Sphere of culture as object of study economic science

Abstract

This article is devoted to analysis of the history and development of the relatively new field of economic research — cultural economy in general and particularly the art market. Special attention is paid to disclosure of the functioning market relations in the sphere of culture and first of all to the specifics of the art works as commodities, the nature of their use-value and price. The authors show that the products of cultural sphere have special social importance, as well as special social function, and therefore there is a contradiction between economic and social nature of cultural goods. The resolution of this contradiction is one of the issues of the governmental policy in the cultural field with a view to the process of commodification, which increases as well as the penetration of commodity relations in the cultural sphere, but could not reach the absolute level. Refs 40.