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

Main features economical. 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 economical. thinking.

3) focus on economic management. behavior of people.

The structure of the economic. culture highlight T:

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

2. Social. economical values :

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

2 lvl. organizational values I am everything that a person needs for work (relationships in a team, with bosses)

3 lvl. macro-level values(for the country)

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

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

Economical functions culture

1) Broadcast - 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 - manifests itself 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 the market economy. culture:

High degree of rationality

High degree of innovation

High degree of law-abidingness

Performing discipline

Political neutrality

That. economical culture is social. mechanism, characteristic features which are globality of 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 of collective and even mass subjects (social and professional 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. a choice that maximizes costs and maximizes net benefit.

Entrepreneurship Is an innovative modification of economic behavior focused on residual income that is inaccessible to other standard operating agents of the market process.

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

1. Unique personal qualities and abilities of individual individuals;

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

3. An 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 turnover;

Protecting confidential information and other economic benefits from competitors' encroachment;

Ensuring stability and survival of entrepreneurial cells and structures;

Transfer of entrepreneurial culture;

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

In the system of entrepreneurial activity, there is a spectrum of division of labor, where narrowly 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 main most typical patterns and tendencies of entrepreneurial behavior.

The economic behavior of an entrepreneur is characterized by:

Energy 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 evaluates the situation in the absence of information;

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

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 business 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 at work;

Focus and innovation; an entrepreneur is an innovator who, in order to achieve commercial success at minimal cost, always focuses on the introduction of new technologies and technologies for organizing and regulating 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 together all these characteristics, then we get a social portrait of an entrepreneur 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 entrepreneurship;

9) uncontrollable pursuit of profit.

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

Question 1. Does everyone need an economic culture? Economic Freedom: Anarchy or Responsibility? Where are the boundaries of economic freedom? Is it beneficial to be honest?

Economic culture - a system of values ​​and motives economic activity, respect for any form of ownership and commercial success as a great social achievement, success, rejection of the mood of "leveling", the 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 the 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 to the document

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

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

Now it is undoubtedly needed, 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 previous cultural accumulations associated with the command economy could be sent to the "historical dump"?

Each person should receive according to their abilities, otherwise talented people there simply will not be an incentive for self-development, and this again threatens with stagnation. Secondly, the emphasis is on the fulfillment of the plan (quantity), and not on quality - hence the result is the same - stagnation, surplus 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 state innovation policy in the context of the "new economy" are:

Improving the innovation environment by strengthening the innovative component of all areas of national policies and their integration;

Stimulating market demand for innovation and using the concept of "leading" markets, which implies supporting the markets most susceptible to innovation;

Stimulating innovation in the public sector, overcoming the bureaucratic conservatism of the public administration;

Strengthening regional innovation policy and expanding cooperation.

QUESTIONS FOR SELF-TEST

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

The economic culture of a society is a system of values ​​and motives of economic activity, the level and quality of economic knowledge, assessments and human actions, as well as the content of traditions and norms that regulate economic relations and behavior. The economic culture of a person 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 an individual can correspond to the economic culture of a society, outstrip it, but it can also lag behind it.

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

The basis of the economic culture of a person 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 employee.

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

The person actively uses the accumulated knowledge in everyday activities, therefore, economic thinking is an important component of his economic culture. It allows you to learn about the essence of economic phenomena and processes, operate with learned economic concepts, and 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 highlight such an important element of economic culture as the economic orientation of the individual, the components of which are the needs, interests and motives of a person's activity in the economic sphere. The orientation of the personality includes a social attitude and socially significant values. So, in Russian society attitudes are formed for the study of modern economic theory, for participation in solving various economic problems. The system of personal value orientations has been developed, including economic freedom, competition, respect for any form of property, commercial success as a social achievement.

Social attitudes play an important role in the development of an individual's economic culture. A person who, for example, has an attitude towards creative work, participates in activities with great interest, supports innovative projects, implements technical achievements, etc. Such results will not be obtained by a formed attitude towards a formal attitude towards work.

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

Economic interest is the desire of a person to obtain the goods necessary to ensure life. In the interests, the ways and means of satisfying the needs of people are expressed. For example, making a profit (what is the economic interest of an entrepreneur) is the way to satisfy personal needs of a person and the needs of production. Interest turns out to be the direct cause of a person's 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. Is it necessary to limit economic freedom?

