Uraz Baimuratovich Baimuratov is a major international economist, widely known in the country and far beyond its borders, a prominent organizer of science, a leader in education and a public figure.

Uraz (Urazgeldy) Baimuratovich Baimuratov was born on September 14, 1935, in the Duiseke village of the Bulaev district (now known as the Magzhan Zhumabayev district) in the North Kazakhstan region. Parents Baimurat Tokishuly and Khabiba Ozdimbaykyzy raised 7 children; the youngest son was given an ancient Turkic name meaning "happiness, luck". From an early age, he demonstrated an inquisitive mind and a keen interest in knowledge, never parting with a book, even during school holidays. U. Baimuratov grew up in an environment that in every way supported the aspirations and encouraged the youth for high ideals, knowledge, and progress, imparted an understanding of the value of ancestral wisdom, the culture and history of their people, and taught patriotism through the heroism of Kambar Batyr, Bayan Batyr, and the poetry of Magzhan.
In his native village, he graduated from a 7-year school with honors. He received his secondary education at Kazakh Boarding School No. 5 in Petropavlovsk, which opened a wide path for gifted rural children, many of whom went on to attend the country's leading universities.
For excellent studies, exemplary behavior, and active participation in the life of the school, he was elected as the Komsomol organizer of the school. In 1951, at the age of 16, he was elected and became the youngest delegate to the 5th Congress of the Komsomol of Kazakhstan, held in Almaty from July 10 to 15. This was his first and unforgettable meeting with the beautiful city. The secretaries of the Central Committee of the Leninist Communist Youth Union of Kazakhstan at that time were the legendary H. Dospanova, A. Fuglova, A. Shalov. U. Baimuratov retained the mandate of the delegate of Congress No. 634 for his entire life.
Following the example of his elders, U. Baimuratov dreamed of getting a higher education in Moscow. U. Baimuratov graduated from high school in 1952 with a Gold medal. On the advice of his brother, Nurgazy Nuralin, a student at the Moscow Institute of Non-Ferrous Metals and Gold, who later became a doctor of geological and mineralogical sciences, he enrolled at the same institute. During this period, a whole group of Kazakh students, fellow countrymen and villagers studied in Moscow. Among them were E. Shaikhutdinov., K. Salykov, A. Koshanov, S. Kozhakhmetov, N. Nuralin, Z. Olzhabayev, A. Dzhantureyev, A. Maldybayev and others.

In 1957, after successfully graduating from the Kalinin Moscow Institute of Non-Ferrous Metals and Gold, he received a referral to his native Republic of Kazakhstan. He started his career at the Central Institute of Scientific and Technical Information. In 1958, he joined the Institute of Economics of the Academy of Sciences of the Kazakh SSR, marking the beginning of his distinguished path to Great Science.

Institute of Economics of the Academy of Sciences of the Kazakh SSR

The excellent education he received and the good scientific environment in which he worked determined the sphere of the young scientist's initial scientific interests – investments and industrial economics. Uraz Baimuratov was "lucky to have kind people around him." The young scientist's aspiration and talent were noticed and supported by many well-known scientists, including the director of the Institute of Economics, S.E. Tolybekov. President of the Academy of Sciences of the Kazakh SSR, academician K.I. Satpayev, personally secured the acceptance of U. Baimuratov's documents to graduate school after the deadline. Between 1962 and 1964, he studied full-time at the Moscow Institute of Steel and Alloys, specifically at the Department of Economics, under the supervision of Professor S.Ya. Rachkovsky. In 1964, he defended his PhD thesis on the topic: "Economic efficiency of reconstruction and expansion of metallurgical plants (using the example of copper smelters in Kazakhstan)".
Upon returning to the Institute of Economics, a new stage of scientific growth began. U. Baimuratov proved himself to be an extraordinarily thinking scientist. U. Baimuratov focused on theoretical, methodological and practical problems of socio-economic efficiency of capital investments and scientific and technological progress, one of the central directions of economic science development. For the first time in Kazakhstan since 1964, this field was being investigated at the initiative and under the guidance of a 29-year-old scientist. Subsequently, it developed into his first major scientific school, widely known in the country and abroad.

In a short time, U. Baimuratov prepared and defended his doctoral dissertation in 1971 on the topic: “Economic efficiency of capital investments in industrial production (problems of assessment, analysis and growth)”, becoming the youngest Doctor of Economic Sciences in Kazakhstan, and then in 1975 – Professor of Economics. During this period, he received great support from his scientific consultant for the dissertation, Corresponding Member of the Academy of Sciences of the Kazakh SSR R.M. Petukhov, official opponents – Academician of the Academy of Sciences of the Kazakh SSR S.B. Baishev, Professor V.P. Krasovsky and M.G. Milgramm, as well as several other outstanding Kazakh and Soviet scientists.

