THE ROLE AND RELEVANCE OF ABDURAUF FITRAT’S IDEAS IN THE ECONOMIC POLICY OF NEW UZBEKISTAN
Abstract
This article examines the economic and socio-philosophical legacy of Abdurauf Fitrat, one of the leading Jadid intellectuals of early twentieth-century Turkestan, in the context of the contemporary economic transformation of New Uzbekistan. The study analyses Fitrat’s ideas on entrepreneurship, craftsmanship, private property, free labour and economic enlightenment as expressed in his works “Rahbari najot”, “Sayyohi hindi”, “Munozara” and “Oila”, and demonstrates their conceptual alignment with the strategic priorities of the “New Uzbekistan Development Strategy 2022–2026” and “Uzbekistan–2030 Strategy.” Using historical-comparative, hermeneutic and content-analytical methods, the article identifies seven key vectors through which Fitrat’s ideas are operationalised in current state policy: small business promotion, women’s entrepreneurship, craftsmanship clusters, dual education, export-oriented production, ESG-based responsibility, and digital economic citizenship. The findings argue that Fitrat’s heritage provides an authentic indigenous theoretical foundation for shaping a national model of market economy rooted in ethical responsibility and human capital.
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