Economic freedom includes the freedom to make decisions and actions. An individual has the right to decide which type of activity is preferable for him (labor for hire, entrepreneurship, etc.), which form of ownership participation seems more expedient to him, in which sphere and in which region of the country he will show his activity. As you know, the market is based on 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 scope and forms.

The boundaries within which economic freedom serves the efficiency of production are determined by concrete historical circumstances. Thus, the 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, government 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, the need to reckon with the interests and values ​​of society, that is, to show social responsibility.

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

For many years, industrial activity was characterized by irrational use of raw materials and a high degree of environmental pollution. It was believed that business and environmental protection were 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 a society that allows meeting the needs of the present generation without harming future generations to meet their needs.

An important step in this direction was the creation at the UN Conference on Environment and Development The World Council entrepreneurs for sustainable development, which included representatives of many of the largest multinational companies in the world. These companies and individual entrepreneurs, who have adopted the principles of sustainable development, effectively use more advanced production processes, strive to fulfill 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 entrepreneurship. 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 literate and morally valuable human behavior in the economy?

One of the most important social roles of an individual is that of a producer. In the context of the transition to the information-computer, technological method 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 labor more and more filled creative content, which requires not so much discipline supported from the outside (boss, foreman, product controller), as self-discipline and self-control. The main controller is conscience, personal responsibility and other moral qualities.

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

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

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

Question 8. What difficulties is the new economy in Russia experiencing?

Firstly: practically a huge part of the Russian economy depends on the prices of energy resources and minerals on the world markets, as a result, if their prices go down, the Russian economy will not receive quite significant funds.

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

Third: corruption continues in Russia

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 nevertheless the poor in such a society is much freer than a person with a much better financial situation in a society of a different type. " Do you agree with this statement?

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

Question 2. These are lines from a letter from your peer to the newspaper editorial office: “Only mind, only sober calculation - that's what you need in life. Rely only on yourself, then you will achieve everything. And trust less so-called feelings, which also do not exist. Rationalism, dynamism - these are the ideals of our era ”. Where can you agree or argue 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. Yet in life there must be a spark of romanticism in order for a person to achieve success with his soul. Dynamism in the character of today's person must undoubtedly be present, because this is the main feature of a person's striving for victory. Hope only on oneself always invigorates a person.

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

Freedom is associated with the presence of a person's free will. Free will imposes responsibility on a person and credits his words and deeds. Freedom engenders responsibility, first of all, for oneself, for one's actions, thoughts and deeds. Responsibility gives a person freedom: a simple example - when a person is held accountable for his activities, he is not afraid of the Criminal Code. 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. Thus, according to Russian experts, more than 80% of Russian businessmen believe that it is better not to violate the law. But in practice, more than 90% of partners are not obligated. At the same time, only 60% of them feel guilty for themselves. How do you feel about the existence of double morality among participants in economic relations - for yourself and for your partner? Is it possible to create a system in the country to protect and support economic behavior that is characterized as reliable, predictable and credible? What would you suggest to do for this?

Often, the negative economic qualities of Russian businessmen (waste, mismanagement, greed, 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 moral principles for future entrepreneurs so that immediate profit is not a priority. It is necessary to raise the level of ethics and economic culture of the individual. The state must provide economic freedom, but with real legal regulation... Participants in economic activity must consciously fulfill the moral and legal requirements of society and be responsible for their activities. What can you suggest? 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 incentives in the form of state support, tax benefits. You also need to pay serious attention to economic crimes (so that there is a real punishment for misconduct), the inability to escape responsibility.

REVIEW QUESTIONS FOR CHAPTER 1

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

The economic sphere is a set of human relations arising from 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 various relations with each other and with the commodity - production relations. Production relations and productive forces together constitute the economic sphere of the life of society: productive forces - people (labor power), instruments of labor, objects of labor; production relations - production, distribution, consumption, exchange.

The spheres of public life are closely interconnected. In the history of the sciences of society, 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 social hierarchy forms certain Political Views, opens up appropriate access to education and other spiritual values. The economic relations themselves are determined by the country's legal system, which is very often formed on the basis of the spiritual culture of the people, its traditions in the field of religion and morality. Thus, at various stages 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 products, goods, services. Combines the features of the exact and descriptive sciences.

