ABSTRACT
Mikhail Ivanovich Tugan-Baranovsky was a socialist and, as such, was convinced that the construction of a better world was possible. This chapter explains why Tugan-Baranovsky's work was often perceived as pure eclecticism. It focuses on the methodological viewpoint used in his works and explains his use of categories. The chapter then draws out from Tugan-Baranovsky's criticism of capitalism, the economic categories that are relevant for his typology of economic systems. It introduces the notions of proportionality and of economic plan, characteristic of his work on industrial crises, but also of his thoughts on socialism. His own critique of capitalism is contrasted with that of Marx, thus analysing Tugan-Baranovsky's position on Marxism. The chapter explores Tugan-Baranovsky's attempt to provide a definition of socialism, from utopia to the socialist economic plan. This provides the link between Tugan-Baranovsky's ideas on socialism and his understanding of the notions of value and prices.