During his years at the Institute of Economics of the Academy of Sciences (1958-1980), U. Baimuratov emerged as one of the most prominent scientists and economists in the USSR, enriching science with works of paramount importance that are known not only in Kazakhstan but also abroad. His outstanding scientific achievements were recognized by the election of U. Baimuratov in 1979 as a corresponding member of the Academy of Sciences of the Kazakh SSR and, from 1983 to 1991, as a member of the Bureau of the Department of Social Sciences of the Academy of Sciences of the Kazakh SSR.
Even the first works of U. Baimuratov were distinguished by a high scientific and theoretical level, the ability to combine theory with economic practice, and the use of progressive research methods. Among them, it is worth noting the collective monographs "Efficiency of capital investments in the industry of Kazakhstan" (1969), "Efficiency of technological progress in the industry of Kazakhstan" (1973), and "Forecasting scientific and technological progress" (1975), written with his participation and under his leadership. In the latter, for the first time in the republic, progressive forecasting methods used in foreign practice were widely covered. Collaboration with world-class scientists, academician T.S. Khachaturov and Professor V.P. Krasovsky, who founded the world-renowned scientific school of investment efficiency theory, had a great influence on the formation of U. Baimuratov. This must not be forgotten.
During this period, U. Baimuratov established his first major scientific school, focusing on the theory of capital investment efficiency and scientific and technological progress in Kazakhstan.
The individual monograph "Methods of Analysis and Evaluation of Economic Efficiency of Capital Investments" (1972) received wide recognition. In it, the author studied for the first time the technical basis of capital investments as an economic category, considered a wide range of theoretical, methodological and analytical problems of the efficiency of investment progress, capital investments and scientific and technological progress, proposed methods for assessing investments as a factor in economic growth, and further developed the theory of comparative efficiency of social labor costs. This book was recognized by the scientific community of the country as a major, original, and fundamental work. A number of provisions put forward by U. Baimuratov retain methodological value today, including methods of comparative efficiency of capital investments, discounting of costs at different times and a number of others. The fact is that the problem of investments and scientific and technological progress was one of the least ideological areas of Soviet economic science. The nonlinear methodological approach of U. Baimuratov on the relationship between investments and economic growth, the unity of the investment process and technological progress has remained

relevant and was reflected in his subsequent works. This approach resonates with the modern tasks of innovative and technological development of the country.
From the standpoint of ensuring a new quality of economic growth, its humanization, the article "Social efficiency of capital investments", published in 1979 in the journal "Problems of Economics" (Moscow), also sounds modern. This article with its deep innovative approach aroused great interest not only in the country, but also abroad. It was translated into English and published in the USA, a unique phenomenon for all Soviet scientists and economists.
U. Baimuratov stood at the origins of the emergence of a new scientific school of science and economics of science in Kazakhstan. Science is his second major scientific school. His original developments on the problems of evaluating the effectiveness of science, especially the results of theoretical research, were among the first in the former Soviet Union and still remain a benchmark. This area remains one of the key areas at the Institute of Economics, and the fourth generation of scientists is working in this area.
Of particular note is the book "The effectiveness of scientific research (assessment methodology and problems of improvement)" (1978). It devotes a significant place to the theoretical justification of the economic role of science. Focusing the greatest attention on the issues of the theory of the effectiveness of scientific research, the author chose system analysis as a methodological basis, which allowed him to make a number of interesting suggestions. The book sets out the basic principles on which efficiency calculations should be based. The concept of the effectiveness of scientific research is revealed, focusing on its comprehensive assessment, taking into account all the significant scientific, economic and social consequences of the use of scientific results, both in production and in science itself, the types of scientific research are highlighted. The author found an interesting approach to determining the effectiveness of scientific research of a fundamental nature, for which he developed a classification of scientific research of a theoretical profile according to the level of fundamentality of their results and proposed a system of criteria for evaluating the effectiveness of theoretical research. These criteria take into account the substantive rather than formal features of fundamental research, the tendency to strengthen in connection with applied research, and through them with practice. The methods proposed in the book for evaluating the effectiveness of applied work are rather original. It should be emphasized that the author focused his attention not only on the economic efficiency of scientific research, but also extensively considered its social aspect.
The scientific problem was developed in other works by U. Baimuratov. Thus, the collective monograph "Scientific and industrial complexes (based on the materials of Kazakhstan)" (1982) is devoted to the problem of strengthening the

economic role of science. In this work, the essence, forms, and consequences of integrating science and production, the effective use of accumulated scientific potential, and the acceleration of the research-production cycle are demonstrated. The main focus was on scientific and industrial complexes, resulting from the organic fusion of science and production, based on a common goal and technological, organisational, and economic unity. In these aspects, the author's approaches coincide with the main principles of the modern concept of the national innovation system. With this, the author confirmed the truth that science should be ahead of practice. In 1985, U. Baimuratov's research cycle in the field of economics of science was awarded the Shokan Valikhanov Prize of the Academy of Sciences of Kazakhstan.

Council for the Study of Productive Forces

A fruitful stage in the scientific and scientific-organizational activities of U. Baimuratov was associated with the transition in 1980 to the Council for the Study of Productive Forces (CSPF) of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic, initially to the position of first deputy chairman, and from 1983 to 1994 – chairman. During this period, his outstanding organizational skills manifested themselves as the head of large scientific expeditions in Western Kazakhstan, the Aral Sea region and the Balkhash region, a number of large state scientific programs, as well as the program "Intensification - 90" in Almaty.
His scientific research focused on the problems of socio-economic forecasting, regional economics, rational use of natural resources, and environmental protection. Moreover, these studies were conducted not just as economic ones, but had an interdisciplinary character, which is evidence of the breadth of U. Baimuratov's scientific horizons.
Largely thanks to U. Baimuratov, CSPF has grown into a leading scientific center. Having become a general academic interdisciplinary scientific institution, CSPF has gained serious experience in researching the problems of scientific and technological progress, forecasting the development of the national economy, rational use of natural resources and the development of regional productive forces and the creation of territorial production complexes (clusters), while ensuring the organization and coordination of research, as well as leadership in the implementation of targeted scientific and technical programs. The developments of the CSPF Academy of Sciences of Kazakhstan became famous not only in the republic, but also in the scientific circles of the republics of the USSR. International contacts with scientists from the USA, England, China, Sweden, Austria, and Bulgaria were strengthened. Thus, close cooperation has developed with academicians of the Russian Academy of Sciences A.G. Granberg, A.Y. Ishlinsky,

Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences B.V. Gusev, Professors V.A. Lisichkin, D. Dimitrov, A.I. Shcherbakov, D. Witt, and others.
At the turn of the 1980s and 1990s, U. Baimuratov raised and developed several major, still relevant problems of socio-economic development in Kazakhstan. At that time, CSPF was closely involved in the study of Western Kazakhstan. The most important results obtained in the course of scientific work – the justification of the strategy for the development of the region's productive forces, the forecast of the development of the oil and gas and petrochemical industries, ways to increase the efficiency of the use of hydrocarbon raw materials, the concept of integrated development of the productive forces of Western Kazakhstan, were adopted by the central economic committees of the former USSR and Kazakhstan, large union state research institutions. It should be emphasized that even then U. Baimuratov advocated such an approach to the development of oil and gas production, which would be based on the need to optimize resource extraction, locate enterprises in the refining and petrochemical industries, taking into account the integrated use of hydrocarbon raw materials, create a complete refining cycle, and the prevailing market conditions in the domestic and foreign markets. Together with academician A.G. Aganbegyan, they laid the groundwork for the concept of integrated and accelerated development of Western Kazakhstan's oil and gas complex. This concept was the result of a large interdepartmental expedition in Western Kazakhstan and throughout the Caspian region, which they organized and led.
Under the leadership of CSPF, the temporary creative team developed a draft State program for the conservation of the Aral Sea and restoration of ecological balance in the Aral Sea region for the period up to 2006 ("Aral - 2006"). Within the framework of the program, a set of measures and ways of rational use of water resources of the Kazakh part of the Aral Sea region were developed; alternative options for the phased conservation and restoration of the Aral Sea; a set of measures to improve healthcare and normalize the environmental situation in the Aral Sea region, improve the standard of living of the population, expand integration ties and international cooperation in solving ecological and economic problems. Comprehensive research and a scientific expedition to the Aral Sea were conducted under the leadership of U. Baimuratov. He is credited with developing the concept of socio-economic development of the Aral Sea region, as opposed to the idea of curtailing economic activity in the depressed region and relocating people to other areas.
A major project was the Republican comprehensive program "Balkhash", which defines the concept of improving the environmental situation and socio-economic development of the Ili-Balkhash region for the period until 2010. Another

major project aims to protect national economic facilities and settlements along the coastal strip of the Caspian Sea.
During these years, U. Baimuratov did not abandon the study of deep scientific and methodological problems arising from the key areas of socio-economic development. It should be recalled that the 1980s were a time of stagnation for the Soviet economy. Production efficiency dropped significantly, and the economy became increasingly expensive. An approach to solving the problem of increasing efficiency and reorienting resources to the end user is presented in the book "Economic Priorities of Developed Socialism" (1985). In this significant work, the author once again appears as a major, talented theorist who probes the very essence of complex economic phenomena. For the first time in the world's literature, he subjected the concept of priorities to a comprehensive political and economic study, demonstrating their place within the system of industrial relations and economic laws. The author deduced the objective necessity of priorities from the operation of the entire system of economic laws, primarily the basic economic law, the law of the elevation of needs and the law of saving time. Many years later, he would revisit this problem, formulating the concept of a harmonious social economy. In the meantime, the author addressed the debatable issues of efficiency theory, substantiated the position on the special production ratio of efficiency, examined the relationship between economic and social efficiency, and the content of its criteria. Special attention was paid to prioritising capital investments and conducting efficiency analyses. The book was the first special study of the problem of priorities and received a great response. The author showed an example of how not to glide over the surface of economic phenomena, but to see their deep essence. Approaches to the methodology of setting priorities, such as the goals and functions of priority development, principles, stages and indicators of priority justification, and their classification, have not lost their force.
During these years, U. Baimuratov began systematic research in the field of economics of science for the first time in Kazakhstan. As part of the CSPF, he organized and headed the first scientific research cell in Kazakhstan and one of the few in the Union at that time. A feature of the research in the science sector was its pronounced regional aspect. They were conducted in close cooperation with leading scientific departments in Moscow, Minsk, and Donetsk. I must say that in these studies, the excessive centralization of the Soviet economy was identified as one of the main reasons for the slowdown in scientific and technological progress. In this regard, an informal scientific team was formed on the basis of the Commission on Territorial Management of the Scientific Council of the USSR Academy of Sciences on problems of early technological development, which included U. Baimuratov. As a result, the idea of territorial self-financing crystallized and was conceptualized for

