The journal was founded in 1929 under the title “Problemy Ekonomiki” [Problems of Economics]. In April 1941 the publication of the journal was terminated as a consequence of severe critique of the article by M. Kubanin “The level of labor productivity in agriculture in theUSSRand in theUnited States.” Since March 1948, the publication of the journal was resumed under the title “Voprosy Ekonomiki” [Issues of Economics] as a voice of Central Committee of the CPSU and theAcademyofSciencesof theUSSR. The journal covers the problems of the Soviet economy and the economy of foreign countries.

A serious turnaround in the of the journal policy occurred during the years of perestroika. In this period, the journal took a direct part in discussing the strategy and tactics of Russian reforms. In the present time Voprosy Ekonomiki is the leading theoretical and practical journal inRussia in its field. 

Among the editors-in-chif of the journal we can name: V. P. Milyutin (1930–1932), K. S. Butaev (1932–1935), G. I. Krumin (1935–1938), B. L. Markus (1938–1941), P. A. Belov 1954–1957), L. M. Gatovsky (1957–1965), T. S. Khachaturov (1965–1988), G. Kh. Popov (1988–1992), L. I. Abalkin (1992–2011).