Warwick professor awarded Russian National Prize

Mark Harrison, a professor of economics at the University of Warwick, has been awarded the Russian National Prize for Applied Economics.

The award recognises the value of Harrison’s recent research into Russian economic history. The prize was also co-awarded to Andrei Markevich, an Assistant Professor at the New Economic School in Moscow and associate fellow of the University of Warwick’s Department of Economics.

Harrison and Markevich received the prize for their estimates of the real national income of Russia and the USSR between 1913 and 1928. They calculated Russia’s national income year by year, despite the challenge of incomplete data.

The prize is awarded every two years by an association of Russian universities, institutes and journals. Harrison was “delighted” to receive the award. He commented that “I have worked on Russia since I became a graduate student in 1970. So it is very nice to have
recognition of my work in Russia itself. I’m particularly pleased for my co-author, Andrei Markevich, who is one of the most exciting younger economic historians working in Russia.”

Harrison believes that this research will affect Warwick students. He commented that “I teach a second-year undergraduate course on War and Economy in the Twentieth Century, and our work will come in there.” He added: “More generally, all of my teaching seems to involve big issues about the role of the state and limits of government intervention…My work as an economic historian has tended to leave me a bit sceptical about big government – how it works and what it achieves for society. I hope my teaching can encourage my students to be sceptical, not only about this intellectual fashion but about all fashions, including mine.”

Professor Abhinay Muthoo, Head of the Department of Economics at Warwick, commented on the
award: “I am absolutely delighted that Mark has been awarded the prestigious Russian National
Prize for Applied Economics. This is a great honour for Mark, of course, but equally, it is fantastic news for the Warwick Economics Department, and for the University more broadly.”

Muthoo added that “…our Department is one of very few in world that has a critical mass of top economic historians as faculty members. This is of great value to our students as they get to study economics with modules on economic history taught by the very best.”

Of his current research interests, Harrison said: “My current research interests have moved
somewhat away from macroeconomics and economic growth towards political economy – even
political science. Currently I’m working on the role of secrecy in the Soviet system of government.”

The award-winning research paper, “Great War, Civil War, and Recovery: Russia’s National Income, 1913 to 1928,” was published in the Journal of Economic History in September.