Economics is a social science. She studies a certain side 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 economic life societies, economic and legal relations are closely intertwined. The economy cannot function normally without appropriate legal basis- a set of norms governing the activities of economic entities at both 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 the life of society?

Economic activity (economics) plays a huge role in the life of society. First, it provides people with material living conditions - 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, determining 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 activity, with the aim of optimizing tools, conditions and the process of labor.

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

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

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

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

Economic growth is an increase in the volume of production in the national economy for a certain period of time (as a rule, for a year).

Economic growth is understood as such a 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 labor productivity in a society. When GDP growth outstrips the growth in the number of people employed in manufacturing, there is intense growth. Intensive economic growth is the basis for the growth of the population's well-being and a condition for reducing income differentiation among different social strata.

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

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

If there is an oversupply of a product on the market, then it will simply not be bought and will not be produced. Everything is regulated in this way.

In addition, in a developed country, there are systems that prevent entrepreneurs from colluding and keeping prices high. So, ultimately, market relations are beneficial to buyers.

Question 7. How to make production efficient?

It is considered economically efficient to consider such a mode of production in which a firm cannot increase output without increasing the cost of resources and at the same time cannot provide the same volume of 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 an 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 the lowest cost and sell these products at the lowest cost. The economic efficiency of an enterprise, in contrast to its technical efficiency, depends on how well its products meet the market requirements and consumer demands.

Question 8. What is required for business success?

In modern society, start-up capital is needed for a successful business.

You need to set a goal, make a plan and start implementing it. For success in business, you need to have certain personal qualities: the ability to communicate with people, connections (support is needed 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 regulations: the Constitution of the Russian Federation.

Codes: Budget Code of the Russian Federation; Tax code 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 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 on Amendments to the Labor Code of the Russian Federation";

Federal Law of May 02, 2006 No. 59-FZ "On the Procedure for Considering Applications of Citizens of the Russian Federation";

Federal Law No. 129-FZ of August 08, 2001 "On State Registration of Legal Entities and Individual Entrepreneurs";

Federal Law of 08 February 1998 No. 14-FZ "On Limited Liability Companies".

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

State regulation of the economy is 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 regulatory nature, carried out by competent 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 the inevitable negative consequences of market processes;

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

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

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

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

The state indirectly regulates these flows by changing 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 through the mechanism of supply and demand, a certain amount of employment and the level of wages are established.

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, there are two main functions of the labor market:

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

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

Labor demand is driven by employers' hiring needs a certain amount workers with the necessary qualifications for the production of goods and services.

Labor demand is inversely related to the real wage rate, which is defined as the ratio of nominal wages to price levels. In a competitive labor market, the labor demand curve has a negative slope: with an increase in the overall level of wages, the demand for labor falls.

Labor supply 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.

Labor supply depends on the amount of wages. The labor supply curve has a positive slope: with an increase in the overall level of wages, the supply of labor increases.

Question 13. Why are countries forced to trade with each other?

International trade is the exchange of goods and services between state-national economies. World trade is the aggregate of foreign trade of all countries in 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 MRI, and hence MT, involving all new states in them. These relations are objective and universal, that is, 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 states depending on the development of foreign trade (VT) in it, on the share that it (VT) occupies in international trade, on the size of the average per capita foreign trade turnover.

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

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

The basis of the economic culture of a person 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 and economic relations require a large and constantly increasing amount of knowledge from the employee. Economic knowledge forms an idea of ​​economic relationships in the surrounding world, the laws governing the development of the economic life of society. On their basis, economic thinking and practical skills of economically literate, morally grounded behavior, significant economic qualities of a person, which are significant in modern conditions, are developed.

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

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

Social responsibility is a conscious attitude of the subject social activities 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 ​​that include life-meaning values ​​(ideas about happiness, about a goal, about the meaning of life), vital, values ​​of social vocation, interpersonal communication, democratic freedoms, family). Beliefs, beliefs.

The norms expressing the requirements of society for behavior. It is an expression of will that allows social control and provides a pattern of behavior.

Complex patterns of behavior: customs, traditions, rituals. Customs represent habitual social regulation that 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. Rituals are stereotypes of symbolic collective actions that express 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 (ideas, knowledge, beliefs, values, norms, etc.), but a method, a method of value assimilation of reality. These are the skills and abilities of applying knowledge, norms, etc. This is what is embodied in practice, in stable repetitive patterns and models of activity.