the first time in this team, which later gained great political significance. This idea later developed into the idea of the economic and political sovereignty of the Union republics, including Kazakhstan. The happiness of the scientist is that he not only saw his scientific "brainchild" in practice, but also participated in the implementation of this idea himself.
In 1990, the collective monograph "Science and Productive Forces: Regional Problems" was published. The book examines the theoretical aspects of the interaction between science and production, develops proposals for its improvement, and substantiates ways to intensively increase scientific potential, concentrating scientific forces on the defining areas of scientific and technical development of the republic's productive forces. The role of science in the modernisation of production is covered, and the economic foundations of the innovation cycle are shown, as well as qualitative shifts in scientific potential, necessary in connection with the strengthening of its practical orientation. Much attention is paid to regionalisation as a vital trend in the scientific and technical development of productive forces; the possibilities of economic methods of managing regional scientific and technical development are shown. In this book, for the first time in Kazakhstan, the concept of creating technology parks, which has become so popular in our country today, was introduced and subsequently developed.
The scientific activity of U. Baimuratov gained new significance with Kazakhstan's independence and the transition to market relations. At this crucial moment in the modern history of Kazakhstan, economic theory did not yet have the recipes for transforming the socialist economy into a market economy, overcoming the systemic crisis in the context of the formation of an independent state. The world practice did not know any analogues of what was happening. It was all the more difficult, yet at the same time more interesting, to become involved in the active scientific review of the ongoing radical economic reforms.
In 1992, under the scientific supervision of U. Baimuratov, a large-scale research project "Comprehensive forecast of scientific, technical and socio-economic development of Kazakhstan up to 2015" was carried out at the CSPF of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Kazakhstan. A wide range of scientists from 6 academic institutes, 6 branch research institutes and universities participated in this comprehensive study. The scientific report on the project in 5 volumes was discussed and approved at a meeting of the Presidium of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Kazakhstan. As an alternative program for the transition to market relations, it was also considered by the Republican Commission under the Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan, which noted the high theoretical level and great practical importance of the work, and

recommended that the Ministry of Economy use its results in the development of medium- and long–term indicative plans.
Admittedly, it took a certain amount of scientific courage to try to provide a scientific vision of the future in the face of the extreme instability of the economic situation. And it's not just a matter of methodological difficulties. From a psychological point of view, in the "present - future" relationship, preference is usually given to the first component, especially when it is characterized by a crisis state. The approach of the scientist turned out to be all the more valuable and far-sighted, believing that the tasks of stabilizing the economy should not overshadow the long-term aspects and consequences of the cardinal reforms being undertaken.
In this work, U. Baimuratov first proposed the idea of transforming Kazakhstan into a New industrial country in Central Asia and substantiated his understanding of what the Kazakh model of a market economy should entail. Back in the early 90s, the authors of the forecast foresaw the need to change the orientation of economic policy, to move from a model of "raw materials" development to a model of innovative and technological economic growth. Later, the Strategy "Kazakhstan 2030", the Strategy and Programs of industrial and innovative development of Kazakhstan appeared, with which the Comprehensive Forecast echoes and is consonant with several fundamental points, the more interesting it is to recall its main points:
1. In Kazakhstan, a symbiosis of Eastern and Western civilizations is forming with the advent of the former. Therefore, for him, a special model of a market economy is most realistic, which does not copy the experience of other countries, but combines the general principles of the market with the unique features of the republic. The essential features of the proprietary model are the complexity of the economy, scientific and technological progress as the basis for growth, greening of production, and social orientation. The concept of the national model has received official support and recognition.
2. The industrial appearance of the republic is characterized by technological pluralism and, in general, is far from the world standards. We need close relations with technological leaders, increasing the prestige and role of science. Scientific and technological progress should become the basis of a market strategy. If you rely only on the exploitation of natural resources, you may find yourself among the chronically lagging countries in the world. The future of Kazakhstan is connected with industrial civilization.
3. The environmental situation in Kazakhstan is very difficult, there are regions where the environmental burden has reached its limit, and therefore rapid economic growth is an impossible task. Major investments will be required to restore nature, clean up the environment from pollution and protect public health. High

environmental friendliness is an essential element of Kazakhstan's development model. Rapid economic growth with the inhumane exploitation of nature does not constitute socio-economic development.
4. Based on the ideas of L.N. Gumilev's Eurasianism, he substantiated the concept of turning Kazakhstan into an economic "bridge" between Europe and Asia, using a finely balanced policy, potential and advantageous geopolitical position.
5. It was predicted that economic recovery and subsequent growth could be expected in the late 1990s. This forecast was fully confirmed in the future. This period should be the initial stage of the social reorientation of the economy, the beginning of large-scale greening of production, the stage of gradual overcoming of technological backwardness. This stage is characterized by a sharp expansion of direct foreign investments in the extraction and processing of hydrocarbon raw materials, electric power industry, metallurgy.
It should be emphasized that in the 1990s, U. Baimuratov actively participated in the discussion of the most pressing and burning issues of economic reform on the pages of the republican press. Macroeconomics issues attracted his special attention. There is also a new priority in the scientific interests of the scientist – the study of problems of finance and the banking system.

 

Narxoz University and the Research Institute of Financial and Banking ManagementIn

1996, the next stage of scientific and organizational activity began. He headed the Research Institute of Financial and Banking Management, which was later transformed into the Institute of Social Economics and Finance in 2017. Here U. Baimuratov founded his third scientific school to study the patterns and features of the development of the monetary and financial system in the context of globalization. His works during this period provides an objective assessment of the current socio-economic situation, comprehends the process of economic reform, and substantiates the ways to revive Kazakhstan's economy.
U. Baimuratov focused his attention on the problems of the national monetary and financial system in the context of financial globalization, modern regionalism, as well as the use of a nonlinear approach in economic research. Under his leadership and with the direct participation of the Research Institute of Financial and Banking Management, a number of major projects were carried out within the framework of fundamental and applied research programs, such as "The study of the socio-economic relations’ transformation during the transition period and developing institutional, financial and monetary mechanisms to ensure stabilization and sustainable development of Kazakhstan" (2000-2002), "Monetary-financial mechanisms for stimulating the industrial and innovative development of the

