social groups to which it belongs, in the life of which it is included.

The formation of these qualities and properties is largely mediated by the biological characteristics of the individual. However, the decisive 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 personality traits. Sociology is not interested in uniqueness and individuality in itself, but in its influence, its place in social processes. The study of personality requires the identification of the diverse social ties of the individual with society, its elements (social groups, institutions, organizations, values, etc.). First of all, it is necessary to find out the place, the 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 an analysis of its social roles and how it performs these roles.

Sociologists distinguish between prescribed and acquired statuses. If the former are determined by circumstances (for example, the status of a city dweller) by 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, the 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 the status is objective, then the social role is the unity of the objective and the subjective. Status denotes the place of the individual in the social system, the role is a set of actions that the individual occupying this place must perform. Each status usually involves a whole set of roles. The content of the social role is dictated by society, its requirements, including prescriptions, assessments, expectations, sanctions. The level of fulfillment of these requirements depends on how they are refracted in the mind 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, high level moral and political culture. From the father - concern for the maintenance and upbringing of children, from a friend - understanding, empathy, readiness to provide assistance 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 - part of the roles is formulated and strictly limited, the other is 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, playing the role of spouses, mother and father and a young professional, the role of a scientific researcher and teacher, etc.

Since entry into a social role can be hampered by the characteristics of the individual, the level of her abilities, preparedness, value orientations, assessment of role requirements by others and other factors, intra-role conflicts may arise. The study of the process of adaptation of a young specialist in labor collectives showed that intra-role conflicts arise due to the unpreparedness of a graduate to carry out organizational, educational work in a team, lack of skills, scientific communication skills, due to the fact that the orientation of a university graduate towards solving significant and creative tasks often does not correspond to the orientation of the enterprise to use a young specialist in the first years in performing and often non-creative work, etc.

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taking into account specific economic factors (reasons) for the allocation and mutual arrangement of various social groups in the socio-economic structure of society. A. V. Dorin divides the foundations of socio-economic stratification into objective and subjective.

TO objective grounds socio-economic stratification include:

employment, its measure and type;

position in the social division of labor (managerial or executive labor, physical or mental, agricultural or industrial, etc.);

peculiarity of labor in terms of its conditions and content;

profession and occupation (with or without education, employed or self-employed);

attitude to ownership of the means of production (its presence or absence);

attitude to the organization and management of production and labor (its level, legal and economic foundations, formal or informal nature);

incomes, their measure, sources, legitimacy and morality, stability or instability;

education and qualifications (level, profile, prestige).

TO subjective grounds socio-economic stratification can include:

orientation of people only to certain professions;

difference in behavior styles in the same types of labor;

passivity or activity;

striving for leadership or preference for performing activities;

the importance of labor and wages;

law-abiding or vice versa;

the degree of morality in labor and property matters;

predisposition to individual or joint work. Of course, taking into account all these factors is a very time-consuming task, and

not always necessary. It all depends on the specific situation and the objectives of the study. At the same time, we must not forget that almost all of the above, both objective and subjective grounds for socio-economic stratification, manifest themselves as differences are relative, i.e., acting within specific temporal and spatial boundaries.

Thus, differences in occupations are not so important in conditions of shortage of jobs, or if people are more focused on material incentives.

Differences in income are not so significant if they are large enough on average for the majority of the population, or people are more focused on spiritual values.

Employment and unemployment are less explicit about the socioeconomic status of individuals and groups if the working people are paid low wages, or if unemployment benefits are high enough.

Education can mean only the professional nature of work, but it can seriously determine the socio-economic prospects of a person, it can guarantee employment, or, on the contrary, contribute to unemployment.

Property has a different meaning in different conditions of its distribution (democratic or caste), political and economic stability in the country.

The individual qualities of people (style of behavior, spiritual properties, character traits) are also relative and depend on the state of the socio-economic system as a whole, specific situations and cases.

And, nevertheless, the allocation of various socio-economic strata is necessary not only for the sake of satisfying scientific curiosity. This is necessary, first of all, for the successful solution of specific problems that arise in the practice of socio-economic management.

2. As already noted, the stratification approach to the analysis of the socio-economic structure of society can be supplemented by a description of social differentiation, when different socio-economic groups are distinguished and their features are studied. First of all, this allows us to highlight some important features that are typical for certain groups of people and can have a significant impact on the behavior of these groups, on the characteristics of interaction with other groups.

In particular, A. V. Dorin identifies the following general types of social

economic groups:

traditional and new groups (according to the time of existence and the degree of integration of the group into the socio-economic system). New - these are groups that do not have a certain status. Social and demographic differences (sex, age, professional affiliation) are possible between traditional and new groups;

dominant groups. Dominance is manifested in the leadership and dominance of some groups over others; may be long-term or temporary.

Dominance is associated with the priority of the role. This is observed both at the macro level and at the micro level. For example, workers, the peasantry (in conditions of famine), engineering and technical intelligentsia, managers, economists; at the enterprise level, certain groups of workers can dominate. The basis of dominance can also be the division of socio-economic functions into basic and non-basic. Dominant groups always seek various kinds of privileges and want recognition of their position from other groups;

marginal groups. These are groups occupying a borderline, intermediate position, combining the features of several groups. For example, self-employed workers who do not use hired labor (combine the features of owners and workers); new poor (their incomes are below the average level, but not beggarly; or people who suddenly found themselves poor, but by inertia retained the consumer attitudes of the middle class); categories of workers employed in the city, but living in the countryside, and vice versa; some categories of highly skilled workers (between workers and engineers); lower level managers; trade union activists;

problem groups. These are those socio-economic groups that occupy an unfavorable position against the general background. The problematic nature of the group is determined primarily by objective rather than subjective indicators (the unemployed, migrants, working single mothers and heads of large families working in hazardous and difficult areas, low-paid workers who want to improve their skills but do not have such an opportunity, those whose work requires prolonged separation from home and family). The problematic of the group is sometimes amenable to resolution or at least regulation;

closed, open, transitional groups. The general criterion for the selection of these groups is the possibility of intergroup movements, entry into the group and exit from it. There are various economic, administrative and legal ways to secure personnel. There are some professions and occupations, access to which quite legitimately requires the fulfillment of fairly stringent conditions. In some cases, enterprises have limited opportunities for vertical movement of personnel. Transitional - these are groups that are characterized by instability and variability in composition. Each newcomer considers his stay in it as temporary (until he receives some benefits - registration, housing, seniority);

nominal and real groups. Nominal groups are based on the similarity of external signs of a set of people (all having the same specialty, salary, working in state enterprises or in private

firms). Real - these are groups based on actual contacts and interaction (employees of one enterprise). The line between real and nominal group is very fluid. Movements are possible in both directions.

Of the most significant in society, specific social

economic groups can be distinguished: the working class; intelligentsia; employees; bureaucracy and managers; small entrepreneurs and self-employed workers.

