The article investigates Russian economic thought, the existence of which in modern domestic literature remains debatable. The author presents arguments of both sides in this dispute and argues that it is possible to view Russian economic thought of the late XIX - early XX century as an independent thought school in broad sense unified not so much by common creative principles as by specific scientific methods. Drawing on interdisciplinary approach, the article presents a comparative analysis of methodological and worldview characteristics of Russian school and Germany historical school. Of the determinants of Russian economic thought the author identifies two systemic elements-syncretism and philosophical orientation that embed it in the overall cultural context of the Silver Age.