Functions of culture

Culture has a variety 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 is not limited to it. Culture combines the spiritual wealth accumulated by humanity in the past and the spiritual values ​​of modern society. That is why culture performs educational and upbringing, communicative and regulatory functions. An individual becomes a person as he socializes, assimilates 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 method, 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, society. At the same time, by rallying 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 is considered as the main element of the culture of value. According to T. Parsons, culture is a system of values ​​organized in a certain way, corresponding to needs. The culture is stable and sustainable. Different cultures have a lot in common, so evolution is the only natural development.

The conflict approach analyzes culture as a dynamic, contradictory system, as an arena of conflicts generated by the inequality of people. Values ​​are influenced by other factors, in particular, K. Marx considers them as a derivative of economic relations. Existing cultural systems are not able to provide for all members of society equally. Social inequality leads to constant social tension, to revolutionary cataclysms. The dominant culture is, as a rule, the result of the imposition by the dominant group of their norms and values. It subordinates other groups, strengthens the relationship of domination through the orientation of social institutions to the values ​​of the dominant group, stimulates conflicts. Both of these approaches have 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, does not see common features.

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

At one time, an attempt to combine conflict and functional theories was undertaken by R. Merton. He introduced the concept of tension, taking it from conflict theory and applying it to a general functional approach. Continuing this trend, L. Coser emphasizes the functionality of the conflict itself. In Russian philosophical and sociological literature, two approaches to the characterization of culture were sometimes contrasted. It was viewed as either 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 frozen, given once and for all. It changes as the needs of society develop. And these changes are associated 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. Interesting materials in this regard International project"Expecting Change in Europe", which was developed by the International Research Institute for Social Change. Comparison of the values ​​of the corresponding Russian and European cohorts shows that the differences between them are decreasing, especially in young age... New generations forming 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 the uniqueness of the Russian mentality. Social changes are manifested in the emergence or disappearance of certain elements of culture, the transformation of external and internal connections, which are reflected in the lifestyle of individuals.

Social change is both universal and variable. The levels and 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 more than irreversible regular changes (composition, structure), i.e. are of the nature of indigenous, high-quality. In terms of direction, development can be progressive and regressive. Sociological literature distinguishes between two types of social mechanisms of change, development: evolutionary and revolutionary, and accordingly formulates two methodological approaches to the analysis of changes. At the same time, evolutionary processes are interpreted as gradual, slow, smooth quantitative and qualitative transformations, revolutionary - as relatively fast, fundamental qualitative changes. These approaches are based on the idea of ​​progressive development as a transition from simple to complex, from lower to higher, from less perfect to more perfect. The evolutionary approach is most fully presented by G. Spencer, who considers the historical process as part of the global evolution of the world. G. Spencer considered the criterion of progress to be the complication of the social organization of society.

E. Durkheim, developing these ideas, substantiates the position that the cause and result of the growing complexity of society is the division of labor. Representatives of the evolutionary approach view the development of society as a gradual transition from traditional to modern society. F. Tennis in his book "Community and Society" the criterion of progress is a change in the system of connections and the type of regulation of behavior. If traditional society, according to F. Tennis, is characterized by undeveloped specialization, the special importance of family and community, community values ​​and religion, then modern society is characterized by the emergence of specialized professional activities, large associations of people, weakening of social solidarity, and an orientation towards personal benefit. 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, which was popular in the 60s, arose. American economist and sociologist W. Rostow in his book "Stages of Economic Growth. Non-Communist Manifesto." talks about five stages of the evolution of society: 1) traditional society continues from primitive society until 1780 (the time of the creation of the steam engine), 2) the stage of preparation for 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 progress criterion is changes in the nature of production and consumption. In the 70s, the theory " postindustrial society", according to which society in its development goes through three stages: 1) pre-industrial (agrarian), 2) industrial, 3) post-industrial. 3. Brzezinski calls the third stage technotronic, and A. Toffler - super-industrial. If the first stage is characterized by the predominance of agriculture , for the second - industry, then for the third - the service sector. Each stage has its own social structure, purpose, specific organization. In a post-industrial society, these are institutions of science and education, scientists. the role of a person For the third stage, the initial product is a person's services, knowledge and experience, advanced technologies - organizational, information technologies. Contemporary theories overcome the idea of ​​single-line progress, emphasize its multilinearity, diversity, especially when talking about the current development of society. The modern French sociologist J. Gurvich speaks, for example, about ten types of global societies: 1) charismatic theocracies (such as ancient Egypt, Babylon), 2) patriarchal societies, 3) feudal, 4) city-states, 5) societies of the 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 the 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 relations of production, which is expressed in the exacerbation of the class struggle. Social revolutions resolve social contradictions and accelerate the development of society. In addition to the evolutionary and revolutionary approach, 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, peculiar, obeys internal laws and at the same time passes the same and the same stages of birth, ascending and then descending development and death. O. Spengler calls the upward development a living creative history-culture, the downward one - a civilization that contains only dead products of culture.