The differences between these groups should be analyzed on such grounds as:

The image of the group in the minds of society. It is unstable, changeable, associated with certain stereotypes, but it always really affects the position and living conditions of the group (entrepreneurs, peasants, managers, trade workers).

group solidarity. Members of the group are aware of themselves as a whole and different from other groups. There are active and passive forms of solidarity. Each individual person is simultaneously included in several "circles" of solidarity. Solidarity can be actual and potential.

The economic ideology of the group. Groups evaluate and perceive economic life in terms of their economic interests: they explain their claims as fair and legitimate; promote themselves, their role, methods and results of their activities; indicate acceptable behaviors for themselves; approve such principles of relations and activities in the economic sphere, which correspond to their own capabilities and abilities.

opinion groups. The following types of group opinions on socio-economic issues can be distinguished:

elitism (desire for the formation of elites, attitude to join the elites, passive acceptance of the existence of elites);

egalitarianism (striving for equality, rejection of inequality, passive acceptance of equality);

etatism (desire for administrative regulation, trust in it, expectation of putting things in order with a strong hand, hostility to spontaneity, sympathy for state approaches in the distribution of goods and values);

liberalism (the desire for free distributive relations between people, rejection of interference "from above";

paternalism (the desire to support the weak, the poor, the expectation of help, the adoption of violent forms of redistribution, the willingness to submit to any kind of domination);

individualism (focus on the principle of "every man for himself" in property relations, the adoption of the most acute forms of struggle for material goods, full responsibility for oneself).

social identification. It means the relation of an individual to a social group. In doing so, one should distinguish between:

a) self-identification; b) mutual identification;

c) objective identification (according to objective features).

As a rule, these types of identifications do not match. People refer to themselves as

more or less wealthy than in reality. People tend to focus on some middle ground. People experience their situation differently (calmly or painfully). People classify themselves and others as “the wrong ones” and according to purely labor criteria: qualifications, status, profession. This is not only a game, but also a manifestation of conflict between people about employment, distribution, responsibility, prestige, authority.

Literature: 1, pp. 147–160, 175–185; 3, pp. 29–70; 4, pp. 87–101; 5, pp. 51–61; 6, pp. 96–124, 223–251; 9, pp. 46–60.

Questions and tasks

1. How, using the four criteria of inequality, to build a stratification model of society?

2. What is socio-economic stratification?

3. Analyze the effect of objective and subjective grounds for co- socio-economic stratification.

4. Why do both objective and subjective grounds for socio-economic stratification appear as relative differences?

5. List and analyze common types socio-economic

6. Describe the specific socio-economic groups that exist in modern Belarusian society on the basis of the proposed features.

7. Compare the pyramidal and rhombic types of the socio-economic structure of society, list their main differences.

8. Why are poverty and wealth socially relative?

10. Try to characterize any specific socio-economic groups, using the proposed categories of public opinion.

Topic 3. ECONOMIC CULTURE

1. Economic culture, its main elements and functions.

2. Economic ideology: concept, types and social carriers.

3. Sociological analysis of economic behavior.

1. In economic sociology, there are different approaches to the definition of the concept of "economic culture". In the context of a sociological analysis of cultural processeseconomic culture societies should most likely be defined as the "projection" of culture (in the broadest sense) on the relationships of people in the economic sphere. Russian researchers T. I. Zaslavskaya and R. V. Ryvkina understand economic culture as “co-

a set of social values ​​and norms that are regulators of economic behavior and perform the role of social memory of economic development: contributing (or hindering) the transmission, selection and renewal of values, norms and needs, functioning in the economic sphere and orienting its subjects to certain forms of economic activity "

Since culture, as a social phenomenon, is primarily a system of norms, values ​​and patterns of behavior developed in the process of social development, then in the composition (structure) economic culture it is also necessary to single out in a certain way interconnected norms, values ​​and patterns of behavior.

They are extremely varied. With a significant degree of convention building blocks economic culture are:

1) social norms determined by the objective needs of the development of the economy (within the historical and geographical boundaries of a particular social system);

2) social values ​​that have arisen in other areas of public life (politics, religion, morality), but have a tangible impact on economic processes;

3) economic interests, expectations, stereotypes and orientations of various

other social groups that become models (patterns) of behavior for people of the corresponding social status. Economic culture primarily regulates social interactions.

actions in the economic sphere (production, distribution, exchange, consumption). Thus, it acts as a regulator of the economic behavior of subjects of economic relations (individuals, communities, social institutions). Economic culture (as part of the general culture) accumulates, stores

nit and conveys social experience associated with the evolution (in time and space) of socio-economic processes.

Among the most significant features of economic culture (in comparison with other types of cultures), attention should be paid to the following:

the main channel of influence of economic culture on the economy is primarily economic behavior, and not any other;

in the transfer, implementation, rejection of certain elements of the economic culture of society, a huge role is played by political groups of power;

economic culture to a much greater extent than other

culture focused on managing people's behavior. Main Functions economic culture according to

G. N. Sokolova are:

translational;

breeding;

innovative.

The translational function of economic culture is manifested in the transmission of norms, values, patterns of behavior, stereotypes, expectations, orientations, etc. The content and orientation of "translations" are quite diverse: between different generations, social communities (territorial, professional, ethnic), economic cultures of different societies.

The selection function of economic culture is manifested in the selection from inherited norms and values ​​of those that can be useful (from the point of view of economic entities) for solving their socio-economic problems.

The innovative function of economic culture is manifested in the constant renewal (of course, with varying degrees of intensity) of norms, values ​​and patterns of behavior. Innovations in the economic culture of a particular society can be developed independently or borrowed from the economic culture of another society.

E. M. Babosov somewhat expands and details the range of functions performed by economic culture.

He considers the initial function of economic culture to be adaptive, which allows individuals and social communities to adapt to the changing conditions of their socio-economic activity precisely through the application of values, norms and patterns of behavior concentrated in economic culture.

In direct connection with the adaptive function, from the point of view of E. M. Babosov, is the cognitive function of economic culture. Its action is expressed in the possibility for each person to obtain a reliable guide for choosing the direction, content and forms of their economic behavior, mastering the knowledge (legal and moral norms, prohibitions, ideals, etc.) contained in economic culture.

A very important function of economic culture, according to E. M. Babosov, is regulatory. The essence of this function lies in prescribing certain standards and rules of behavior to individuals and social groups, developed and enshrined in the economic culture of a particular society. They form the way of life of people, attitudes, value orientations, role expectations, claims and methods of activity in the economic sphere of society.

Agreeing that economic culture performs in society the translational, selection and innovation functions identified by G.N. and mobilizing.

The goal-setting function reflects the ability of economic culture to help people formulate the socially significant goals of their economic activity on the basis of the values ​​and norms existing in society, and, if necessary, supplement and overlap them with new value orientations.

At the present stage of transition to the information society, a special role is assigned to the information function of economic culture. Indeed, the organization of effective economic activity of an individual, a social group, and society as a whole is hardly possible without objective, reliable and verified socio-economic information, which is concentrated in the content of economic culture.

The information function of economic culture is logically related to its communicative function. To establish effective economic activity, it is necessary to transmit, receive, and comprehend socio-economic information. Economic culture implements these processes by linking individuals, social groups, communities and organizations on the basis of existing and developed in the process of interaction of socio-economic norms, values ​​and patterns of behavior.

