The Institute of Economics of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) was reorganized, amalgamated, renamed, and evolved from two research institutes established in the 1920s. In July 1926, the Social Research Department of the China Foundation for the Promotion of Education and Culture was founded in Beijing, which was restructured into an independent Institute of Social Survey in 1929; in March 1928, the Academia Sinica (AS) established the Institute of Social Sciences in Shanghai. In 1934, the Institute of Social Survey and the Institute of Social Sciences merged and were reorganized into the new Institute of Social Sciences of the AS, which was renamed the Institute of Social Sciences in 1945; in 1950, it was renamed the Institute of Social Sciences of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), and in 1953, it was renamed the Institute of Economics of the CAS; in 1977, it was renamed the Institute of Economics of the CASS, and has been developing to this day.

Since its establishment, the Institute of Economics has gone through the Social Survey Department (Institute), the AS, the CAS and the CASS. Having been tempered by the flames of war, witnessed the rebirth of a chaotic China, stood at the forefront of reform, and pioneered economic theories, it has played a significant role in the nationa’s economic construction and the theoretical research of socialism with Chinese characteristics, representing the mainstream development of economic studies in China. From the 1920s to the late 1940s, before the founding of the People's Republic of China, the main research areas included industrial economics, agricultural economics, labor issues, foreign trade, finance, population, statistics, economic history, and wartime economics. Since the establishment of the People's Republic of China, the Institute of Economics has gradually developed into a national comprehensive and fundamental economic research institution, focusing on major economic theories and practical issues, and emphasizing both academic research and think-tank research.

In recent years, the Institute of Economics has embraced three key roles as “a theoretical bastion of Marxism, a think tank serving the decision-making of the Party Central Committee and the state, the highest academic institution for research in Chinese philosophy and social sciences, and a national comprehensive research center for philosophy and social sciences”. It has implemented the three consensuses of “running the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences in accordance with the requirements of General Secretary Xi Jinping and the Party Central Committee, serving General Secretary Xi Jinping and the Party Central Committee is the mission of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, and Xi Jinping’s Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era is the banner and soul of philosophy and social sciences with Chinese characteristics in the new era”, and accelerated the construction of China's independent economics knowledge system.

In 2023, the second round of the “Peak Strategy” discipline construction plan initiated by the CASS included five disciplines from the Economic of Institute. Among them, “Research on Xi Jinping's Economic Thought” and “History of Chinese Economy” are designated as advantageous disciplines, “Chinese Modernization” and “Socialist Political Economy with Chinese Characteristics” are key disciplines, and “History of Chinese Economic Thought” is classified as a special discipline. The Institute of Economics focuses on the construction of talent echelons and disciplinary theoretical systems, and strives to push discipline construction to a new height.

The Institute of Economics currently has 15 research departments: the Department of Xi Jinping's Economic Thought, the Department of Political Economy, the Department of Das Kapital Studies, the Department of Macro-Economics, the Department of Micro-Economics, the Department of Development Economics, the Department of Public Economics, the Department of History of Chinese Economy, the Department of History of Modern Chinese Economy, the Department of History of Chinese of Economic Thought, the Department of History of Foreign Economic Thought, the Department of Economic Growth, the Department of Artificial Intelligence Economy, the Department of Economic System Reform and the Department of Income Distribution; 4 CASS-level non-entity institutions: Chinese Modern Economic History Research Center, Listed Companies Research Center, Private Economy Research Center, Public Policy Research Center; and 2 institute-level non-entity institutions: Economic Transformation and Development Research Center, Policy Making Research Center. It has housted 2 Think Tank: the CASS Think Tank on Innovation of Marxist Political Economy in Contemporary China and State- Owned Economy; 1 national research center: National Research Center for Socialist Political Economy with Chinese Characteristics, CASS. It is also affiliated with 5 academic groups: China Society of Das Kapital Studies, China Association of Comparative Economics Studies, Association of the History of Chinese Economic Thought, Chinese Economic History Society, China Research Society of Urban Development, and 1 foundation: Sun Yefang Economic Science Foundation.

