Tatyana Zaslavskaya facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Tatyana Zaslavskaya
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| Татьяна Заславская | |
Zaslavskaya in 2011
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| Born |
Tatyana Ivanovna Zaslavskaya
April 9, 1927 |
| Died | August 23, 2013 (aged 86) |
| Nationality | Soviet Union, then Russian Federation |
| Occupation | Sociologist, economist |
Tatyana Ivanovna Zaslavskaya (Russian: Татьяна Ивановна Заславская, born April 9, 1927 – died August 23, 2013) was a very important Russian scientist. She was an expert in how society and the economy work together. She helped shape big changes in the Soviet Union, known as perestroika. Zaslavskaya wrote many books about the Soviet economy, especially about farming. She also studied how people lived in the countryside.
She was a member of the Russian Academy of Sciences. From 1991 to 1992, she advised the President of Russia. Zaslavskaya also started and led a major research center. This was the RPORC. She was its director from 1987 to 1992. In 2000, she won the Demidov Prize. She was also the honorary president of the Levada Center.
Early Life and Education
Tatyana Zaslavskaya was born in Kyiv in 1927. She grew up in Moscow, the capital city. She first studied physics at Moscow State University for three years. Then, she changed to the Economics Department. She graduated from there in 1950.
After university, she continued her studies. In 1956, she earned a degree called "Kandidat" (similar to a PhD). This was from the Institute of Economics. In 1963, she moved to Novosibirsk. There, she joined a team of bright young scientists. She earned her "Doctorate" in Economics in 1965. In 1968, she became an Associate Member of the Academy of Sciences.
Key Research and Ideas
Zaslavskaya studied farming in the Soviet Union. She saw that economic problems were linked to how society worked. She believed that understanding people and their social lives was key. This idea was quite new at the time.
In the Soviet Union, detailed information about farming was often kept secret. In 1983, a secret paper written by Tatyana Zaslavskaya became public. This paper talked about problems in Soviet farming. It was called the "Novosibirsk Report" in other countries. Many people saw it as an early sign of perestroika. This was a time of big changes in the Soviet Union. Even though her paper used Marxist ideas, it was very critical of the situation. Some of her work was even stopped by Soviet censors.
In 1988, Zaslavskaya returned to Moscow. She helped create the Russian Public Opinion Research Center. She led this center until 1992. Later, she became its honorary president. She also became the honorary president of the Levada Center.
In 1993, she helped start the Interdisciplinary Academic Center of Social Sciences. This center held yearly international meetings. These meetings discussed "Where is Russia going?". Many experts from different fields joined. They talked about how Russia was changing after communism. They also discussed modern problems and future plans for Russian society.
Zaslavskaya's ideas changed over time. At first, she thought Russia was having a democratic revolution. She hoped it would become truly socialist. Later, she wondered about the changes that actually happened. By 2002, she concluded that there was "no new social revolution in Russia." She saw social changes happening through difficult times. She tried to understand different social groups and how society changes.
Tatyana Zaslavskaya passed away in 2013. She had left her role in parliament many years before. She spent her later years teaching and writing. She was survived by her husband, Mikhail, and her daughter, Oksana.
Awards and Memberships
Tatyana Zaslavskaya was recognized for her important work. She was a member of several academies. These included the Academy of Europe and the European-Mediterranean Academy. She was also an honorary member of the Polish Academy of Sciences.
She received several awards:
- The Karpinsky award (from Germany, 1989)
- The Demidov Prize (from Russia, 2000)
- She also founded the Novosibirsk economic-sociological school.
She received several Soviet honors:
- Order of the Badge of Honour (1972)
- Order of the Red Banner of Labour (1975)
- Order of Friendship of Peoples (1981)
- Order of the October Revolution (1987)
Publications
Tatyana Zaslavskaya wrote many important books and papers. Here are a few examples:
- The Second Socialist Revolution: An Alternative Soviet Strategy (1990)
- "The Novosibirsk Report" (1984)
- "The structure of social change in Russia. The purpose and the results of Russian reforms" (2002)
