Between Sociology and Economics: Nikolai Kondratiev’s Scientific and Journalistic Work in 1914

DOI: 10.33917/es-6.204.2025.116-125

The article examines previously unknown journalistic and scientific works by Nikolai Kondratiev, a student at the Faculty of Law of St. Petersburg University, which he published soon after the beginning of the First World War in “Vechernee Zveno” newspaper and the “New Ideas in Economics” scientific journal. Already in 1914 in his student works he showed a clear interest in economic issues, and with his article “Basic Teachings on the Laws of Social Life Development,” concerning the laws of social life development, he declared himself as a serious scientist. Nikolai Kondratiev’s journalism is valuable in that namely in his articles he took the first steps toward developing his theory of large economic cycles, which later on became known as “Kondratiev cycles”. Over the years, this theory has gained recognition worldwide and became a significant contribution of the Russian scientist both to economic science and to understanding the laws of social development. His collaboration with “Vechernee Zveno” newspaper and his work in the editorial board of the “New Ideas in Economics” journal largely determined his choice in favour of economic science as a field of his future professional activity.

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