«Demography is the queen of sciences». V.S. Steshenko (1934-2014). Conceptual scientific memories

Abstract

Ten years have passed since V.S. Steshenko, a famous Soviet scientist and demographer with philosophical, sociological and archaeological thinking, passed away. This publication is dedicated to her and has a dual purpose. Firstly, it examines the theoretical and methodological views developed by Valentina S. Steshenko. Secondly, it expands the horizons of the history of science, and memories of personalities in science. Valentina Sergeevna managed to “reproduce life” on a daily basis and in a variety of ways, including educating a new generation of scientists. The time of her most fruitful work and creativity turned out to be a turning point in many ways. She was among the leading scientists and organizers of demographic science who, in the 1960s, purposefully set themselves the task of reviving demographic science in the USSR after its defeat during the Stalinist period of the 1930s and 1940s, and successfully contributed to the institutionalization of the “new Soviet demography”. In the second half of the 20th century, it became clear that demography is important not only as a science of quantitative changes or even qualitative transformations in the development of demographic processes and structures, it should carry fundamental scientific information about the present and future development of social (demographic) relations, which is increasingly in demand not only by sociologists, historians, and economists, but also by politicians and managers at all administrative levels of executive power.

In the 1970s and 1980s, the ideas of the French economist and political figure Adolphe Landry, expressed in his work with the characteristic title "Demographic Revolution" (1934), which was intended to theoretically support the national idea of pronatalism, which was widespread in France, especially after the First World War, became widespread among Soviet demographers. His concept of three-stage historical demographic changes and demographic revolution found understanding among a number of domestic demographers, and, in particular, such well-known ones as A.Y. Kvasha and A.G. Vishnevsky.

It should be noted that Landry followed the schemes that were relevant in science at that time, especially for understanding demographic processes based on archaeological data (Vir Gordon Child, author of the concepts “Neolithic” and “Urban” revolutions).

Since the mid-20th century, the flow of statistical data available to researchers has increased significantly, including historical and demographic data for "developed" countries, as well as for countries in the so-called "Third World." The volume of paleodemostatistical materials contributed by archaeological science has expanded dramatically. Understanding these new facts required developing the theoretical foundations of demographic science, particularly in the specific context of the development of demography in the Soviet Union, when the "Marxist-Leninist approach" was considered the only possible methodology in the social sciences. Relying on Marxist methodology (without deviating too far from it), it was necessary to develop theoretical foundations for studying population reproduction in the broadest sense of the term as a concrete historical process. This last  demanded the identification of the internal historical dialectic of population self-reproduction. V.S. Steshenko approached this problem quite directly. The article shows the logic of her inquiries and principles of research, and the reasons for her and V.P. Piskunov's theoretical discussions with scientists working in the field of historical demography.

The data from the personal life of Valentina Steshenko are presented, which shows her great understanding of the significance of reproducing life as the highest value.

Some testimonies from the personal life of Valentina Sergeevna Steshenko, known to the author, are presented, which show the great importance she attached to demological knowledge for the study of human reproduction as the highest value.