The fact that economic culture performs a motivational function is objectively determined by its content. The dialectically developing system of norms, values ​​and patterns of human behavior in the economic sphere makes it possible to influence (encourage, direct, regulate) the economy.

The concept of economic culture

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

Economic culture dictates a special attitude to forms of ownership, improves the business environment.

Economic culture is an inseparable 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.

Remark 1

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

Consciousness is the basis of human economic culture. Economic knowledge is 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 impact on its formation of economic processes.

Economic knowledge is a paramount component of economic culture. They allow us to develop our understanding of the basic laws of the 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 justified behavior.

Economic culture of personality

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

The choice of patterns of behavior 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 personality is characterized by socially significant values ​​and social attitudes.

The economic culture of a person can be seen by considering the complex of his personal properties and qualities, representing the result of his participation in the activity. 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 is always influenced by the way of life, traditions, and mentality that are characteristic of a given people. Therefore, as a model, or even more so an ideal, one cannot take any foreign model of the functioning of the economy.

Remark 2

For Russia, in all likelihood, the European model of socio-economic development is closest, which is more humane than the American or Japanese one, 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 be used only if the trends and features of the development of national Russian culture are taken into account, otherwise it is completely meaningless 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. It is she who allows a person to adapt to the socio-economic conditions of society, types and forms of economic behavior, adapt the socio-economic environment to their needs, for example, produce the necessary economic benefits, distribute them by selling, leasing, exchanging, etc. .
2. Cognitive function, which is coordinated with the adaptive function. The knowledge contained in economic culture, familiarity with its ideals, prohibitions, legal norms enables a person to have a reliable guideline for choosing the content and forms of his economic behavior.
3. Regulatory function. Economic culture dictates to individuals and social groups certain standards and rules developed by it that affect the way of life of people, their attitudes and value orientations.
4. A translational function that creates an opportunity for a dialogue between generations and eras, passing on the experience of economic activity from generation to generation.

taking into account specific economic factors (reasons) for the allocation and mutual arrangement of various social groups in the socio-economic structure of society. A. V. Dorin divides the foundations of socio-economic stratification into objective and subjective.

TO objective grounds socio-economic stratification include:

employment, its measure and type;

position in the social division of labor (managerial or executive labor, physical or mental, agricultural or industrial, etc.);

peculiarity of labor in terms of its conditions and content;

profession and occupation (with or without education, employed or self-employed);

attitude to ownership of the means of production (its presence or absence);

attitude to the organization and management of production and labor (its level, legal and economic foundations, formal or informal nature);

incomes, their measure, sources, legitimacy and morality, stability or instability;

education and qualifications (level, profile, prestige).

TO subjective grounds socio-economic stratification can include:

orientation of people only to certain professions;

difference in behavior styles in the same types of labor;

passivity or activity;

striving for leadership or preference for performing activities;

the importance of labor and wages;

law-abiding or vice versa;

the degree of morality in labor and property matters;

predisposition to individual or joint work. Of course, taking into account all these factors is a very time-consuming task, and

not always necessary. It all depends on the specific situation and the objectives of the study. At the same time, we must not forget that almost all of the above, both objective and subjective grounds for socio-economic stratification, manifest themselves as differences are relative, i.e., acting within specific temporal and spatial boundaries.

Thus, differences in occupations are not so important in conditions of shortage of jobs, or if people are more focused on material incentives.

Differences in income are not so significant if they are large enough on average for the majority of the population, or people are more focused on spiritual values.

Employment and unemployment are less explicit about the socioeconomic status of individuals and groups if the working people are paid low wages, or if unemployment benefits are high enough.

Education can mean only the professional nature of work, but it can seriously determine the socio-economic prospects of a person, it can guarantee employment, or, on the contrary, contribute to unemployment.

Property has a different meaning in different conditions of its distribution (democratic or caste), political and economic stability in the country.

The individual qualities of people (style of behavior, spiritual properties, character traits) are also relative and depend on the state of the socio-economic system as a whole, specific situations and cases.

And, nevertheless, the allocation of various socio-economic strata is necessary not only for the sake of satisfying scientific curiosity. This is necessary, first of all, for the successful solution of specific problems that arise in the practice of socio-economic management.

2. As already noted, the stratification approach to the analysis of the socio-economic structure of society can be supplemented by a description of social differentiation, when different socio-economic groups are distinguished and their features are studied. First of all, this allows us to highlight some important features that are typical for certain groups of people and can have a significant impact on the behavior of these groups, on the characteristics of interaction with other groups.

In particular, A. V. Dorin identifies the following general types of social

economic groups:

traditional and new groups (according to the time of existence and the degree of integration of the group into the socio-economic system). New - these are groups that do not have a certain status. Social and demographic differences (sex, age, professional affiliation) are possible between traditional and new groups;

dominant groups. Dominance is manifested in the leadership and dominance of some groups over others; may be long-term or temporary.

Dominance is associated with the priority of the role. This is observed both at the macro level and at the micro level. For example, workers, the peasantry (in conditions of famine), engineering and technical intelligentsia, managers, economists; at the enterprise level, certain groups of workers can dominate. The basis of dominance can also be the division of socio-economic functions into basic and non-basic. Dominant groups always seek various kinds of privileges and want recognition of their position from other groups;

marginal groups. These are groups occupying a borderline, intermediate position, combining the features of several groups. For example, self-employed workers who do not use hired labor (combine the features of owners and workers); new poor (their incomes are below the average level, but not beggarly; or people who suddenly found themselves poor, but by inertia retained the consumer attitudes of the middle class); categories of workers employed in the city, but living in the countryside, and vice versa; some categories of highly skilled workers (between workers and engineers); lower level managers; trade union activists;

problem groups. These are those socio-economic groups that occupy an unfavorable position against the general background. The problematic nature of the group is determined primarily by objective rather than subjective indicators (the unemployed, migrants, working single mothers and heads of large families working in hazardous and difficult areas, low-paid workers who want to improve their skills but do not have such an opportunity, those whose work requires prolonged separation from home and family). The problematic of the group is sometimes amenable to resolution or at least regulation;

closed, open, transitional groups. The general criterion for the selection of these groups is the possibility of intergroup movements, entry into the group and exit from it. There are various economic, administrative and legal ways to secure personnel. There are some professions and occupations, access to which quite legitimately requires the fulfillment of fairly stringent conditions. In some cases, enterprises have limited opportunities for vertical movement of personnel. Transitional - these are groups that are characterized by instability and variability in composition. Each newcomer considers his stay in it as temporary (until he receives some benefits - registration, housing, seniority);

nominal and real groups. Nominal groups are based on the similarity of external signs of a set of people (all having the same specialty, salary, working in state enterprises or in private

firms). Real - these are groups based on actual contacts and interaction (employees of one enterprise). The line between real and nominal group is very fluid. Movements are possible in both directions.

