Gugushvili Paata
P. Gugushvili
Paata Gugushvili (b. September 28, 1905, Kodori, present-day Abasha Municipality – d. February 27, 1987, Tbilisi) was an economist, full member of the Georgian Academy of Sciences (1974), Doctor of Economic Sciences (1940), professor (1940), Honored Worker of Sciences of Georgia (1962).
In 1927, he graduated from the Faculty of Social and Economic Sciences of Tbilisi State University (TSU). In 1930–1967, he delivered lectures at TSU on the history of national economy and political economy, and in 1968–1986 – on sociology. In 1940–1945, he headed the Department of Political Economy.
Gugushvili was the first scientist-economist elected to the Georgian Academy of Sciences. The Institute of Economics was established within the Georgian Academy of Sciences through his efforts. He was the head of the institute for more than three decades (1944–1976). The institute has been named after Gugushvili since 1991. He laid the foundation for the Georgian School of Economics. Gugushvili's scientific works are dedicated to political economy, sociology, demography, history of national economy, statistics, economic development of Georgia and South Caucasus.
Gugushvili's works in the field of Georgian journalism and bibliology are also noteworthy. The creation of the Departments of Aesthetics and Journalism at TSU is associated with his name. He is the author of many works, including 50 monographs. Among them, the monograph Economic Development of Georgia and South Caucasus in the 19th–20th Centuries (Volumes I–VII, 1949–1984) stands out. This work was awarded first prize in the competition announced by the journal Macro-Microeconomics in 2000 as the “Best Monograph of the 20th Century” in the field of economic science. Gugushvili made a significant contribution to the development of new Georgian economic terminology. Under his leadership, the Department of Sociology and Demography was created at the Institute of Economics of the Georgian Academy of Sciences, on the base of which the Institute of Demography and Sociological Research was later (1991) established. Gugushvili was the editor-in-chief of the journal “The Economist of Georgia” (1958–1967), which was revived on his own initiative. A member of the Main Editorial Board of the Georgian Encyclopedia (1967–1987), a member of the Board and Executive Committee of the International Sociological Association (1959–1963), and others.
He received state awards.
Gugushvili is buried in the Saburtalo Pantheon of Georgian Writers and Public Figures.
Literature: პაატა გუგუშვილი. ბიობიბლიოგრაფია, თბ., 1988 (ყდაზე:1989).
L. Chikava
