PAATA
BESSARION GUGUSHVILI პაატა
ბესარიონის ძე გუგუშვილი (A Short Review of Scientific Work and Public
Activities), by
Vakhtang Kakhetelidze, Bekirbi Khasia From "Paata Gugushvili (1905-1987),
Bibliography", Tb., 1988, pp. 27-37. Professor Paata Gugushvili,
doctor of economic sciences, Honored scientist, Member of the
Georgian SSR Academy of Sciences, is the author of a large number
of works dealing with problems of political economy, history of
Social and economic thought, development of the national economy,
planning, sociology, demography, bibliology, journalizm, socio-economic
development of the Transcaucasia and the Georgian SSR, economic
policy of the CPSU, socialist construction. Gugushvili was born on 15 (new style 28) September
1905 in the village of Kodori (Abasha district). He
received his secondary education in the gymnasia of Poti
and Kutaisi. In 1927 he graduated from the socio-economic
faculty of Tbilisi State University as a specialist in
economics and financing. He also attended lectures in law and the
history of Georgia, and took part in the seminars on the economic
history of Georgia, numismatics and metrology, conducted by Acad.Iv.Javakhishvili.
Gugushvili's work - "The Georgian Book in 1629-1929"-
was published first in 1929. It represented a statistical-economic
monograph devoted to the 300th anniversary of the Georgian printed
book. From 1930 to his
death, Gugushvili delivered - at different times - lectures at
Tbilisi State University on the history of national economy,
political economy and sociology (from 1968). In 1940-45 he headed
the chair of political economy. In 1938, on the recommendation of professors P.Gogichaishvili,
G.Natadze and M.Polievktov the scientific council of
the University conferred on Gugushvili the degree of candidate of
economic sciences Honoris Causa, on the basis of his published
works. In 1940
Gugushvili defended his Doctoral thesis "Colonization of
Georgia by Russian Empire". His official reviewers and
opponents Acad.Iv.Javakhishvili, Prof. N.Berdzenishvili
and Prof.P.Gogichaishvili described his thesis as an
outstanding achievement of Georgian humanitarian studies. The
foundation was thereby laid for the study of the problems of
socio-economic development of Georgia and Transcaucasia in the
19th and 20th centuries, this ultimately becoming the main line of
his research. In 1961
Gugushvili was elected corresponding member of the GSSR Academy of
Sciences, and in 1974 - its full member. Among Gugushvili's studies devoted to problems of
socio-economic thought, journalism and publicism his "Georgian
Journalism" vol. I (1941) and "Karl Marx in
Georgian Publicism and Community" (published four times
in Georgian and twice in Russian in 1943-1971) are of special
significance, as well as a number of studies published in
collected papers and journals. Beginning with the 1950s sociological investigations
intensified in the Soviet Union. A Soviet Sociological Association
was founded and Gugushvili was elected member of its presidium. In
1959 a 5-member Soviet delegation, including Gugushvili, took part
for the first time in the 4th International Sociological
Congress (Streza, Italy). At that Congress Gugushvili
read a paper entitled: "A Sociological Classification of
the Forms of Industry", giving a novel interpretation of
the interrelationship of socio-economic formations and forms of
industry and their succession. Gugushvili was elected member of
the Council and of the executive committee of the International
Sociological Association. From that time he took an active part in
the work of the International Congresses of economists and
sociologists. Among his
studies dealing with sociological problems note should be made of
his studies: "On the Modern Bourgeois Sociology"
1960, 1966), "Sociological Studies" in two
volumes (1970-1971), "Theoretical Aspects of Planning and
Prognostics" (1972, in Russian). "Problems of the
Sociology of the Youth" (1981). He was the initiator and
chief editor of the collected papers "Problems of
Sociology and Demography" (in Georgian). Gugushvili was the first in Georgia
to suggest a sociological study of the youth of the countryside by
the questionnaire method with a view to determining manpower
resources and vocational orientation. Special mention should be made of Gugushvili's
studies devoted to the socio-economic problems of demography, viz.