Republic of Kazakhstan in the context of regional integration processes" (2004-2006), "Theoretical-methodological foundations and practice of designing financial mechanisms for the sustainable development of a competitive social economy in Kazakhstan in the context of global trends and global financial instability" (2009 - 2011), «Formation of a harmonious social economy of Kazakhstan in the face of global challenges: theoretical foundations, development mechanisms, monitoring prospects» (2015-2017). The Institute has become a well-known scientific institution in the country.
The views of the scientist were reflected in the most detailed form in the monograph "National Economic System" (2000), later in the monograph "National Economic System of Kazakhstan: the first decade of reform and development" (2018).
This book makes a significant contribution to the development of the theory of transforming economies. It can be considered a program of U. Baimuratov, both as a scientist and a citizen of his Homeland. The author's scientific credo is the theory of social economics. This book is not the fruit of the theoretical conclusions of a desk researcher. The author, engaged in active political activity in the 1990s, participated in the development of market reform programs, the preparation, discussion, and adoption of legislative acts, and was thus at the heart of the events. Therefore, the book pays equal attention to both economic theory and business practice. This determined the multidimensional nature of the study.
The author examines the diverse range of unfolding economic processes and phenomena through the lens of the formation and operation of a new economic system. Kazakhstan is in the process of developing a mixed-type economic system that prevails in the global economy. The lack of alternatives to such a choice in the book is justified by the fact that the mixed economic system is most consistent with the economic spirit of the "economic Kazakh man" - the "Eurasian", whose portrait is given for the first time in the literature. At the same time, the general patterns of a mixed economy can manifest themselves in our country in a distinct manner, considering the country's socio-economic characteristics and the mentality of its people. For example, this is reflected in the consideration of such key issues as the degree of government intervention in the economy and land ownership.
The developed model of the national economic system sets the theoretical and methodological vector of the research. Its essence is associated by the author with the priority of the needs of a citizen of the Republic of Kazakhstan. One cannot disagree with this. After all, the current reforms are not needed for the sake of the reforms themselves. The main goal of the reforms is to put people with their diverse material and spiritual needs at the center of the economy. For too long, people have been considered simply as one of the types of economic resources, now they must

become its highest goal. Therefore, we need an economic model that focuses on ensuring that the natural and economic potential ensures decent human well-being.
The author relies on the understanding of the complexity and diversity of the existing conditions and factors of economic development, which are quite contradictory and act in different directions. Among them, the book notes: the mentality of the people, combining individualism with collectivist tendencies; a high level of education with its decreasing availability; insufficient population with a multi-ethnic composition, low population density, deteriorating health, average life expectancy; a large territory combining depressed and industrially developed zones; the state of the environment - from environmental disaster zones to picturesque natural complexes; rich and unique natural resources; an average level of economic development, its imperfect structure, unsafe openness, high dependence on other states; competitive advantages; incomplete industrialization, technological diversity; an excessively high level of external debt; a complex, contradictory geopolitical situation (from favorable to acutely problematic factors).
To make better use of favorable conditions and factors and overcome or at least mitigate the effects of negative ones, the model of the new national economic system of Kazakhstan, according to the scientist, should be characterized by the following main features: selective openness of the economy and security; social orientation of the economy; environmental safety; a combination of private, state and mixed forms of ownership; economic freedom under government and corporate regulation; reindustrialization; formation of a national system of productive forces. The author has identified the key conditions and macroeconomic parameters that ensure effective and sustainable economic growth. The developed model of the economic system forms the ideological core of the book. However, it could have remained a beautiful scientific abstraction if the author had not filled it with concrete content. The book sets out positions and views on the main directions of the state's economic structure, substantiating proposals and recommendations on the most important aspects of economic policy.
While advocating for an open market economy, the author rightly believes that our realities do not allow us to rely unconditionally on this model. Openness should not be absolute, but reasonable, to a certain extent selective, and its criterion is respect for national security. The author suggests that the openness of the economy should encompass the development of multi-vector foreign economic relations, participation in regional economic unions, and strengthening Kazakhstan's role as an economic "bridge" between East and West.
The main goal of economic transformation in our country is the creation of a socio-market economy. However, social orientation is often understood only as a redistribution of government spending for the purpose of social protection of the

population. While recognizing the importance of this area, the author opposes such a narrow interpretation. In addition to social income policy, combating poverty, and limiting the population polarization, the social orientation of the economy includes activities to train personnel and improve the professional level of employees, increase the quality of work, develop science, culture, democratize labor processes, self-government, profit sharing, etc. The most important tasks are to increase life expectancy, a healthy lifestyle, and prevent the destruction of the nation's gene pool. Baimuratov emphasizes the need to develop and implement a comprehensive environmental safety model that would have a solid investment foundation, aimed at restoring balance between society and nature, as well as preventing new environmental violations, and sustainable development.
An essential aspect of the book is the discussion of acute problems related to financial and monetary policy, including government spending, budget deficit, inter-budgetary relations, taxes, monetary aggregates, refinancing rates, and the currency exchange rate. The scientist substantiates the functioning of the financial system according to a new model based on the adaptation of standard mechanisms, systematically organized and coordinated use of them, aimed at ensuring the growth of the real sector. They propose an integrated, rationally decentralised model of the budget system with a weak budget deficit and a possible surplus in some years, as well as a perspective-oriented model of the tax system based on the rational limitation of fiscal functions and the strengthening of tax administration. The main directions of monetary policy in the book are associated with its reorientation to the interests of the real sector, an elastic national currency and a rational level of monetization and inflation, the strengthening of the Tenge through the development of production instead of inefficient currency interventions and IMF loans, the build-up of gold and foreign exchange reserves, a significant reduction in refinancing rates.
The problems of financial and monetary policy are mainly of a current and medium-term nature, while the problems of structural transformations, scientific and technological development have a pronounced promising orientation. U. Baimuratov considers them for the first time from the perspective of Kazakhstan's formation as a New industrial country in Central Asia. In this regard, the issues of forming a new economic structure, developing an industrial development strategy, strengthening the contribution of science and technology to regional development, and enhancing intra-republican economic integration are outlined. The author's views on the problems of studying needs, choosing priorities, regional development in market conditions, the nature of crises and forecasting experience in crisis development are also of interest.