Of the most significant in society, specific social

economic groups can be distinguished: the working class; intelligentsia; employees; bureaucracy and managers; small entrepreneurs and self-employed workers.

The differences between these groups should be analyzed on such grounds as:

The image of the group in the minds of society. It is unstable, changeable, associated with certain stereotypes, but it always really affects the position and living conditions of the group (entrepreneurs, peasants, managers, trade workers).

group solidarity. Members of the group are aware of themselves as a whole and different from other groups. There are active and passive forms of solidarity. Each individual person is simultaneously included in several "circles" of solidarity. Solidarity can be actual and potential.

The economic ideology of the group. Groups evaluate and perceive economic life in terms of their economic interests: they explain their claims as fair and legitimate; promote themselves, their role, methods and results of their activities; indicate acceptable behaviors for themselves; approve such principles of relations and activities in the economic sphere, which correspond to their own capabilities and abilities.

opinion groups. The following types of group opinions on socio-economic issues can be distinguished:

elitism (desire for the formation of elites, attitude to join the elites, passive acceptance of the existence of elites);

egalitarianism (striving for equality, rejection of inequality, passive acceptance of equality);

etatism (desire for administrative regulation, trust in it, expectation of putting things in order with a strong hand, hostility to spontaneity, sympathy for state approaches in the distribution of goods and values);

liberalism (the desire for free distributive relations between people, rejection of interference "from above";

paternalism (the desire to support the weak, the poor, the expectation of help, the adoption of violent forms of redistribution, the willingness to submit to any kind of domination);

individualism (focus on the principle of "every man for himself" in property relations, the adoption of the most acute forms of struggle for material goods, full responsibility for oneself).

social identification. It means the relation of an individual to a social group. In doing so, one should distinguish between:

a) self-identification; b) mutual identification;

c) objective identification (according to objective features).

As a rule, these types of identifications do not match. People refer to themselves as

more or less wealthy than in reality. People tend to focus on some middle ground. People experience their situation differently (calmly or painfully). People classify themselves and others as “the wrong ones” and according to purely labor criteria: qualifications, status, profession. This is not only a game, but also a manifestation of conflict between people about employment, distribution, responsibility, prestige, authority.

Literature: 1, pp. 147–160, 175–185; 3, pp. 29–70; 4, pp. 87–101; 5, pp. 51–61; 6, pp. 96–124, 223–251; 9, pp. 46–60.

Questions and tasks

1. How, using the four criteria of inequality, to build a stratification model of society?

2. What is socio-economic stratification?

3. Analyze the effect of objective and subjective grounds for co- socio-economic stratification.

4. Why do both objective and subjective grounds for socio-economic stratification appear as relative differences?

5. List and analyze common types socio-economic

6. Describe the specific socio-economic groups that exist in modern Belarusian society on the basis of the proposed features.

7. Compare the pyramidal and rhombic types of the socio-economic structure of society, list their main differences.

8. Why are poverty and wealth socially relative?

10. Try to characterize any specific socio-economic groups, using the proposed categories of public opinion.

Topic 3. ECONOMIC CULTURE

1. Economic culture, its main elements and functions.

2. Economic ideology: concept, types and social carriers.

3. Sociological analysis of economic behavior.

1. In economic sociology, there are different approaches to the definition of the concept of "economic culture". In the context of a sociological analysis of cultural processeseconomic culture societies should most likely be defined as the "projection" of culture (in the broadest sense) on the relationships of people in the economic sphere. Russian researchers T. I. Zaslavskaya and R. V. Ryvkina understand economic culture as “co-

a set of social values ​​and norms that are regulators of economic behavior and perform the role of social memory of economic development: contributing (or hindering) the transmission, selection and renewal of values, norms and needs, functioning in the economic sphere and orienting its subjects to certain forms of economic activity "

Since culture, as a social phenomenon, is primarily a system of norms, values ​​and patterns of behavior developed in the process of social development, then in the composition (structure) economic culture it is also necessary to single out in a certain way interconnected norms, values ​​and patterns of behavior.

They are extremely varied. With a significant degree of convention building blocks economic culture are:

1) social norms determined by the objective needs of the development of the economy (within the historical and geographical boundaries of a particular social system);

2) social values ​​that have arisen in other areas of public life (politics, religion, morality), but have a tangible impact on economic processes;

3) economic interests, expectations, stereotypes and orientations of various

other social groups that become models (patterns) of behavior for people of the corresponding social status. Economic culture primarily regulates social interactions.

actions in the economic sphere (production, distribution, exchange, consumption). Thus, it acts as a regulator of the economic behavior of subjects of economic relations (individuals, communities, social institutions). Economic culture (as part of the general culture) accumulates, stores

nit and conveys social experience associated with the evolution (in time and space) of socio-economic processes.

Among the most significant features of economic culture (in comparison with other types of cultures), attention should be paid to the following:

the main channel of influence of economic culture on the economy is primarily economic behavior, and not any other;

in the transfer, implementation, rejection of certain elements of the economic culture of society, a huge role is played by political groups of power;

economic culture to a much greater extent than other

culture focused on managing people's behavior. Main Functions economic culture according to

G. N. Sokolova are:

translational;

breeding;

innovative.

The translational function of economic culture is manifested in the transmission of norms, values, patterns of behavior, stereotypes, expectations, orientations, etc. The content and orientation of "translations" are quite diverse: between different generations, social communities (territorial, professional, ethnic), economic cultures of different societies.

The selection function of economic culture is manifested in the selection from inherited norms and values ​​of those that can be useful (from the point of view of economic entities) for solving their socio-economic problems.

The innovative function of economic culture is manifested in the constant renewal (of course, with varying degrees of intensity) of norms, values ​​and patterns of behavior. Innovations in the economic culture of a particular society can be developed independently or borrowed from the economic culture of another society.

E. M. Babosov somewhat expands and details the range of functions performed by economic culture.

He considers the initial function of economic culture to be adaptive, which allows individuals and social communities to adapt to the changing conditions of their socio-economic activity precisely through the application of values, norms and patterns of behavior concentrated in economic culture.

In direct connection with the adaptive function, from the point of view of E. M. Babosov, is the cognitive function of economic culture. Its action is expressed in the possibility for each person to obtain a reliable guide for choosing the direction, content and forms of their economic behavior, mastering the knowledge (legal and moral norms, prohibitions, ideals, etc.) contained in economic culture.

A very important function of economic culture, according to E. M. Babosov, is regulatory. The essence of this function lies in prescribing certain standards and rules of behavior to individuals and social groups, developed and enshrined in the economic culture of a particular society. They form the way of life of people, attitudes, value orientations, role expectations, claims and methods of activity in the economic sphere of society.

Agreeing that economic culture performs in society the translational, selection and innovation functions identified by G.N. and mobilizing.

The goal-setting function reflects the ability of economic culture to help people formulate the socially significant goals of their economic activity on the basis of the values ​​and norms existing in society, and, if necessary, supplement and overlap them with new value orientations.

At the present stage of transition to the information society, a special role is assigned to the information function of economic culture. Indeed, the organization of effective economic activity of an individual, a social group, and society as a whole is hardly possible without objective, reliable and verified socio-economic information, which is concentrated in the content of economic culture.

