The ideas of Yu.G. Saushkin on the development of the maritime component of Russian socio-economic geography

Abstract

In the modern Russian socio-economic geography, the «maritime» and «seaside» problems occupy an increasingly important place. Its development significantly prolongs the multidimensional developments that took place in the USSR in the 70–80s of the last century, and is based on the theoretical, conceptual and analytical «reserves» created at that time. The article considers the contribution to the formation (and constitution) of general theoretical approaches in the economic and geographical research of the World Ocean by one of the leading theorists, methodologists of science – Professor Yu.G. Saushkin (1911–1982), who had the broadest research horizons, as well as the gift of professional foresight. It is shown that Yu.G. Saushkin not only consistently supported (and popularized) the «marine branch» of geographical science, but also generated important ideas for its progressive dynamics (including in the modern context): the «amphibian» of socio-economic geography, the need to abandon the largely artificial opposition of «land» and «ocean»; the expediency of further differentiation of science according to the subject-object principle, including the isolation of its «marine component»; the inevitability of further growth of the attractiveness of sea coasts for the population and economy, the special role of the largest seaports in this process; the priority of integrated use of the resources of the World Ocean (requiring the «greening» of research approaches, as well as the formation of their cultural aspect).