With the formation of a multipolar world at the turn of the century and the onset of significant shifts in the global power balance, Kazakhstan, like the entire global economy, is entering a new era.
In 2005, the first books of the seven-volume edition from the World Economic Science series were published. In these studies, U. Baimuratov uses a holistic approach to the study of complex socio-economic processes. In this holistic methodology, one of the main characteristics is the desire for harmony and balance within the system and between the system and the environment. The fourth scientific school of harmonious social economics is being formed on this theoretical basis. In the understanding of U. Baimuratov, social economics places man at the center as the highest goal and means with his diverse material and spiritual needs. This point of view was reflected and developed in his works "Social Economics" (2005), "Socialization in Economics: from the Individual to the state" (2007), "Harmony of Society and Economy: A Global Paradigm" (2010), Harmony of Economic and Society: The paradigm of “D+3D”, Laws, and Problems (2014).
For the first time in the economic literature, the author highlights the concept of harmony between society and the economy. This harmony is formed by combining four important processes: the development of democratization (D), demography (D), spirituality (S) and economic activity. All of them are ultimately connected to the satisfaction of the spiritual and material needs of individuals, countries, and societies. Special attention is paid to substantiating the role of spiritual, moral, and intellectual development in a person and social groups in building a harmonious social economy.
Later, the author expanded his concept of harmony. Harmony appears as a systemic combination of demoethics, demography, democracy and demoeconomics. Its formula is simple – "D + 3D", where demoethics is the spiritual foundation of society, and demoeconomics is social economics. To achieve harmony, it is necessary to fully match its demoethical, democratic, demographic and demoeconomical development, that is, for the development of any sphere, the same development of all the other three spheres is necessary. All these four spheres of social life function synchronously, interconnected and fully, which is a guarantee for the consistent approach of society and its economy to social Harmony.
In an expanded interpretation of the Harmony of Society, he introduced a systematic approach, Islamic doctrine, and duality, which manifests itself in "harmony-disharmony." He noted the peculiarity of the present era, where various financial, economic, demographic crises, large-scale natural disasters and military conflicts have become extremely acute and are proceeding synchronously. He defined the spiritual sphere as the core of the harmonization of the social system,

highlighting such features of a harmonious personality as moderation in consumption, mobilization of internal resources, rational use of external resources, cooperation and tolerance. His concept of harmony calls for measure. The modern global economy is considered as an inverted pyramid, which lacks a spiritual and moral foundation. He calls the illusion of the possibility of government intervention to stabilize socio-economic imbalances in conditions of lack of spirituality, ideology of over-enrichment, overconsumption, lack of democracy. He sees the foundations of spirituality in education, science, culture, and religion. In his concept of harmonious socio-economic development, a special place is given to the Islamic economic model, which is close to classical political economy in that the source of wealth is labor. He considered this principle to be the basis of the highest social and economic justice. Considering the Islamic economic model, he turns to the history of money circulation, the transformation of money into a commodity, which became the basis of modern financial systems of capitalism and the further isolation of the economic system. He considered the separation of the financial sector from the real industry to be a dangerous phenomenon, as money creates a parallel, additional circuit, launching derivative instruments that are not backed by any tangible assets. This process occurs almost entirely outside the real sector, where money "produces" more money. He considered the exclusion of the function of money as a commodity to be crucial in implementing the Islamic economic model. Speaking about the principles of the Islamic economic model and Islamic finance, he did not identify them with religion. He noted that Islamic banking is not a religious structure, it is a financial institution that is successfully used in many European countries. In his opinion, Islamic banking presents significant investment opportunities for Kazakhstan, particularly for industries that have traditionally remained on the periphery of conventional banking.
He sees the solution to the contradictions between the world of harmony and the world of disharmony as evolution, achieved through the development of education, science, and upbringing, without resorting to radicalism, terror, or bloodshed. Developing his theory of Harmony, U. Baimuratov often referred to the scientific heritage of Kazakhstan, considering it the most essential spiritual foundation of Kazakh society.
In 2014, U. Baimuratov received a Diploma for the scientific discovery "The Law of socio-economic Harmony" from the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences and the International Academy of Authors of Scientific Discoveries and Inventions. The formula of the discovery is that a previously unknown law of socio-economic Harmony has been established, which consists in the dominant elevation of moderate spiritual needs over reasonable material needs and desires of individuals, due to the

real phenomena of the dual world and the relationship between types of needs. The duality of the world is determined by the priority of one or a different kind of needs.

Publications

U. Baimuratov has published 670 scientific papers, including 15 individual monographs, including a fundamental multi-volume edition from the "World Economic Thought" series, 38 collective monographs and books. His publications have received high marks in reviews published both in Kazakhstan and abroad. He was a brilliant speaker and presented the results of his research in the USA, England, Russia, China, Sweden, Austria and other countries. He participated in international scientific congresses and forums of economists and political scientists, the International Center for Taxes and Investments (Great Britain), the Interparliamentary Assembly of the CIS member states and other international organizations.