A. Toynbee gives a different understanding of civilization. He calls all types of cultures civilizations. Considering civilization, A. Toynbee distinguishes 6 main types: 1) primary isolated civilizations (Egyptian, Andean), 2) primary non-isolated civilizations (Sumerian, Minoan, Indian, Shap, Maya), 3) secondary civilizations (Babylonian from Sumerian, ancient Indian from Indian, ancient Chinese from Shapskaya, 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 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 as opposed to savagery and barbarism in Morgan). Civilization is viewed as a special sphere, a part of culture (for example, O. Spengler's civilization is ossified, dead objects of culture). Civilization is viewed as the level of culture of a society. In the theory of industrial and post-industrial society, such types (levels of culture) as agrarian, industrial and post-industrial civilizations are distinguished.

In the modern era, more and more often the concept of civilization is 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 encompass the entire society, all its aspects and elements.

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

Control questions

• 1. What is culture?

  2. What is the relationship between culture and nature?

  3. Diversity of cultures.

  4. What are the main elements of culture?

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

  6. Concepts social change, development.

  7. What is civilization?

Abstract topics

Culture and civilization.

P. Sorokin on supercultures.

Values ​​as elements of culture.

Subculture of professional activity.

Literature

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

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

Doctors B.Z. Russia in the European and sociocultural space. // Sociological journal, 1994, b3.

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

Foundations of Sociology. / Ed. A.G. Efendieva. - M .: Moscow State University, 1993, p. 149-210.

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

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

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

Huntington S. A Clash of Civilizations? // Political Studies. 1994. 1.

IV. PERSONALITY IN THE SYSTEM OF SOCIAL CONNECTIONS

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 addressing the study of the essence of the individual as a subject of social behavior and social relations, without studying the needs, interests, spiritual world personality, without analyzing its complex and varied connections with the social micro- and macroenvironment. The 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 mental processes, properties. Sociologist studies personality as an element social life, reveals the mechanism of its formation under the influence of social factors, the mechanism of 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.

Personality concept. Status, social roles of a person

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 indicating belonging to the human race, the highest stage in the development of living nature on our planet. As a living being, a person obeys the basic biological and physiological laws, as a social one - the laws of the development of society.

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

The formation of these qualities and properties is largely mediated by the biological characteristics of the individual. However, a decisive role in the process of personality formation belongs to social impact, a huge variety of socio-cultural factors that introduce a person into the social world. Is every person a person? 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 can be different.

Individuality is what distinguishes one person from another, both as a biological and as a social being. These are his unique individual features. Sociology is not interested in uniqueness and individuality per se, but in its influence, 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, position of the individual in the system of social communities. The position is revealed through the concept of status, that is, the position of the individual in social system related to 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, director of an enterprise) and non-formalized (team leader, group leader). Status and role are closely related. Social roles are those personality functions that are determined by social status. Status and role reflect dynamic and statistical aspects social status... If status is objective, then the social role is the unity of the objective and the subjective. Status denotes the place of an individual in the social system, a role is a set of actions that must be performed by an individual occupying a given place. Each status usually implies 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 consciousness of the individual and implemented in his activities. From a specialist, graduate high school, society, for example, expects a competent solution to the problems of professional activity, high level moral and political culture... From the father - cares about the maintenance and upbringing of children, from a friend - understanding, empathy, willingness to provide help, support.

According to T. Parsons, any role is described by five main characteristics: 1) emotional - some roles require emotional restraint, others - relaxedness; 2) by the method of obtaining - some are prescribed, others are conquered; 3) scale - some of the roles are formulated and strictly limited, others are blurred; 4) formalization - an action in strictly established rules or arbitrary; 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 young professional, the role of a scientific researcher and teacher, etc.