"The Colonization of Georgia and the Caucasus in the 19th
Century" (1949), "The population of Georgia
Over 160 Years" (1800-1960), "The Problems of the
Reproduction of the Population of the Georgian SSR"
(1973), "The Population of the Georgian SSR" -
see Coll. Papers: "The Population of the Union
Republics" (1977), "Problems of the Family Formation
in the Aspect of the Reproduction of the Population"
(1978, 2nd edition), "The Population, the Family, the Size
of the Family" (1985), "Demographical Essays"
(1987), and others. It
should be noted that Gugushvili's study "Problems of the
Reproduction of the Population in the Georgian SSR" was
widely acclaimed. The Russian summary of the work (42 pages) was
endorsed by the Central Statistical Board of the USSR Council of
Ministers. Prof.B.Urlanis [Б.Урланис] (3.12.I974),
a prominent Soviet demographer, wrote to the author: "It is
an unprecedented occurrence in science, and especially the
humanities, for a study already published in two languages in a
mass edition to be copied in large numbers at a state body - the
Central Statistical Board - and as an interesting work sent to
relevant offices and organizations as well as to all the libraries
of the Soviet Union". From 1973 Gugushvili directed the GSSR Acad. Sci. Scientific
Council for Socio-Economic Problems. The Council studied
problem of the reproduction of the population and manpower
resources with a view to working out practical recommendations for
a corresponding demographic situation. Gugushvili took an active part in the economic
discussion organized in Moscow in 1951 by the Central Committee of
the CPSU and devoted to the compilation of a manual of political
economy. This was the first comprehensive and at the same time
widely recognized manual of Marxist-Leninist political economy,
the Georgian translation of which was edited by Gugushvili. Gugushvili contributed much to the
development of Georgian socio-economic terminology. His "Economic
Terminology" (Russian-Georgian and Georgian-Russian) was
first published in 1947. Vukol Beridze, a well-known
Kartvelologist and corresponding member of the USSR Academy of
Sciences, wrote in the preface to this book: "The terminology
is accurate... From this point of view it is a great advance.
Suffice it to note also that hitherto different Russian terms were
translated by a single Georgian term. Now every Russian term has
its corresponding single Georgian term, which does credit to the
compiler of the dictionary. Another novelty that attracts the
reader's attention in this terminology is the genuinely Georgian
makeup of the terms". Later Gugushvili's following works were published:
"On Economic Terminology and Scientific Translation"
(1952), "Problems of Demographic Terminology"
(1975, 1987) and a number of articles dealing with the urgent
questions of Georgian socio-economic terminology. It should be
noted that the new Georgian economic terminology developed by
Gugushvili evoked a broad response: the ensuing discussion
continued for several months and exerted considerable influence on
the development of Georgian economic thought and on the training
of skilled economists. 
As noted above, problems of the
economic development of Georgia and Transcaucasia held a leading
place in Gugushvili's scientific research, one series of his
studies being devoted to them, viz. "Economic Development
of Georgia and Transcaucasia in the 19th-20th Centuries საქართველოსა
და ამიერკავკასიის
ეკონომიკური
განვითარება XIX-XX სს."
(vols. I-VII, 1949-1984). Over 70 monographies were published by
him in this series, some of them in Russian. 1) The monographies in question deal
with the following topics: agricultural (agriculture,
plant-growing, cattle breeding) and agrarian relations; industry,
its branches and forms - household, domestic industry, handicraft,
мanufactory, factory-and-works; transport and communications;
trade (home and foreign); class structure of society: towns, urban
system and the interrelationship between the town and the
countryside. The
following problems were also elucidated in these studies: the
incorporation of Georgia and Transcaucasia in Russian empire; the
process of formation of a new state and socio-political structure;
economic and demographic colonization; the disintegration of
feudalism and the emergence and development of the capitalist mode
of production; cultural construction, and so on. Many reviews of these studies have
been published by Soviets and foreign specialists. Prof.V.Bakhtadze, one of the
reviewers of the book "The Emergence and Development of
Capitalism in Georgia and Transcaucasia" (1941), wrote:
"Gugushvili's new book is devoted to a highly interesting and
responsible topic. Basing on the analysis of a large number of
documents - largely brought to light by himself - and unpublished
historical materials, Gugushvili presents a unitary picture of the
development of capitalism in Georgia and Transcaucasia...