Awards

U. Baimuratov is an Honoured Scientist of the Republic of Kazakhstan (1991), a laureate of the Ch. Valikhanov Prize (1985), an Excellence Award of the Higher School of Kazakhstan.
By the Decree of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan N.A. On December 3, 2015, U. Baimuratov was awarded the Order of "Kurmet". The merits of U. Baimuratov were awarded medals, including «100 years of V.I. Lenin» (1970), " For merits to the Republic (KazSSR)", Medal of the National Council of the Bundesrat of the Republic of Austria (Nationalrat und Bundesrat Der Republik Österreich, 1991), 10 years of Independence (2001), Medal of the Kazakh Republic Parliament 10 years (2006), 20 years of Independence (2011), 25 years of Independence (2016), Medal 25th Anniversary of the Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan (2020), 30 years of Independence of the Republic of Kazakhstan (2021), Gold Medal of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Kazakhstan "Gasyr Gulamasy" (2018), medal named after Academician T. Ashimbayev (National Academy of Engineering, 2018), jubilee medal dedicated to the 125th anniversary of K. Satpayev (2024), 75 years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945 (RF, 2020), Uly Otan Sogysyndagi Zheniske 80 zhyl (2025), 50 KazEU medal (2013), Badges of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan "For Merits in the development of science of the Republic of Kazakhstan" (2003, 2013), Honorary Worker of Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan, medal 10 years of the International Engineering Academy (2000), Kazaktyn uly Sardary "Bayan Batyr" medal (2019).

Teaching and training

U. Baimuratov made a great contribution to teaching. More than 60 years of his life have been devoted to teaching and mentoring at Narxoz University, he was a member of doctoral councils, was an official opponent and reviewer of many doctoral, candidate and PhD dissertations in Astana, Almaty, Karaganda, Moscow, Tashkent, Ekaterinburg. Over the years of his scientific activity, U. Baimuratov has trained a group of highly qualified scientific personnel and specialists. 12 Doctors of sciences and 34 candidates of sciences have been prepared under his scientific supervision. U. Baimuratov's students successfully work in Kazakhstan, Russia, Vietnam, and the Baltic States. Many of them became prominent scientists and leaders.

Public and political activities

U. Baimuratov has been involved in a wide range of social activities since his early years. He headed or was a member of numerous scientific councils and editorial boards of journals and books. In 1987, he became the President of the Union of Scientific and Engineering Associations, Scientists and Specialists of Kazakhstan. In 1991, together with academicians U.A. Dzholdasbekov and T.Zh. Zhunusov, he founded the Kazakh branch of the USSR Engineering Academy, and then, together with a group of prominent scientists and engineers such as A.A. Abdullin, S.T. Takezhanov, A.A. Kulibayev, B.T. Zhumagulov, A.V. Bolotov, B.R. Bekzhanov and others, he created the National Engineering Academy of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Since 1991, he has been an academician of the International Engineering Academy. In 1996, he served as Vice-President of the International Union of Scientific and Engineering Associations, and since 1999, he has been an academician of the International Academy of Regional Development and Cooperation. In 2003, he became an academician of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Kazakhstan. He was a member of the Union of Journalists (2010), the Union of Scientists of the Republic of Kazakhstan, one of the Founders and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the International Public Charitable Foundation "Bayan Batyr", a member of the international non-governmental organization Global Harmony Union (GHA), and President of the regional Branch of "GHA-Kazakhstan". In 2025, he was elected as an honorary academician of the National Academy of Sciences under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan (MSHE RK No. 1-16-7-11 / 1907-I dated March 27, 2025). He headed and was a member of many dissertation councils, editorial boards of books and journals, including Bulletin of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Bulletin of KazEU, the International Council of the journal Economy of the Region (Institute of Economics, Ural Branch of the Russian

Academy of Sciences), the International Scientific and Practical Journal Audit (Russia), and since 2015, a member of the Editorial Board of the Socrates Almanac (Socrates Almanac, Oxford, UK).
The scientist's high professionalism and active civic position proved to be in demand in big politics. In the 90s, U. Baimuratov was a member of the Government Commission on Economic Reform, the Scientific Council on Economic Reform under the Presidium of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Kazakhstan, and the Scientific Council on Forecasting under the State Planning Committee of the Kazakh SSR. He participated in the development of the country's first government programs for transitioning to market relations, helping to overcome the socio-economic crisis. For him, the interests of his native republic were above all else. The facts speak volumes about this. So, back in the Soviet Union in 1990, he came out in the press with the idea of the republic's sovereignty, its own national currency, the tenge. Or another example. Being the supervisor of major research commissioned by the USSR Ministry of Geology, he presented an objective assessment of the negative consequences of the development of the Lower Ili coal basin (there are also uranium deposits here), which involves huge investments, irreparable damage to public health and the natural environment. The scientific courage of him and his team of scientists was that they acted contrary to the popular saying: "Whoever pays, orders music." Thus, a contribution was made to the prevention of a possible economic disaster in the densely populated south of our country, where nature is unique.
From 1990 to 1995, U. Baimuratov was a deputy of the Supreme Council of the Kazakh SSR and the Republic of Kazakhstan of the XII and XIII convocations, Chairman of the Committee on Finance, Budget and Banks, and a member of the Coordinating Council of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Kazakhstan. He has made significant efforts to secure legislative support for economic transformations in our country and has repeatedly led parliamentary delegations on trips to foreign countries.
Uraz Baimuratov faced a unique historical challenge as a participant in global geopolitical changes, contributing to the formation of new statehood for the Kazakh people. In 1991, he worked in the Council of the Republics of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR together with other representatives of Kazakhstan - Chairman A. Alimzhanov, deputies S. Mukanov, K. Nagmanov, E. Bashmakov, P. Svoyik, E. Goukasov, S. Zhakupov, N. Zhotabayev, Sh. Bashenov, T. Mansurov and others. He accepted this challenge with honour and fulfilled his civic duty as Deputy Chairman of the Council of the Republics of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR. In his speeches on December 18 and 24, 1991, at meetings of the Council of Republics, he called

