Scientific articles
NOBELIANTS AND ECONOMIC SCIENCE
"Economy of
N 1 (494), 2003. - P. 80-84.
М. Dovbenko,
Director of the
Doctor of Economic Sciences
On
Nobel prize, without any doubts, is most prestigious in a modern world. This reward is the interesting, I would say, unique phenomenon, and scientific, in particular. In fact, the growth of its authority took place under the conditions when, during the last century, the world has changed, and it continues to change. The "ghost of communism" has vanished, and not only the scales and forms of manifestations of the destructive activity, but also its motive forces have changed. The latter are not the class struggle and/or the racial, ethnic, or national opposition. They have the expressive features of "transnationality".
Such a phenomenon as antiglobalism comes forward as the quite characteristic confirmation to the above assertion. Having faced with this phenomenon, the leading modern politicians lost their heads and found no place for it in the system of their political ideas. Clearly, the profound knowledge which would be based on what V. Vernadsky called "the scientific thought as a planetary phenomenon" is needed. One of the specific methods to reveal such knowledge, systematize it, and direct to the solution of topical modern problems is the procedure of nomination of the applicants for the Nobel prize and its awarding. Therefore, the interest to it is large and permanent. Already this factor shows the importance of a given phenomenon in science, and particularly in economics.
Like any phenomenon which promotes the development of a new system of knowledge, the Nobel prize raises many questions. They are as follows: How is a brilliant intellectual achievement revealed? How necessary and important is a specific scientific result? How can it be applied? How can future generations take the maximum advantage of it? We will start with the first question.
The procedure of choice of laureates
Through the history of existence of the Nobel prize that counts over 100 years, a fairly complicated but quite effective mechanism of nomination, selection, and approval of annual laureates was developed. Every year in October, highly qualified professors-experts from 75 Faculties of Economics of Universities from different countries of the world receive specially outlined forms, where they are proposed to name the candidates for this award by substantiating their choice. Every year, different departments are taken into consideration. In addition, the professors of related specialities, in particular marketing, economic history, and some others, get such questionnaires as well. Moreover, the highly esteemed economists working not only at Universities and Academies can express their opinions, but, still, confidentially. Among them, there are the Nobel laureates awarded in previous years and the members of the Swedish Royal Academy of Sciences.
However, collective suggestions and those submitted later than January of the year the nominees will be announced are not taken into consideration. Personal applications with the claim for the prize are also not taken into account. Claimants cannot gain from any official diplomatic, governmental, or political support, inasmuch as the Nobel establishments do not depend on any state or party.
Every year the Nobel Committee receives nearly 200 submissions which claim about one hundred nominees starting from February 1 till the autumn, different commissions of the Committee carry out the expertise of the most prestigious works of candidates. This process involves the participation of the leading world scientists-experts who try to define the originality and significance of the contribution made by each candidate to the progress of the humanity. The members of the Committee or invited experts can make reports relating different aspects of any given suggestion. Annually, several hundred specialists participate in the preliminary work.