Author: Olga N. Buchinskaya and Eduard R. Shaeslamov

Abstract:

The article proves the necessity of teaching the history of economic thought to students pursuing the bachelor’s degrees in economics for them to be capable of understanding the experience of previous generations of economists. Exclusion of this discipline from the curriculum could lead to unilateral mechanistic understanding of economics and make students unsuited to the integration of social, historical and geographical factors into economic decisions. In addition, the history of economic thought may play a useful role by preserving valuable ideas which otherwise would fall into oblivion. Moreover, the inclusion of the history of economic thought in the curriculum will help to optimize the structures of other economic courses.

Keywords: economic thinking; competence; history of economic thought; economic culture; economic doctrines.