for maximum political restraint and the consolidation of efforts for a new integration of states to overcome the acute political and economic crisis and preserve peace.
As a deputy, he proved himself to be a large-scale, statesmanlike political figure. The main thing for him was to take care of improving the national welfare, strengthening the unity of the peoples of Kazakhstan, and the economic power and independence of the country.
As a member of the Permanent Commission of the Interparliamentary Assembly of the CIS Member States, he made a significant contribution to the development of Kazakhstan's democratic institutions, as well as its financial, tax, and budgetary systems.
His speeches in parliament and his participation in the work on draft laws were distinguished by a balanced, highly professional, scientifically verified approach, at the same time by the acuteness of his problem-setting. He actively participated in the preparation and adoption of the Declaration of Sovereignty of Kazakhstan, the country's Constitution, Tax and Customs Codes, Laws on Property, Natural Resources, the National Bank, the banking system and many other laws. When developing and adopting the "Law on the Republican Budget for 1995" in conditions of deep economic recession and hyperinflation, he justified and actively defended the need to introduce a non-inflationary way to cover the budget deficit through the sale of government securities and the abolition of the practice of non-market, directive lending to the Government. This marked the beginning of the country's stock market development. The adopted measure enabled the redistribution of budget resources in favour of increasing spending on social protection of the population, thereby significantly slowing the process of destruction of science, education, healthcare, and culture in the country.
U. Baimuratov was the initiator and leading developer of the «Law on compensation of deposits of the population» in connection with the monetary reform in Kazakhstan in 1993 (Decree of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan dated January 20, 1994, No. 1515. About the People's Bank of the Republic of Kazakhstan and protection of the interests of its depositors).
U. Baimuratov also has great merits for the city of Almaty. As a deputy and chairman of the planning and budget commission of the City Council of People's Deputies in 1987-1989, he did a lot for the rational use of budget funds, the development of the city's economy based on intensification, and he was rightfully considered the "father" of the program "Intensification – 90". In 1998, under his scientific leadership, a comprehensive program for the socio-economic development of Almaty was developed, which proposed the idea of transforming the city into a "pole of economic growth" for the country and establishing a large financial centre here.

U. Baimuratov was a patriot of the country and a citizen of the world. On his initiative and personal participation, two Appeals to the UN, the UN Security Council were written, in which the author advocates for peace against war, including nuclear war. For participation in the preparation of the book "Manifesto of Harmonious Consciousness. Crises, Cataclysms and Conflicts: How to Overcome the Destructive Synergy of the Three "K" (2012) and other publications on the problems of establishing Harmony in the modern world, U.B. Baimuratov was accepted into the Global Harmony Union (GHA) - an international non-governmental organisation whose mission is to ensure peace for a harmonious civilization. He was the President of the regional Branch of "GHA-Kazakhstan", one of the authors of the international Project "Facing the Threat of a Third World War".
He also wrote an Appeal to the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, in which U. Baimuratov, as a true patriot of his homeland, convincingly defends the territorial integrity of Kazakhstan and gives a worthy response to attacks on the honor and dignity of the Kazakh people, who have their own centuries-old cultural and moral traditions of an enlightened nation of their time.
It is impossible to reflect all the achievements of U.B. Baimuratov within a brief essay. The scientist's talent and range of scientific interests are broad and uniquely diverse. His distinctive feature is a fantastic sense of the new, the ability to see the shoots of the future in everyday life. He said, "Optimism and love of life are the basis of my personality." In his book "National Economic System", considering the collective portrait of an "economic" person, a "Eurasian", he identified such features as collectivism, altruism, patience, independence, rationalism, awareness, and civilisation. These features were fully inherent in Uraz Baimuratovich himself, characterising him as a bright and extraordinary personality. It is necessary to note the high spiritual qualities of U. Baimuratov and the search for harmony. He was distinguished by his originality, broad outlook, high intelligence, hard work, impressionability, willpower, high sense of self-worth, kindness, responsiveness and selflessness. A sincere and respectful attitude, intelligence, and decency permeated his entire scientific, pedagogical, social, and purely human life. He drew strength and inspiration from his family. He harmoniously combined the wisdom of his ancestors, modern thinking and the foresight of the future, kindness and exactingness, wit and tact. There were heavy losses in U. Baimuratov's life, but they only strengthened his faith in the spiritual and the eternal.
In 2023, U. Baimuratov visited his "small homeland", his native village and school. This trip was his farewell to his native land. U. Baimuratov died on April 17, 2025, in Almaty.
Living and creating, U. Baimuratov, who measured his life by the eternal laws of nature and conscience, skillfully captivated his colleagues, supported them, and instilled confidence in the youth. Uraz Baimuratov was always in an inquisitive, tireless search, filled with creativity and generating ideas. He never stopped and continued his scientific work until the last days. Behind all the scientific achievements lay a tremendous amount of work, a Life filled with deep meaning and content, dedicated to his people and Kazakhstan.

Doctor of Economics, Professor F.M. Dnishev
Doctor of Economics, Professor F.G. Alzhanova