Soviet Research on the Economic Potential of the Scientific and Technological Revolution and the Theory of the Fourth Industrial Revolution

The article is devoted to the problems of the regularities of the evolution of economic thought, the relationship between the development of economic reality and science, the nature of the similarity of the positions of seemingly completely unrelated theories. In particular, in the text the relation between Soviet research approaches of the socio-economic consequences of the scientific and technological revolution and the theory of the Fourth Industrial Revolution is focused. As a result of modern technological transformations, the economic reality is changing, which, in turn, sets a new research scope for theory. The appeal to historical experience, research of the correlation between theory and practice contributes to the search for answers to modern challenges. The key features of scientific and technological revolution highlighted by Soviet researchers were automation and chemicalization. These components also related to the Fourth Industrial Revolution in the evolved form. In capitalism, they have a direct impact on a number of elements of the economic system, which was reflected by both Soviet economists and modern researchers. Issues on the adjustment of production goals and the functioning of its system are raised. Issues on the adjustment of production goals, the expansion of quality of life criteria are raised. Potential transformations affect both the level of individual enterprises and national economies as a whole (mainly in developed countries). The prerequisites for expanding the role of the government are highlighted. The article concludes that, despite the need to revise a number of provisions, the legacy of Soviet thought, as well as the theory of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, is becoming more topical currently. It is determined by the course of scientific and technological progress. It is noted that the advantage of Soviet approaches is their belonging to a large theoretical system, Marxism. The theory of the Fourth Industrial Revolution is included in the field of several disciplines, but it is not closely related to any already established research tradition.