The information function of economic culture is logically related to its communicative function. To establish effective economic activity, it is necessary to transmit, receive, and comprehend socio-economic information. Economic culture implements these processes by linking individuals, social groups, communities and organizations on the basis of existing and developed in the process of interaction of socio-economic norms, values ​​and patterns of behavior.

The fact that economic culture performs a motivational function is objectively determined by its content. The dialectically developing system of norms, values ​​and patterns of human behavior in the economic sphere makes it possible to influence (encourage, direct, regulate) the economy.

The concept of economic culture

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

Economic culture dictates a special attitude to forms of ownership, improves the business environment.

Economic culture is an inseparable 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.

Remark 1

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

Consciousness is the basis of human economic culture. Economic knowledge is 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 impact on its formation of economic processes.

Economic knowledge is a paramount component of economic culture. They allow us to develop our understanding of the basic laws of the 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 justified behavior.

Economic culture of personality

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

The choice of patterns of behavior 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 personality is characterized by socially significant values ​​and social attitudes.

The economic culture of a person can be seen by considering the complex of his personal properties and qualities, representing the result of his participation in the activity. 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 is always influenced by the way of life, traditions, and mentality that are characteristic of a given people. Therefore, as a model, or even more so an ideal, one cannot take any foreign model of the functioning of the economy.

Remark 2

For Russia, in all likelihood, the European model of socio-economic development is closest, which is more humane than the American or Japanese one, 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 be used only if the trends and features of the development of national Russian culture are taken into account, otherwise it is completely meaningless 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. It is she who allows a person to adapt to the socio-economic conditions of society, types and forms of economic behavior, adapt the socio-economic environment to their needs, for example, produce the necessary economic benefits, distribute them by selling, leasing, exchanging, etc. .
2. Cognitive function, which is coordinated with the adaptive function. The knowledge contained in economic culture, familiarity with its ideals, prohibitions, legal norms enables a person to have a reliable guideline for choosing the content and forms of his economic behavior.
3. Regulatory function. Economic culture dictates to individuals and social groups certain standards and rules developed by it that affect the way of life of people, their attitudes and value orientations.
4. A translational function that creates an opportunity for a dialogue between generations and eras, passing on the experience of economic activity from generation to generation.

Lesson in social science on the topic "Economic culture"

Purpose: to consider the features of economic culture.

Subject: social science.

Date: "____" ____.20___

Teacher: Khamatgaleev E.R.

Message about the topic and purpose of the lesson.

Activation of educational activities.

Does every person need an economic culture? Economic freedom: anarchy or responsibility? Where are the limits of economic freedom? Is it good to be honest? Is Don Quixote Modern?

Presentation of the program material.

Storytelling with elements of conversation

Economic culture: essence and structure

Culture is an attribute of a person, it reflects his development in society. This process of creation by a person of himself takes place in the course of direct activity, through the growth of his material and spiritual equipment. The impact on a person of this activity is different. So, for example, work can not only elevate a person; in conditions when work is of a routine nature, it sucks all the forces - such work leads to the degradation of a person. Culture acts as the result of the confrontation of various, including anti-cultural, tendencies in society.

Cultural development involves the selection of a cultural standard (sample) and consists in following it as much as possible.

These standards exist in the field of politics, economics, social relations, etc. It depends on a person whether he chooses the path of development in accordance with the cultural standard of his era or simply adapts to life circumstances. But he cannot evade the choice itself. To make the choice more conscious in such a field as economics, familiarity with economic culture will help you.

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 actions of a person, as well as the content of traditions and norms that regulate economic relations and behavior. Economic culture of personality represents 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 the individual can correspond to the economic culture of the society, get ahead of it, but it can also lag behind it, hinder its development.

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

The basis of the economic culture of the individual is consciousness, and economic knowledge - its important component. This knowledge is totality economic ideas about the production, exchange, distribution and consumption of material goods, the impact of economic life on the development of society, about the ways and forms, methods that contribute to the sustainable development of society. Modern production, economic relations require a large and constantly increasing amount of knowledge from the worker. Economic knowledge forms an idea of ​​economic interrelations in the surrounding world, patterns of development of the economic life of society. On their basis, economic thinking and practical skills of economically competent, morally justified behavior, the economic qualities of a person that are significant in modern conditions, develop.

A person actively uses the accumulated knowledge in everyday activities, therefore an important component of its economic culture is economic thinking. It allows you to learn the essence of economic phenomena and processes, to operate with learned economic concepts, to 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), the links of economic life with other spheres of society.

The choice of standards of behavior in the economy, the effectiveness of solving economic problems largely depend on the socio-psychological qualities of participants in economic activity. Among them, it is necessary to single out such an important element of economic culture as economic focus personality, the components of which are needs, interests And motives human activity in the economic sphere. Personal orientation includes social attitude And socially significant values. So, in the reformed Russian society, social attitudes are being formed to study modern economic theory (this is required by the transition to new, market economic conditions), to 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). ), to participate in solving various economic problems. Received its development and the system value orientations personality, including economic freedom, competition, respect for any form of ownership, commercial success as a great social achievement.

Social attitudes play an important role in the development of the economic culture of the individual. A person who has formed, for example, an attitude towards creative work, participates in activities with b about with great interest, supports innovative projects, introduces technical achievements, etc. Such results will not be achieved by a formed attitude towards work. (Give examples of the manifestation of various attitudes to work known to you, compare the results of their action.) If a person has a social attitude to consume more than to produce, then he subordinates his activity only to hoarding, acquisitiveness, 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 diligence, responsibility, prudence, the ability to rationally organize one's work, enterprise, innovation, etc. The economic qualities of a person and norms of behavior can be both positive (thrift, discipline) and negative (waste, 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 are economic relations. Not only the development of production, but also the social balance in society, its stability depends on the nature of economic relations between people (relationships of property, exchange of activities and distribution of goods and services). Their content is directly related to the solution of the problem of social justice, when each person and social group gets the opportunity to enjoy social benefits depending on the social usefulness of their activity, its necessity for other people, society.

The economic interests of people act as reflection their economic relations. Thus, the economic interests of an entrepreneur (maximizing profits) and a hired worker (selling their labor services more expensively and receiving a higher salary) are determined by their place in the system of economic relations. (Think about how the economic interests of a doctor, a scientist, a farmer are determined by the content and place in existing economic relations.) Economic interest - This is the desire of a person to receive the benefits he needs to provide for his life and family. Interests express ways and means of satisfying people's needs. For example, making a profit (which is the economic interest of the entrepreneur) is the way to satisfy the personal needs of a person and the needs of production. Interest is the direct cause of human actions.

The need to resolve the contradiction between the natural desire of a person to save his own strength and the satisfaction of growing needs forced people to organize the economy in such a way that it would encourage 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 achieve economic cooperation and increase labor productivity. At the same time, there is a need for such ways of organizing joint life 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 not infringe on the rights of other people.