Professor P. Gugushvili has attained outstanding scientific
generalizations" ("Заря Востока", 194I,
N 12). Professors N.Iashvili,
A.Kakabadze and N.Paichadze arrived at the following
conclusion "Prof. Gugushvili's study is a valuable
acquisition of the economic literature in the field of the study
of the economic history of Georgia and Transcaucasia. Due to the
great interest of Soviet readers in this book it is advisable to
have it published in Russian". "Prof. Gugushvili's monograph acquires great
significance not only for elucidating the economic history of
Georgia and Transcaucasia but also for explaining the process of
development of Russian capitalism, i.e. of the capitalist
development of the former outlying regions of Tsarist Russia"
("Заря Востока", 1950, No 20). The reviewer of the magazine
"Sakartvelos kolmeurne" observed: "...Gugushvili
thoroughly studies the history of the development and distribution
of individual food grains (wheat, maize, millet, rice, oats, rye)
their varieties, sown area, crop capacity, fluctuation of
prices... On the basis of a correct analysis of the economic
processes here are elucidated the problems of grain forage balance
and grain growing in the aspect of the Russian - and World grain
markets". Acad.A.
Sumbatzade highly appreciates Prof. Gugushvili's study saying
that he is "one of the outstanding researchers into the
industry of the Transcaucasia, being the first in the Soviet
period to initiate the study of this problem according to a vast
scientific plan" (A. Sumbatzade "Промышленность
Азербайджана в XIX в.", 1964, Баку, p.
227). As Prof.T.Azatyan
concludes "The volume under review is theoretically
accomplished... the author has used a large number of archival
documents, materials major, literary works devoted to the economic
development of Transcaucasia... he has conscientiously sought to
be unbiased. His work attracts the attention of vast sections of
tour intelligentsia by the rich and interesting historical data
and statistical tables adduced, as well as by the lucid language,
facilitating the popularization of the study... " (The
magazine "Aiastani togovordakantntesutiup". Yerevan,
1959, N 3). In the
conclusion of his review Prof.A.Podkolzin [А.Подкользин]
writes: "In flour historic-economic literature groundless
views are often expressed denying the organization of artisanship
in Russia, including the vast territory of colonial regions. Prof.
Gugushvili's study leaves no ground for such assertions. He
adduces comparative material on Tbilisi and the Transcaucasian
artisans in general and on all the types of handicraft
corporations in the West and in Oriental countries. He analyses in
detail the social nature of artisan cooperation, important not
only for solving many noot points of the economic organization of
pre-Revolution Russia but also for a correct interpretation of the
history of the economic development of many Western and Oriental
countries... for shedding light on questions of the history of the
national economy of the USSR" ("Экономические
Науки", M, 1959, N 2). In his extensive review Prof.P.Maslov [П.Маслов]
writes "It should be noted that the author studies the
problems of the developments of industry in Transcaucasia on a
broad plan. As a rule he begins his investigations of separate
types of industry with elucidating the sociological questions as
to the essence and social nature of the given type of industry by
recourse to comparative materials on the industries of Russia and
foreign countries and by a critique of the views of bourgeois
economists and historitians. It is especially noteworthy that - on the basis of
studying the works of the classics of Marxism-Leninism -
Gugushvili advances absolutely independent (novel) ideas in
elucidating the most complex problems, of individual types of
industry. On the whole,
it should be acknowledged that the appearance of P.Gugushvili's
monograph is a significant development in the economic science.
