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The increasing impact of scientometrics and formal approaches to science management distorts employee motivation, which, in turn, impedes the growth and accumulation of scientific knowledge. The paper aims to gauge public opinion on the paternalistic state activity in the field of science using the results of a sociological survey. The methodological basis includes the principles of paternalism and scientometric management. The study uses the results of the survey of the economic community held by the New Economic Association in 2022. The methods of regression analysis and factor analysis modified for multiway data were applied. Formalization and bureaucratization of science management processes are viewed within the framework of the well-known conflict between the Higher Attestation Commission and the RSCI, which created numerous barriers for researchers who prepared candidate and doctoral dissertations. To assess the attitude of experts to the current situation, it is necessary to obtain a constant sociological cross-section of opinions, if possible. Public monitoring of economic journals and the MW-analysis methodology made it possible to rank journals for the year of 2022. The compiled private and aggregate rankings contain information about the preferences of the economic community and are markedly different from the RSCI scientometric-based indicators. The paper also presents an expert assessment of the proposals for reforming the journal activity, in particular, the proposal of creating material incentives by research periodicals for scientists to prepare high-quality articles.