During the more than 90 years of development of the Institute of Economics, a large number of scholars who have made outstanding contributions to China's economic construction and economic theory development have been working hard here. Among them, 1 National academician of the Academia Sinica (Tao Menghe, or L.K.Tao), 4 National academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (Di Chaobai, Xu Dixin, Tao Menghe, Luo Gengmo), 4 members of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (Zhang Zhuoyuan, Liu Shucheng, Zhu Ling, Gao Peiyong), 12 members of the Honorary Faculty of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (Yu Zuyao, Zhu Shaowen, Wu Chengming, Wang Jingyu, Zhao Renwei, Luo Gengmo, Dai Yuanchen, Sun Shizhen, Mi Rucheng, Jing Junjian, Nie Baozhang, Xiang Qiyuan), and famous scholars in academic circles such as Qian jiaju, Chen Hanshen, Gu Zhun, Yan Zhongping, Li Wenzhi and so on. Tao Menghe, Yang Duanliu, Cai Yuanpei, Yang Quan(Xingfo), Fu sinian, Wu Baosan, Di Chaobai, Sun Yefang, Xu Dixin, Liu Guoguang, Dong Fureng, Zhao Renwei, He Jianzhang, Zhang Zhuoyuan, Liu Shucheng, Wu Taichang, Pei Changhong, Gao Peiyong and Huang Qunhui served as directors. The current director is Li Xuesong.

The Institute of Economics emphasizes academic exchange and dissemination. It hosts several leading academic journals in the field of domestic economic research, including Economic Research (founded in 1955), Economics Perspectives (founded in 1960), and Researches in Chinese Economic History (founded in 1986). In 2020, it also launched the Bulletin of the History of Economic Thought (quarterly). The library has amassed a substantial collection of approximately 700,000 volumes of Chinese and foreign economic literature, including more than 7,400 kinds of ancient books and local chronicles, with nearly 62,000 volumes, as well as around 25,000 documents and archives, many of which are rare collections.

In 1978, the Department of Economics of the Graduate School of the CASS was established in the Institute of Economics, and in September 2020, the University of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (UCSS) and the Institute of Economics were integrated into a scientific and educational program, with the Director of the Institute of Economics concurrently serving as the Dean of the School of Economics of UCSS. The School of Economics enrolls and trains undergraduate, master's and doctoral students in economics, and currently has 7 doctoral degree-granting programs in Political Economy, History of Economic Thought, Economic History, Western Economics, Development Economics, National Economics and Economic Statistics, and 10 master's degree-granting programs in Political Economy, History of Economic Thought, Economic History, Western economics, Development Economics, National Economics, Economic Statistics, World Economics, Finance, and Quantitative Economics. The undergraduate enrollment major is Economics.

In 1996, the Institute of Economics established a postdoctoral mobile station with theoretical economics as the first-level discipline and four second-level disciplines including Political Economy, Western Economics, History of Chinese Economics, and History of Chinese Economic Thought.

The Institute of Economics possesses the characteristics of “profound theoretical foundation, broad disciplinary scope, leading integration of research and education, and strong comprehensive strength”. It adheres to the motto of “Dedication, Erudition, Truth-seeking, Innovation”. Upholding the tradition of “academic-oriented and talent-centered”, it follows regulations, practices diligently, engages in deep thinking, and seeks truth. It aims to lead the way for the times, contribute to scholarly work for the people. pioneers the times, and does research for the people. In the new era and new journey, it strives to comprehensively promote the construction of a strong country and the great cause of national rejuvenation with Chinese modernization, and make new and greater contributions to the development of Chinese economics and the construction of China's independent system of economic knowledge!

Address: No.2 Yuetan Beixiaojie, Xicheng District, Beijing, China

Postcode:100836

Phone：+086-010-68030264

website：ie.cssn.cn

WeChat Official Account：ie_cass