Since entry into social role may be hampered by personality traits, the level of her abilities, preparedness, value orientations, assessment of role requirements by others and other points, intra-role conflicts may arise. The study of the process of adaptation of a young specialist in work collectives showed that intra-role conflicts arise due to the graduate's unpreparedness 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 problems is often does not correspond to the orientations of the enterprise on the use of a young specialist in the early years in performing and often uncreative work, etc.

Methodical instructions and control tasks Educationalallowanceforstudents distance learning engineering specialties Topalov ... graduation projects and works for all specialties Educational-methodical allowanceforstudents construction and economic ...

taking into account specific economic factors(grounds) for the allocation and interposition 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.);

the peculiarity of labor in terms of its conditions and maintenance;

profession and occupation (with or without education, self-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 grounds, formal or informal nature);

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

education and qualifications (level, profile, prestige).

TO subjective grounds socio-economic stratification can be attributed to:

orientation of people only to certain professions;

difference in styles of behavior in the same types of work;

passivity or activity;

striving for leadership or preference for performing activities;

the importance of labor and wages;

obedience to the law or vice versa;

the degree of morality in labor and property issues;

predisposition to work individually or together. Of course, taking into account all these factors is a very time-consuming business, and even

not always necessary. It all depends on the specific situation and research objectives. At the same time, we must not forget that almost all of the listed, both objective and subjective grounds of socio-economic stratification are manifested as differences are relative, that is, acting within specific time and space boundaries.

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

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

Employment and unemployment do not so clearly express the socioeconomic status of individuals and groups if the employed people receive low wages or if the unemployment benefit is large enough.

Education can only mean 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 different meanings in different conditions of its distribution (democracy or caste), political and economic stability in the country.

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 identification of various socio-economic strata is necessary not only for the satisfaction of scientific curiosity. This is necessary primarily for the successful solution of specific problems arising 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 various socio-economic groups are distinguished and their features are studied. First of all, this allows us to highlight some important signs, which 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 (in terms of the time of existence and the degree of integration of the group into the socio-economic system). New are groups that do not have a specific status. Socio-demographic differences (gender, age, professional affiliation) are possible between traditional and new groups;

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

Dominance is sometimes associated with the priority of a role. This is observed both at the macro level and at the micro level. For example, workers, peasants (in conditions of hunger), engineering and technical intelligentsia, managers, economists; at the enterprise level, individual groups of workers may dominate. Dominance can also be based on the division of socio-economic functions into basic and non-basic ones. Dominant groups always strive for various kinds of privileges and want recognition of their position from other groups;

marginal groups. These are groups that occupy a borderline, intermediate position, combine the features of several groups. For example, independent workers who do not use hired labor (they combine the features of owners and workers); the new poor (their incomes are below the average level, but not beggarly; or people who suddenly turned out to be poor, but by inertia retained the consumer attitudes of the middle class); categories of workers employed in the city and living in the countryside, and vice versa; some categories of highly skilled workers (between workers and engineers); the lowest level of leaders; trade union activists;

problem groups. These are the socio-economic groups that occupy an unfavorable position against the general background. The problem 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 harmful and difficult areas, low-paid workers who want to improve their qualifications, but do not have such an opportunity, those whose work requires long separation from home and family). The problem of the group is sometimes amenable to resolution or at least regulation;

closed, open, transitional groups. The general criterion for distinguishing these groups is the possibility of inter-group movements, joining and leaving the group. There are various economic, administrative and legal ways of securing personnel. There are some professions and occupations, access to which quite rightfully requires the fulfillment of rather stringent conditions. In some cases, enterprises have limited opportunities for vertical movement of personnel. Transitional are groups characterized by instability and variability of composition. Each newcomer considers their stay in it as temporary (until they receive some benefits - registration, housing, seniority);

nominal and real groups. Nominal groups are based on the similarity of the external characteristics of many people (all with the same specialty, salary, working in state-owned enterprises or in private

firms). Real are groups based on real contacts and interactions (employees of the same enterprise). The line between the real and the 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, such as:

Group image 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... Group members 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.