One of the ways of economic cooperation of people, the main means of struggle against human egoism has become the mechanism of the market economy. This mechanism made it possible for humanity to bring 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 search of ways to harmonize the economic interests of the individual and society, various forms of influence on people's consciousness were also involved: philosophical teachings, moral norms, art, religion. They played a big role in the formation of a special element of the economy - business ethics, revealing the norms and rules of conduct in economic activity. These norms are an important element of economic culture, their observance facilitates the conduct of business, the cooperation of people, reducing mistrust and hostility.

If we turn to history, we will see that, for example, the Russian school of 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, the 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, the state and social system of life. Academician I. I. Yanzhul, who published the book “The Economic Significance of Honesty (Forgotten Factor of Production)” in 1912, wrote in it that “none of the virtues that create the greatest wealth in the country is of such great importance as honesty ... Therefore, all civilized states consider it their duty to ensure the existence of this virtue with the most stringent laws and require their implementation. Here it is clear: 1) honesty as the fulfillment of a promise; 2) honesty as respect for someone else's property; 3) honesty as respect for existing laws and moral rules.

Today, in countries with developed market economies, the moral aspects of economic activity are given serious attention. Ethics is taught in most business schools, and many corporations adopt codes of ethics. Interest in ethics is due to the understanding of the harm that unethical, dishonest business behavior causes to society. A civilized understanding of entrepreneurial success today is also associated, first of all, with moral and ethical, and then with financial aspects. But what makes an entrepreneur, who seems to be interested only in making a profit, think about morality and the good of the whole society? A partial answer can be found in the American automobile manufacturer, entrepreneur G. Ford, who put the idea of ​​serving society at the forefront of entrepreneurial activity: “Doing business on the basis of pure profit is an extremely risky enterprise ... The task of an enterprise is to produce for consumption, speculation ... It is worthwhile to realize to the people that the manufacturer does not serve him, 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 “make big money”, but to earn it, focusing on the needs of people, and the more specific this orientation is, the more success this activity will bring.

An entrepreneur must remember that unscrupulous business will receive a corresponding reaction from society. His personal prestige, the authority of the company will fall, which, in turn, will cast doubt on the quality of the goods and services he offers. Ultimately, his profits will be at stake. For these reasons, in a market economy, the slogan “Being honest is profitable” is becoming increasingly popular. The practice of management itself educates a person, focusing on the choice of a standard of behavior. Entrepreneurship forms such economically and morally valuable qualities of a person as responsibility, independence, prudence (the ability to navigate in an environment, correlate one’s desires with the desires of other people, goals - with the means to achieve them), high efficiency, creative approach to business, etc.

However, the social conditions that prevailed in Russia in the 1990s - economic, political, social instability, the lack of experience of economic amateur 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 are still far from ideal today. The desire for easy money, indifference to public interests, dishonesty, promiscuity 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, having grown up in conditions of economic freedom, will form new values ​​associated not only with material well-being, but also with the ethical principles of activity.

Economic freedom and social responsibility

The word “freedom”, already familiar to you, can be considered from different positions: the protection of a person from undesirable influence, violence; the ability to act of one's own free will and in accordance with a perceived need; availability of alternatives, possibility of choice, pluralism. What is economic freedom?

economic freedom includes the freedom to make economic decisions, the freedom of economic action. The individual (and only he) has the right to decide which type of activity is preferable for him (employment, entrepreneurship, etc.), which form of proprietary participation seems more appropriate to him, in which area and in which region of the country he will show his activity. The basis of the market, as you know, is the principle of economic freedom. The consumer is free to choose a product, manufacturer, forms of consumption. The manufacturer is free to choose the type of activity, its volume and forms.

The market economy is often referred to as the economy free enterprise. What does the word "free" mean? The economic freedom of an entrepreneur, according to scientists, suggests that he has a certain set of rights guaranteeing autonomy, independent decision-making on the search and choice of the type, form and scope of economic activity, methods of its implementation, the use of the produced product and the profit received.

Human economic freedom has gone through an evolutionary path. Throughout history, its ebb and flow has occurred, various 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 on the market, etc.). Social development, as it were, balances between, on the one hand, greater personal freedom, but with a high degree of economic risk, on the other hand, greater economic security, but with vassalage.

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

The boundaries within which economic freedom serves the efficiency of production are determined by concrete historical circumstances. Thus, a modern market economy, as a rule, does not need systematic, brutal violence, which is its advantage. However, the restriction of market freedom for the sake of about cheniya economic situation is practiced in our time. For example, state 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, satisfying 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 drew attention to the contradiction inherent in the nature of economic activity. On the one hand, the desire for maximum profit and the selfish protection of private property interests, and on the other hand, the need to take into account the interests and values ​​of society, that is, to show social responsibility.

Responsibility - a special social and moral-legal relationship of the individual to society as a whole and to other people, which is characterized by the fulfillment of its moral duty And legal norms. The idea of ​​corporate social responsibility, for example, became widespread in the 1970s and 1980s. in the US and later 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. Initially, social responsibility was associated, first of all, with the observance of laws. Then its necessary sign was the anticipation of the future. Specifically, this could be expressed in the formation of the consumer (American manufacturers set the goal of business to create "tomorrow's consumer"), ensuring environmental safety, social and political stability of society, and raising the level of education and culture.

The ability of participants in economic activity to consciously fulfill the moral and legal requirements of society and be responsible for their activities today immeasurably increases 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 the catastrophic consequences of man's invasion of the natural environment with the help of science.

For many years, industrial activity in most countries was characterized mainly by the unsustainable use of raw materials and a high degree of environmental pollution. There was a very widespread opinion in the world that entrepreneurship and environmental protection are incompatible. Profit-making was tied to the merciless exploitation and destruction of natural resources, and environmental improvements led to lower incomes for entrepreneurs and higher prices for consumer goods. Therefore, it is not surprising that the reaction of business to the requirements to comply with environmental standards was often negative, and the implementation of these requirements was not voluntary (with the help of laws, administrative control). However, the strengthening of the global environmental movement, the development of the concept and principles of sustainable development contributed to a change in the attitude of entrepreneurs towards the environment. Sustainable development - it is such a development of society that allows you to meet the needs of the present generation, without prejudice 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 sustainable companies and individual entrepreneurs are effectively using improved production processes, striving to meet environmental requirements (prevention of pollution, reduction of production waste, etc.) and make the best use of market opportunities. Such companies and businessmen gain advantages over competitors who do not use new approaches to entrepreneurial activity. As world experience shows, a combination of entrepreneurial activity, economic growth and environmental safety is possible.

In modern Russia, the level of environmental consciousness in the business environment is still quite low. Thus, by mid-1995, according to the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources, only about 18,000 of the 800,000 registered small and medium-sized enterprises provided for environmental 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 world 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.

