Vitaly Vygodsky
23 December 1928 - 8 May 1998
Biography
Based on a memorandum prepared for the Российская Экономическая Академия by Svetlana Masunina using a Биографический очерк [Biographical Sketch] written by Ludmila Vasina. Ludmila Vasina also prepared this 187 item Библиография [Bibliography] of Vygodsky's writings. Dr Vasina is a staff member of the Russian State Archive of the Social and Political History (RGASPI), Head of the MEGA-Team at RGASPI.
MIA is very grateful for Dr Vasina's help with this project.
When Vitaly Solomonovich Vygodsky graduated from high school in 1946 with a silver medal, the teacher pointed out his obvious mathematical skills and his future seemed to be in theoretical mathematics. But things turned out differently. He joined the Physics Department of Moscow State University, studied there three years, but when it came to the practical exercises in the lab, realized that physics was not his vocation. Subsequently, he used to joke that he had two left hands. Officially, he interrupted his studies due to illness, but did not return to the Physics Faculty and in 1950 joined the department of political economy at MGEI (Moscow State Economics Institute).
His scientific and political proclivities were displayed as a student. He was an active member of the FNL faculty, student member of the editorial board of a scientific journal and a union and Komsomol organizer. His first work was published in the scientific notes for students at MGEI in 1955. Vygodsky graduated with honors from the institute and successfully passed the competitive examination to become a postgraduate external student at the Economics Institute. Simultaneously, on the recommendation of Professor PK Figurnova he was employed at the Institute of Marx - Engels - Lenin - Stalin (from 1956 - the Institute of Marxism-Leninism). It is here that Vygodsky worked for more than 35 years, having gone through all steps of career - from junior to senior researcher to head of the group working on theoretical problems of Marxism.
Starting work, Vitaly immediately showed himself as a talented Marxologist. His subsequent direction of research included the genesis of the economic teachings of Marx and the history of the creation of Capital. The results of this was his Ph.D. and first monograph «The place of Theories of Surplus Value in the economic legacy of Karl Marx» (1961).
A particularly important part of their work, to which he gave considerable energy, was his involvement in the international group of MEGA - the complete edition of works by Marx and Engels in their original language. Vitaly was a great promoter of economic theory. His books, such as «The History of a Great Beginning of Karl Marx», «On the History of the Creation of« Capital », and many others have been translated and published in Italy, Germany, China, Mexico, Japan and many other countries. The full bibliography of works by Vygodsky includes 186 titles.
In 1974 he became a Doctor of Economic Sciences. He was awarded the title of Honored Worker of Science. He died on 8 May 1998.
Vygodsky is of particular significance to English-speaking students of Marx as Editor of Volume 31 and Scientific Editor of Volumes 30, 32 and 34 of the English edition of Marx - Engels Collected Works. He may also have been the anonymous author of the Introduction to the three volume English translation of Theories of Surplus-Value, which shows signs of his influence.
Works:
On the Fourth Volume of Capital:
on K Marx's 'Theories of Surplus-Value', 1958.*
The Place of 'Theories of
Surplus-Value' in the Economic Legacy of Karl Marx, 1963*
The Story of a Great
Discovery, 1965.
The Economic Substantiation of the Theory of Socialism, 1975.
The Everlasting Significance of
Marx's Capital, 1975.
The Economic Legacy of Karl Marx:
History, Content, Methodology, 1976.*
An Outline of the History of K Marx's Capital,
1983*
The First Version of Capital: K
Marx's Economic Manuscripts of 1857-1859, 1987*
Marx
on the Proletariat's Economic
Struggle in Capitalist Countries, 1988
What Was It Actually That
Engels
Published in the Years 1885 and 1894?, 1995
* - In Russian