Economic ideology of the group... Groups assess and perceive economic life in terms of their economic interests: explain their claims as fair and legitimate; promote themselves, their role, methods and results of their activities; indicate ways of behavior that are acceptable to 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 (striving for the formation of elites, an orientation toward joining the elite, passive agreement with the existence of elites);

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

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

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

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

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

Social identification... It means the attribution of an individual to a social group. In this case, a distinction should be made between:

a) self-identification; b) mutual identification;

c) objective identification (by objective criteria).

Typically, these types of identifications do not match. People refer to themselves as

more or less secured than they really are. People tend to be in the middle position. People experience their situation in different ways (calm or painful). People classify themselves and others as “not the right ones” 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, p.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 action of objective and subjective grounds for co- socio-economic stratification.

4. Why do both objective and subjective foundations of 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 various approaches to defining the concept of "economic culture". In the context of sociological analysis of cultural processeseconomic culture societies most likely should be defined as the "projection" of culture (in the broadest sense) on the relationship of people in the economic sphere. Russian researchers T.I. Zaslavskaya and R.V. Ryvkina understand economic culture as “co-

availability social values and norms that are regulators of economic behavior and play the role of social memory of economic development: promoting (or hindering) the translation, selection and renewal of values, norms and needs that function in the sphere of the economy and orient its subjects towards 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 highlight in a certain way interrelated norms, values ​​and patterns of behavior.

They are extremely diverse. With a significant degree of convention structural elements economic culture are:

1) social norms due to the objective needs of economic development (in historical and geographical boundaries specific social system);

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

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

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

effects 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, political power groups play a huge role;

economic culture to a much greater extent than others

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

G. N. Sokolova are:

broadcast;

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 direction of the “broadcasts” are quite diverse: between by different generations, social communities (territorial, professional, ethnic), economic cultures of various 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 the socio-economic problems facing them.

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 generated independently or borrowed from the economic culture of another society.

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

The initial function of economic culture, he considers adaptation, 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 the 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 ability for each person to get a reliable guideline 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 is to prescribe to individuals and social groups certain standards and rules of behavior, developed and enshrined in the economic culture of a particular society. They form the way of life of people, attitudes, value orientations, role expectations, aspirations and methods of activity in the economic sphere of society.

Agreeing that economic culture performs in society the translational, selection and innovative functions allocated by G. N. Sokolova, E. M. Babosov, in addition, draws attention to such functions of economic culture as the function of goal-setting, informational, communicative, motivational and mobilizing.

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

At the present stage of the transition to the information society special role 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.

It is logically connected with the information function of economic culture. communicative function. To establish effective economic activity, it is necessary to transmit, receive, and comprehend socio-economic information. Economic culture implements these processes, 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. A dialectically developing system of norms, values ​​and patterns of human behavior in the economic sphere makes it possible to influence (induce, direct, regulate) the economy.

Economic culture concept

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

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

Economic culture is an indissoluble 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, ways of organizing it.

Consciousness is the basis of human economic culture. Economic knowledge is a complex of human economic ideas about production, distribution, exchange, as well as 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 the primary component of economic culture. They allow us to develop our understanding of the basic laws of development of the economy of society, about economic relationships in the world around us, develop our economic thinking and practical skills, and allow us to develop economically competent, morally sound behavior.

The economic culture of the individual

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

The choice of models of behavior in the economy, the effectiveness of solving economic problems largely depends on the socio-psychological qualities of participants in economic activity. The orientation of the personality is characterized by socially significant values ​​and social attitude.

The economic culture of a person can be seen by examining the complex of his personal properties and qualities, representing the result of his participation in activities. The level of culture of a particular person in the field of economics can be assessed by the totality of all his economic qualities.

In reality, economic culture is always influenced by the way of life, traditions, mentality that are characteristic of a given nation. Therefore, as a model, or even more so as an ideal, one cannot take any other model of the functioning of the economy.

Remark 2

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

However, this model can be used only with the obligatory consideration of the tendencies and peculiarities of the development of national Russian culture, otherwise it is completely meaningless to talk about economic culture and its role.

Functions of economic culture

Economic culture has several important functions.

1. The adaptive function that 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, to adapt the socio-economic environment, for example, to produce the necessary economic benefits, to distribute them by selling, renting, exchanging, etc.
2. Cognitive function that is coordinated with adaptive function. The knowledge contained in economic culture, familiarity with its ideals, prohibitions, legal norms enables a person to have a reliable guide 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 dialogue between generations and eras, passing on the experience of economic activity from generation to generation.