RESEARCH OF THE NATURE AND ROLE OF INTERESTS IN THE PROCESS OF ECONOMIC THOUGHT FORMATION AND DEVELOPMENT
Background. The trend towards a more complex socio-economic system as a result of the dynamic development of economic agents’ relationship and modification of their behavior gives rise to the internal contradictions within the economic system. These contradictions are largely caused by violation of conditions of implementation of business entities’ economic interests. Shaping the theoretical concept of the sustainable socio-economic development requires a holistic view on the evolution of economic interests. It is necessary to take into account both general laws and principles of development of the system and specific manifestations of economic interests at different historical stages. The aim of the paper is to study the theory of economic interests of business entities in the early period of the economic thought history. Materials and methods. The goal of the study was achieved by analyzing institutional conditions of economic interests’ formation and studying the main scientific approaches used by different scientists. The research methodology included such general scientific methods as the dialectical method, abstraction and deduction, the structure functional method, as well as specific methods and principles of evolutionary and institutional areas of the economic theory: the principles of bounded rationality, holism, heredity, selection, etc. Results. The author studied the theory of interests of business entities in the early period of the economic theory development, revealed the ways the interests manifest themselves, determined the factors effecting the formation of interests of business entities, the main motives of economic activity and the nature and role of the interests of business entities. Conclusions. The study allowed the author to identify the basis for formation of an independent scientific branch in the economic theory - the theory of economic interests; to trace the process of strengthening the role of interests caused by specific interests of different social groups and classes, to justify the reasons for opposition of interests of the leading social groups and classes, to determine the key interests in the hierarchy of public interests.