Comments by Gunay Guliyeva

Chief Analyst

Center for Analysis of Economic Reforms and Communication

A prominent figure of the culture and public opinion of the Azerbaijani people Nizami Ganjavi (1141-1209) studied literature, philosophy, astronomy, natural, historical, and economic sciences in his works. N.Ganjavi reflected his philosophic views and thoughts on social and economic issues in the famous “Khamsa” – set of five works. Through poetry, N. Ganjavi expressed his theoretical views on the laws of development of nature and society, the basic economic relations, and the importance of their perception. Feudal property, contradictions stemming from it, the tax system, land ownership, labor productivity, the concept of money, social justice and equality have a special place in his works.

N. Ganjavi considered labor as the main factor of economic development, as well as labor productivity and division of labor - of the increase of wealth. The genius thinker also named scientific knowledge and education to be the most important wealth of a society. Long before mercantile economic ideas and socially oriented economic views emerged, his works had stressed the importance of the progressive role of trade in the development of society and the expectation of justice in the process of exchange. By promoting the community of property and the idea of equality in distribution, Nizami Ganjavi strived to create a society without such notions as judge and convict, master and slave, oppressor and oppressed, and rich and poor. Considering the study of nature, society, and man as the main task, he substantiated the idea of the possibility of the harmonious development of man with man, a man with society, and society with nature. N.Ganjavi enriched our history of economic thought with various economic ideas, including the idea that all sciences should serve man and society and other economic ideas. In the 12-13th centuries, genius thinker was the author of the first ideas about state-society union as a fundamental basis for economic development.

One of the main ideas reflected in Ganjavi's work was the positive relationship between labor and wealth. According to his approach, labor is the main source of increasing material and spiritual wealth.

Do useful work here; carry out your task;

Working in hell is more respectable than idleness in Paradise.

Eight centuries after this idea had emerged, the International Labor Organization (ILO) identified labor productivity as one of the most important conditions for economic growth, competitiveness and living standards. According to the ILO report for 2019, Azerbaijan ranks first among the countries of the South Caucasus in terms of labor productivity, which is given a significant place in Nizami's work. However, despite our achievements in this area, labor productivity in our country is still low compared to developed countries. 

The efficiency of labor activity depends on the factors that stimulate labor. Our great thinker and poet N. Ganjavi expressed the view that in order to produce good results, labor should be free, everyone should be provided with a job according to their abilities, and working people should always increase their skills and abilities.

Becoming actual now, these ideas are reflected in the "Azerbaijan 2030: National Priorities for Socio-Economic Development". According to national priorities, there should be achieved effective employment and decent work for all groups of the population in the country, improvement of women's access to economic opportunities, and initiation of the necessary incentives to increase the share of the private sector in employment.

Following his humanist way of thinking, Nizami also expresses his attitude towards the distribution of material goods. He cannot accept the inconsistency and inequality in the structure of society. A system of distribution based on justice and equality is at the heart of his idea, which is reflected in the national priorities of Azerbaijan 2030. Thus, a “SOCIETY BASED ON DYNAMIC, INCLUSIVE AND SOCIAL JUSTICE” has been chosen as one of the main priorities of the country for the next 10 years, and the state plans to ensure that all strata of the population feel economic development in their lives.

Nowadays, the development of the country's economy depends not only on such economic indicators as GDP growth, GDP per capita, budget indicators, but also on the happiness index, profitability, productive employment, satisfaction, inclusive development, and other new indicators.

In its strategic approach for 2030, our country identifies the following issues as priority ones: increasing and providing a decent level of wages, combining wage growth with productivity growth, ensuring a fair distribution of income, increasing the socio-economic well-being of the low-income population, minimizing poverty and low unemployment, as well as expanding targeted assistance to meet the needs of the poor. Such an approach will ensure fair and inclusive development. 

Thinker N.Ganjavi emphasized the significance of science and wrote, “Try to better learn the world, mankind, plants, stones, animals”. In his “Khamsa”, which consists of such great works as “Treasury of Mysteries”, “Khosrov and Shirin”, “Leyli and Majnun”, “The Seven Beauties”, and “The Book of Alexander”, N.Ganjavi used poetry to express his worldview, approach to science, and theoretical views on the importance of studying science.

 “I collected books scattered all over the world, words spoken in Arabic and Dari, manuscripts of Bukhari and Tabari, works kept in the treasuries of various palaces. I got acquainted with all secret and comprehensive sciences and started looking for secrets of existence”, told a great thinker and poet demonstrating the value he placed on science.

The power is in science

Otherwise, no one can be superior to anyone. 

Know that the rank of a scientist

Is higher than any other highest rank    

Our genius poet Nizami Ganjavi placed great value on science, tried to direct his readers and society to learning sciences, and showed science as the main driving force of economic development. The selection of "COMPETITIVE HUMAN CAPITAL AND SPACE FOR MODERN INNOVATIONS" as one of the national socio-economic priorities of the country and the development of science and identifying scientific education as the main factor for the realization of this strategic goal is consistent with the value given by Nizami to science. Special attention to "lifelong education" based on the harmonious development of competencies, social skills, and abilities, continuing the modernization of the education system, and ensuring the competitiveness of higher education institutions in terms of quality at the international level is also the part of socio-economic priorities in our country. Such an approach demonstrates that science and creativity will be the main drivers of modern economic development, which complies with the key challenges of the 4^th Industrial Revolution.

In his works, Nizami expressed the idea that production for themselves and consumption cannot be the ultimate goal of the human race. Our great poet had told about the existence of economic ties between past and future generations and put forward the idea of sustainable and strong development many centuries before the concept of "Sustainable Development" was created. Thus, Nizami Ganjavi can be considered one of the first founders of the idea of continuous production.

The selection of “Clean environment and green growth country” as one of the socio-economic priorities to be reached up to 2030 complies with the ideas of Nizami This priority includes such goals as the application of environmentally friendly technologies, use of clean energy sources, recycling, and rehabilitation of polluted areas, creation of green energy zones, ensuring efficient use of resources. It indicates that the selected strategy is a long-term sustainable development strategy that is aimed not only at the economic development of the present generation but at opening new opportunities for future generations.

Ideas about economic development created by a socially just society, science, and labor, expressed eight centuries ago by our genius thinker Nizami Ganjavi, serve as the main source of ideas for our current