Abstract

Based on the analysis of ‘Human labour and its relation to the distribution of energy’ by the Ukrainian natural scientist and economist Serhii Podolinsky, the authors support the opinion of modern researchers that Podolinsky’s ideas, published in this work in 1880, have foreseen some moments from Vladimir Vernadsky’s noosphere concept. Podolinsky also underlined that there are countries which formerly had been rich but later almost fell into poverty. He believed, and this has proved correct from a modern point of view, that such a situation is connected with mistakes in economic management. Despite some critical comments against the concept of Podolinsky, its consideration is of interest today.