Social progress and its criteria

Abstract

Since the middle of the 20th century, the problem of progress has been treated with some justifiable caution and sometimes with outright skepticism. The article analyzes the state of the discussion about progress, the reasons for the lack of meaningful dialogue on this topic, as well as the reasons for distrust of social progress. An attempt is made to identify the "cell" of social progress in order to better understand society and the ways of its development. The approaches of researchers of the Soviet period to the identification of the main criterion of social progress are considered. The thesis that the main criterion of progress is the level of development of productive forces is analyzed. Since the main productive force of society is man, it is his social well-being that should be the main goal of society. In the light of this idea, conclusions are drawn as to the path that modern Russian society should follow.