The publication of Russian translation of Prof.P.Gugushvili's book
by the Academy of Sciences of the Georgian SSSR is of considerable
scientific significance". This is what Acad.N.Druzhinin [Н.Дружинин]
said about Gugushvili's work "The development of
Agriculture in Georgia and in Transcaucasia" (vol. I,
1968): "The author has succeeded in bringing to light a vast
amount of archival documents, materials from journals and the
press, epistolary evidence, etc.; has also taken into account the
historical and economic works of his predecessors... Though the
book deals largely with the capitalist period, the author always
proceeds from a broad chronological perspective his excursus to
the Classical antiquity, attention is focused on the pre-reform
period, on the ascertainment of the main trends of developed
economic processes; along with economic facts, the author
describes the general national peculiarities of the mode of life
of the population, its cultural traditions and customs. Along with
each economic fact the reader can perceive its attendant social
changes. ... Having
closed P. Gugushvili's book, you remain under the impression of
what you have read and desire to read its continuation. The
Transcaucasia, and especially Georgia, has been known from ancient
times for its achievements in plant-growing - not only for grain
farming, but also for various southern cultures (in particular,
vine)... Gugushvili's studies dealing with the economics of the
Transcaucasia should be translated into Russian and published. The immediate tasks set by the Party
and the Government at the present stage call for a good knowledge
of the historical experience of our peoples. The development of
their economy through the centuries, various conditions, national
traditions, climate and the cultural level of the population
should also be taken into account. From this point of view the
translation of P. Gugushvili's monographs into Russian is not only
of political significance as well. By arriving at this conclusion
I should like to draw the attention of Georgia's relevant
organizations to the urgent need for Soviet historians, economists
and practical workers to speedily lay hands on this scientific
tool which will help them gain a deep insight into our socialist
changes The merits of P. Gugushvili's scientific works published
in Russian are attested by reviews published not only in Russian,
Georgian and Armenian but also in Czech, German, Hungarian, French
and English" ("ეკონომიკა Ekonomika", vol. Vl, pp. 273-275). The Soviet scientific community
urgently demands the translation into Russian and publication of
mater studies published in national languages. This question was considered in the
Russian press as far back as the end of the 1940s. Prof.Goryanov
[Горянов] wrote, "The scientists of our country
show a profound interest in the scientific interest of the
fraternal republics. Unfortunately, this legitimate interest
cannot be always satisfied... Such studies as Gugushvili's
"The Economic Development of Georgia and the Transcaucasia in
the 19th-20th Centuries", Acad.Iv.Javakhishvili's
"Georgian Paleography" has not become the property of
the wide scientific community. The Presidium of the USSR Academy
of Sciences and the Coordination Council on the scientific work of
the constituent republics should look into these matters". Acad.R.Ostrovityanov [Р.Островитянов]
wrote on Gugushvili's book - "Karl Marx in Georgian Publicism
and Community" (1964) - "Working on problems of
sociology in general, and, the economic development of Georgia and
Transcaucasia in particular, Gugushvili succeeded in bringing to
light the peculiarities of the rise and spread of Marxist, and in
general socialist ideas in Georgia. This Work can be used in
studying the history of Marxism in the other republics of the
Soviet Unions" ("Вопросы Экономики",
1965, N4,6 pp. 127-129). The
author of a review published abroad, who goes out of his way in
censuring the methodological principles of this monograph, written
according to the 'Marxian recipe', is impelled to acknowledge that
in Prof.P.Gugushvili's book, the part devoted to the history of
credit "is very interesting; he asserts that 12th century
Georgia was not a fortuitous phenomenon and that in the period in
question all the forces of the nation attained high
development" ("Grandeur de le Nation", Paris, N5,
17-72). Studies on
small-scale industry, published in the 1930th, were revised in the
1950s and included in the 5th volume of Gugushvili's monograph -
"The Economic Development of Georgia and Transcaucasia in
the 19th-20th Centuries", published in 1963. In 1957 the Publishing house of the
USSR Academy of Sciences published an abridged Russian translation
of these monographs as a separate book "The Development of
Industry in Georgia and Transcaucasia Развитие
Промышленности в Грузии и
Закавказье, vol. I".
Several reviews were devoted to this book:
1. "Politische ökonomie" (Prague,
1958, N 9, pp.801-805). Prof.Z.Urbanova, the reviewer
of the periodical of the Academy of Sciences of
Czechoslovakia, arrived at the following conclusion:
"Such original and stimulating economic works are
published in the Georgian Soviet Republic the study of Which
may become a valuable storehouse of knowledge to us. 2. "Kozgazdasaga Szerne" (Budapest,
1959, N 5, pp.1263 - 1269). According to Prof.T.Fyold,
reviewer of the periodical t of the Hungarian Academy of
Sciences, concludes: "AII theoretical view of political
economy are reflected in Gugushvili's study... From the point
of view of the method of investigation this work is exemplary
for the Hungarian specialists in the history of economics and
political economy". 3.
"Zeitschrift für Geschiche Wissenschaft", (Berlin,
1960, N5, pp.1198-1204). The reviewer, Prof.G.Heiniger:
"This work contains highly significant material for the
history of a country, geographically remote from us but
noteworthy in many respects from the viewpoint of mankind's
history. It is at the same time a valuable theoretical gain
for science".
The bibliography of the 4th and
5th volumes of Gugushvili's monographs was published also in the
journal "Revue de Kartvelologie" (Paris, 1966, vol.
