The article considers the question of how the development of social and humanitarian sciences is interconnected with the innovative potential of the economy. The first part of the article analyzes the scientific discussion on this issue. In the second part of the article, the author compares the development of social and human sciences in Russia and abroad. The author comes to the conclusion that in Russia the importance of sociohumanitarian sciences for the development of the economy and the increase of innovative potential is not sufficiently realized, and also that the more well-known fact that the social and humanitarian direction is not sufficiently developed.