Relationship between economic culture and activity

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

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

The level of development of the main elements of economic culture, in turn, determines the nature and effectiveness of economic activity. An example of this is the Japanese market economy. There, the systematic advance from selfish behavior towards behavior based on rules and concepts such as "duty", "loyalty" and "good will" proved to be essential to the achievement of individual and group efficiency and played an essential role in industrial progress.

in Russian society in the 1990s. the ongoing changes led to the rejection of the social and aesthetic values ​​that had developed under the conditions of the command-administrative system, the destruction of past experience. Creative work often began to be replaced by consumer aspirations and the struggle for survival. Comprehending the experience of the transition period shows that the liberal thinking prevailing 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 system of values, where "everything is decided only by money."

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

The process of forming the values ​​of the new economy in Russia continues, which is illustrated by the following two polar judgments in relation to the market economy. The first of them reads: “The principle of utility destroys the conscience, dries up the moral feelings of a person. Private property binds a person to itself in such a way that it 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 both anti-democratic and anti-people.” The second asserts: “Under civilized market relations, the seeming incompatibility of “interest” and “ideal”, material abundance and spirituality is overcome. It is privatized property that makes a person independent, serves as a reliable guarantor of his freedom. Market requirements establish immutable standards of honesty, integrity and trust as prerequisites for the effectiveness of business relations. Competition is a harsh thing, but it is a fight according to rules, the observance of which is vigilantly controlled by public opinion. The secret of democracy lies, above all, 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.

The changes taking place in the country have put a person and society in front of a choice of possible development options. This choice takes place not only in politics and economics, but also in the socio-cultural sphere, on which the direction of life, its value orientations, and the stability of any human community largely depend.

Practical conclusions.

Involving in this or that practical economic activity, use economic knowledge and the norms of economic culture to make the right choice and make a decision that is optimal for the success of your business.

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.

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

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

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

Document.

From the work of a Russian statesman, Doctor of EconomicsE. S. Stroeva "The State, Society and Reforms in Russia".

At turning points like the current one, it is extremely dangerous to stop, limit ourselves to ... a dump filled with various fragments of political, economic and former 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 has collapsed, ceases to be the leading “historical” people or nation and simply turns into “economic human material”, which will be absorbed and used by other, more creative societies and peoples.

This provision is a warning for Russia and other countries that are part of the area of ​​its interests, since now science, culture, education, morality, ideology here are increasingly reminiscent of a "historical dump" of heterogeneous, incompatible socio-cultural types, and the energy of creative transformations to some extent resides in stagnation.

Questions and tasks for the document

Does Russia need a new socio-cultural order?

What past cultural accumulations associated with the command economy could be sent to the "historical dustbin"?

Based on the text of the paragraph, suggest the values ​​of the “new economy” that would become significant elements of the economic culture of the 21st century.

Questions for self-examination.

What are the main elements of economic culture?

What is the significance of the economic orientation and social attitudes of the individual?

Is self-interest the only basis for economic choice?

What determines a person's choice of the standard of economic behavior?

Should economic freedom be restricted?

Is a “voluntary marriage” between economy and ecology possible?

What is the essence and significance of economically competent and morally valuable human behavior in the economy?

What difficulties is the new economy of Russia going through?

Tasks.

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

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

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

International experts put Russia in 149th place in the world in terms of investment reliability. So, 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 optional partners. At the same time, only 60% of them feel guilty.

How do you feel about the existence of two morals among the participants in economic relations - for yourself and for a partner? Is it possible to create in the country a system of protection and support for economic behavior that is characterized as reliable, predictable and credible? What would you suggest to do for this?

Thoughts of the wise.

"The system of private property is the most important guarantee of freedom, not only for the owners of property, but also for those who do not have it."

F. A. Hayek (1899-1992), Austrian political scientist, economist

Final part.

Evaluation of student responses.

Traditionally, culture has been the subject of study in philosophy, sociology, art history, history, literary criticism, and other disciplines, while the economic sphere of culture has been practically not studied. The allocation of the economy as a special sphere of culture will seem justified if we turn to the origin of the very term "culture". It is directly connected with material production, agricultural labor.

On the early stages development of human society, the term "culture" was identified with the main type of economic activity of that time - agriculture. However, the social division of labor, which was the result of the development of productive forces, the demarcation of the spiritual and material-production spheres of activity, created the illusion of their complete autonomy. "Culture" gradually began to be identified only with the manifestations of the spiritual life of society, with the totality of spiritual values. This approach finds its supporters even now, but along with this, the point of view dominates, according to which culture is not limited solely to aspects of the superstructural character or the spiritual life of society.

Despite the heterogeneity and heterogeneity of the components (parts) that make up the culture, they are united by the fact that they are all associated with some specific way of human activity. Any kind, way of activity can be represented as a combination of material and spiritual components. From the point of view of the social mechanism of human activity, they are the means of activity. This approach makes it possible to single out the criterion of phenomena and processes of a class of culture - to be a socially developed means of human activity. These can be, for example, tools, skills, clothing, traditions, dwellings and customs, etc.

At the initial stages of the study of economic culture, it can be defined through the most general economic category "mode of production", which is consonant with the definition of culture as a mode of human activity. In the usual political and economic interpretation, the mode of production is the interaction of productive forces that are at a certain level of development and corresponding to this type of production relations. However, bearing in mind the object of study, it is necessary to single out the cultural aspect of the analysis of production forces and production relations.

It is appropriate to pay attention to the negative impact of the long-term dominant technocratic interpretation of economics on the development of the theory of economic culture. Primary attention was paid to technological relations, natural-material indicators and technical characteristics of production. The economy was seen as a machine, where people are cogs, enterprises are parts, industries are nodes *. In reality, the picture looks much more complicated, because the main agent of the economy is a person, especially since, in the final analysis, the goal of socio-economic development is the formation of a person as a free, creative person. In the process of production, as K. Marx rightly noted, there is an improvement in the diverse abilities of a person, “producers themselves change, developing new qualities in themselves, developing and transforming themselves through production, creating new forces and new ideas, new ways of communication, new needs and a new language.

Modern society, focusing on the management of the economy as a machine through various kinds of spending rates, technical and economic indicators, coefficients, levels, with enviable constancy did not show interest in knowledge about the personal mechanisms of economic motivations, was not focused on the study of economic activity and entrepreneurship of a person who himself is complex system, in which all types of relations intersect: economic, political, ideological, legal and others. Such a simplified approach to understanding the essence and content of the economy, of course, cannot be constructive in terms of the study of economic culture.

From the point of view of the culturological approach, the historically developed properties and abilities of the subjects of activity for work, production skills, knowledge and skills are socially developed means of activity and, according to the selected criterion, belong to the class of phenomena of economic culture.

Economic culture should include not only relations of production, but also the totality of social relations that have an impact on the technological mode of production, material production, and on a person as its main agent. Thus, in a broad sense, economic culture is a set of material and spiritual socially developed means of activity, with the help of which the material and production life of people is carried out.

Structure of economic culture

Structural analysis of economic culture is dictated by the very structure of economic activity, the successive succession of the phases of social reproduction: the actual production, exchange, distribution and consumption. Therefore, it is legitimate to speak of a culture of production, a culture of exchange, a culture of distribution, and a culture of consumption. In the structure of economic culture, it is necessary to single out the main structure-forming factor. One such factor is human activity. It is characteristic of the whole variety of forms, types of material and spiritual production. Because of its importance for maintaining basic life processes, labor stands out as the basis for the development of other elements and components of economic culture. Each specific level of economic culture of labor characterizes the relationship of man to man, man to nature (it was the awareness of this relationship that meant the birth of economic culture), the individual to his own labor abilities.