XXI-XXII), the exposition of the contents of both volumes is
concluded with the following words: "P. Gugushvili,
Corresponding Member of the GSSR Academy of Sciences, is an
outstanding economist of the USSR." (p. 219). Prof.J.Koladza
revuing the book "Theoretical Aspects of Planning and
Prognostics" is mentioning P.Gugushvili as "highly
erudite Soviet scientist" "Journal of American Institute
of Planners", 1973, vol. 39, No 4. Acad. P. Gugushvili is the author of about 500
studies, including 50 books. Many reviews and bibliographies have
been published on his works in Georgian, Russian, Armenian,
Azerbaijanian, Czech, Hungarian, German, French, English, and
other languages. The authors of these reviews are: Iv.Javakhishvili,
P.Gogichaishvili, K.Gamsakhurdia, N.Berdzenishvili,
G.Leonidze, Sh.Nutsubidze, V.Beridze, A.Sumbatzade,
G.Heininger, J.Koladza, N.Melser, Z.Urbanova,
K.Salia, T.Fyold, B.Polievtkov, P.Maslov,
P.Podkolzin, G.Ismailov, V.Chantladze, Sh.Meskhia,
L.Gorgiladze, V.Kakhetelidze, S.Jorbenadze, B.Khasia,
N.Iashvil, I.Kacarava, G.Nadareishvili, A.Kakabadze,
N.Karkashadze, R.Gogokhia, I.Norakidse, G.Adeishvili,
G.Azatyan, I.Bajadze, L.Asatiani, D.Koridze,
G.Chanuqvadze, V.Iremadze, V.Bakhtadze, A.Ioseliani,
K.Babilodze, G.Chagelishvili, and others. It should be noted that Gugushvili
early won international recognition as a scientist. Thus, in 1964,
when preparations for the World Congress of Historians were
getting under way, Acad.N.Druzhinin - in his open letter
published simultaneously in Russian and Italian to the eminent
Italian scientist Franchesco Venturi - named Academicians S.Strumilin,
P.Lyashchenko and Prof.P.Gugushvili as the authors of basic
Soviet studies on problems of economic relations. From 1940 Gugushvili was member of
the editorial board of the Georgian edition of the works of the
classics of Marxizm-Leninizm. He translated and edited the
textbooks and manuals on the history of political economy and the
national economy. From the 1930s he was member of the editorial
board of the Georgian monthly economic journal and from 1958
editor-in-chief of the journal "Sakartvelos Ekonomisti",
holding the post for 10 years. Acad. Gugushvili was member of the chief editorial
board of the Georgian Soviet Encyclopedia and chairman of
its economic section; member of the editorial boards of
Acad.I.Javakhishvili's selected works in 12 volumes and of the
5-volume edition - "The History of Artisanship and Domestic
Production in Georgia"; editor-in-chief of Prof. P.
Gogichaishvili's works in 2 volumes. Gugushvili was member of the Commission for the
improvement of the Georgian Type, and of the Planning
Committee of Georgia, as well as of the Board for Friendship
and Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries, of the scientific
councils of a number of research institutes and higher educational
institutions of Tbilisi and Moscow, Rector of the People's
University of the GSSR Trade Unions. Acad. Gugushvili was the initiator of the
establishment of the Institute
of Economics of the GSSR Academy of Sciences in 1944 (at
present the Institute of Economics and Law) that he directed for a
quarter of a century. This Institute played a significant role in
the development of economic science and in the study of major
problems and training of skilled personnel. Suffice it to note
that the staffs of scientific-research institutes and the chairs
of economic disciplines of higher educational institutions of the
republic are largely made up of graduates of the Institute. We wish to conclude this brief review
by citing Acad.K.Gamsakhurdia's appreciation first
published more than two decades ago: "By his long and highly
fruitful activities, Gugushvili laid a firm foundation of the new
Georgian economic science... setting the tradition of truly
systematic research by his many-volume studies raising and
elucidating major problems, training new specialists, establishing
the Institute of Economics, developing scientific terminology, and
so on. A Georgian school of Soviet Economists has been founded,
generally ranking first in the great Soviet science" (K.
Gamsakhurdia, Works, vol. VIII, 1985, Tbilisi, pp.205-206) |