The first level is productive-reproductive creative ability, when in the process of labor it is only repeated, copied, and, only as an exception, by chance, something new is created.

The second level is generative creativity, the result of which will be, if not a completely new work, then at least an original new variation.

The third level is constructive and innovative activity, the essence of which is the natural appearance of the new. This level of ability in production is manifested in the work of inventors and innovators.

Thus, any labor activity is associated with the disclosure creativity producer, but the degree of development of creative moments in the labor process is different. The more creative labor is, the richer the cultural activity of a person, the higher the level of labor culture. The latter, ultimately, is the basis for achieving a higher level of economic culture in general. It should be noted that labor activity in any society - primitive or modern - is collective, embodied in joint production. And this, in turn, finds expression in the fact that, along with the culture of work, it is necessary to consider the culture of production as an integral system.

Labor culture includes the skills of owning tools of labor, conscious management of the process of creating material and spiritual wealth, the free use of one's abilities, the use of the achievements of science and technology in labor activity. The culture of production consists of the following main elements. Firstly, it is the culture of working conditions, which has a complex of components of economic, scientific and technical, organizational, social and legal nature. Secondly, the culture of the labor process, which finds expression rather in the activities of a single worker. Thirdly, the culture of production, which is determined by the socio-psychological climate in the production team. Fourthly, management culture, which organically combines the science and art of management, reveals creative potential and implements the initiative and enterprise of each participant in the production process, is of particular importance in modern production.

Trends in the development of economic culture

economic culture

There is a general tendency to increase the economic cultural level. This finds expression in the use of the latest technology and technological processes, advanced methods and forms of labor organization, the introduction of progressive forms of management and planning, development, science and knowledge in improving the education of the working people.

However, a legitimate question arises: is it right to consider economic culture as an exclusively positive phenomenon, is it possible to imagine the path of its development as a straight line on the axis of progress, directed upwards, without deviations and zigzags?

In the ordinary sense, “culture” is associated with a certain stereotype: cultural means progressive, positive, a bearer of good. From the position scientific level such estimates are insufficient and not always correct. If we recognize culture as an integral system, then it becomes necessary to consider it as a dialectically contradictory formation, which is characterized by positive and negative, humane and inhuman properties and forms of manifestation.

For example, one cannot evaluate the laws of the functioning of the capitalist economic system as good or bad. Meanwhile, this system is characterized by crises and upsurges, confrontation and class struggle, and such phenomena as unemployment and a high standard of living coexist in it. Among these tendencies there are both positive and negative ones; their natural existence, intensity of manifestation reflect the level of economic culture at the achieved stage of development of social production. However, for a different level of development of production, these trends are not typical.

The objective nature of the progressive development of culture does not mean that it occurs automatically. The direction of development is determined, on the one hand, by the opportunities contained in the totality of conditions that define the boundaries of economic culture, and on the other hand, by the degree and methods of realization of these opportunities by representatives of various social groups. Changes in socio-cultural life are made by people, which means that they depend on their knowledge, will, and objectively established interests.

Depending on these factors, within the local historical framework, recessions and stagnation are possible both in individual areas and in economic culture as a whole. To characterize the negative elements of economic culture, it is legitimate to use the term "low culture", while "high economic culture" implies positive, progressive phenomena.

The progressive process of development of economic culture is due, first of all, to the dialectical continuity of the ways and forms of activity of generations. In general, continuity is one of the most important principles of development, because the entire history of human thought and activity is the assimilation, processing of the valuable and the destruction of the obsolete in the movement from the past into the future. K. Marx noted that “not a single social formation will perish before all the productive forces develop ... and new, higher production relations never appear before the material conditions for their existence in the bowels of the old society mature.”

On the other hand, the progressive development of economic culture is associated with the introduction of innovations into people's lives that meet the requirements of the stage of maturity of the socio-economic structure of society. In fact, the formation of a new quality of economic culture is the formation of new productive forces and new production relations.

As already noted, progressive trends in the development of economic culture are ensured, on the one hand, by the continuity of the entire potential of the achievements accumulated by previous generations, and, on the other hand, by the search for new democratic mechanisms and their economic foundations. Ultimately, in the course of the development of culture, conditions are created that encourage a person to active creative activity in all spheres of public life and contribute to his formation as an active subject of social, economic, legal, political and other processes.

For a long time, in the theory and practice of the economic development of our country, a specific approach dominated, ignoring the person, his individuality. Fighting for progress in the idea, we got the opposite results in reality *. This problem is very acute for our society and is discussed by scientists and practitioners in connection with the need to develop market relations, the institution of entrepreneurship, and the democratization of economic life in general.

Human civilization does not yet know a more democratic and effective regulator of the quality and quantity of output, a stimulator of economic, scientific and technological progress, than the market mechanism. Non-commodity relations - a step back in social development. This is the basis for non-equivalent exchange and the flourishing of unprecedented forms of exploitation.

Democracy grows not on the soil of slogans, but on the real soil of economic laws. Only through the freedom of the producer in the market is democracy realized in the economic sphere. Continuity in the development of democratic mechanisms is a normal and positive thing. There is nothing shameful in using elements of the bourgeois-democratic experience. Interestingly, the motto of the Great French Revolution of 1789-1794. “freedom, equality, fraternity” was interpreted by market relations as follows: freedom is the freedom of private individuals, freedom of competition for separate owners, equality is the equivalence of exchange, the cost basis of buying and selling, and fraternity is the union of “enemy brothers”, competing capitalists.

World experience shows that for the successful functioning of the market and the economic mechanism, a well-thought-out interconnection of legal norms, competent and effective state regulation, a certain state of public consciousness, culture and ideology are necessary. The country is now going through a period of stormy lawmaking. This is natural, because no democratic system can exist without a legal basis, without strengthening the rule of law and the rule of law. Otherwise, it will have a flawed appearance and a low degree of resistance to anti-democratic forces. However, it is necessary to be aware of the limits of the effectiveness of legislative activity. On the one hand, decisions made in legislative bodies are not always prompt and do not always correspond to more economically rational approaches. On the other hand, we can talk about the strengthening of legal nihilism. Many of the problems we face are not fully resolved in the process of lawmaking. Serious transformations of production and organizational-administrative relations and structures are needed.

For a long time, the state of economic culture was "described" within the strict framework of glorifying socialism. However, as the main downward trend in all economic indicators (growth rates of production and investment, labor productivity, budget deficit, etc.) became apparent, the inoperability of the economic system of socialism became obvious. This made us rethink our reality in a new way and start looking for answers to many questions. Practical steps are being taken towards the market, the democratization of property relations, the development of entrepreneurship, which, undoubtedly, is evidence of the emergence of qualitatively new features of the economic culture of modern society.

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