All
capitalist mass-media both in Russia and in the West keep hostile silence of
this program which comprises all basic demands of common Russian people. These
demands were blatantly ignored by the oligarchic Putin regime all the years of
its criminal and antisocial rule. In my opinion this program is the Russian
counterpart of the programs of Chilean president Salvador Allende and Venezuelan
president Hugo Chavez.
Considering
the place of this Program in the history of Russia, I would like to express my
hope that it will mark the resumption of the democratization process in Russia
started in late 1980-ies and abruptly terminated in October 1993 by the military
coup which brought to power brutal authoritarian dictatorship of Mr. Yeltsin
and his successor Mr. Putin.
-
It should
be noted that the destruction of Soviet Union and the privatization of its
economic assets was one of the major 20th century crimes of global capitalism
against humanity. It had more devastating effect on Russia than both World
Wars. It was literally a genocide, although not by military means, but by the
means of economic plundering and subversion. Privatization heavily damaged
the economy of Russia, ripped its infrastructure apart and caused literally
millions of deaths from despair and hunger.
Fascist
scumbag Yeltsin did exactly what Western imperialists ordered him to do. The
Soviet Union was torn to bleeding pieces - fifteen so-called "independent
states" - resulting in total economic and administrative chaos everywhere.
The majority of population lost their savings and income, as more and more
privatized enterprises were ruined by capitalist "efficient
managers". Finally, privatization transferred economic assets of Russia into the hands of
Western banks and multinational corporations and "Russian" oligarchs.
I repeat: this
process of devastation and genocide was misrepresented in Western
mass-media as "democratization" and directed by the worst enemies of the Soviet
people - the Wall Street banksters, their economic hit-men and CIA bloodhounds.
Actually, economic sanctions would have been much more justified in the
1990-ies against the globalist billionaire leeches – Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley,
BoA, Barclay’s, Citibank etc. (they also devastated the USA and Europe enacting
the financial crisis of 2008), and their "Russian" sock puppets -
fascist dictator Yeltsin and the gang of Zionist criminal privatizers – Messrs. Chubais, Gaidar,
Kirienko, Kudrin, Gref, Berezovski, Gusinski, Deripaska, Abramovich etc.,
rather than nowadays against the regime of Mr. Putin and his oligarch friends
who own only a minor part of privatized assets.
This
pro-Western oligarchic puppet regime of Yeltsin and Putin has no future exactly
because from the very beginning it was designed this way by its Western
imperialist masters - the same way as the pro-Western puppet regimes of
Pinochet, Mobutu, Marcos, Duvalier, Somosa, Fujimori, Poroshenko etc. were
designed. The initially undeclared function of this regime is to ruin Russia,
and this function became obvious now, as weakened Russia has to face vicious
slander and aggressive hostility of its "dear Western partners"...
-
Considered
from the viewpoint of world politics, the 20 Point Program of Mr. Grudinin is a
clear Russian challenge to the antidemocratic and antihumanist forces of
capitalist globalization. Globalization is quite obviously the capitalist antithesis
of socialist and communist internationalism, an attempt to create a global
fascist empire as a countermeasure against the failed project of world-wide
socialist republic. Being a challenge to Western globalism, this Program is inevitably
directed against the treacherous pro-Western comprador oligarchy headed by Mr.
Putin and therefore is a curious mix of demands - both socialist and
nationalist petty-bourgeois.
Therefore I
decided to translate this interesting and important document into English. I
made the translation with all due care, but please note that this is not an official translation, i.e.
it is not (yet) approved by Mr. Grudinin. I added words in brackets to the
translated text as a help for understanding the 20 Point Program of Mr.
Grudinin by foreign readers.
* * *
Mr.
Grudinin, January 10th, 2018:
"I am confident that with the assistance of the joint electoral team of the Communist Party of Russian Federation (KPRF), the united Left and the National-Patriotic Forces of Russia (NPSR), I can and should win the presidential election. Having achieved that and being inspired by the will of the People and aided by the Supreme State Soviet headed by Mr. G.A. Zyuganov, we together will again make our Fatherland a strong and powerful country, eliminate poverty and ensure well-being of all citizens.
To achieve this goal, we will implement the following:
1. Transformation of the economic strategy. Priority will be given to the well-being of broad masses of the people and not of a bunch of oligarchs, to the interests of the common man and not to those of the "fat cats". This requires a sharp turn away from the oligarchic capitalism to a social state. We will use Russia's wealth, its natural, industrial and financial resources for the benefit of the people. We will nationalize strategically important and system-forming industries, the networks of electric power, railways and communications, as well as the major banks. The state will regain the monopoly on the production and wholesale of ethyl alcohol. These measures will give impetus to development, will bring the treasury trillions of rubles annually and will enable us to formulate a development-oriented budget instead of the budget of impoverishment and degradation.
2. Restoring the economic sovereignty of Russia. The present government stowed away several trillions of rubles. These immense funds were transferred abroad and entrusted to foreign financial organizations. We will invest these trillions of rubles kept idle in foreign banks and US debt obligations into industries, science and education. Our new government will liberate the economy of Russia from total subordination to the US dollar. We will create a new financial system to serve the interests of our country and its citizens. We will put under control the access of foreign speculative capital to the Russian market. We will withdraw from the WTO, because the 4 years of subordination under its economic tyranny resulted for us in more than one trillion rubles of direct losses and 5 trillion of indirect losses.
3. Using credit resources to rebuild the economy. To this end we will cut banking interest rates. We will stop the illegal transfers of capital abroad. We will bundle all available funds for investment in domestic production and in human development. We will create opportunities for large-scale investments into our economy and support small & medium-sized businesses and people's & collective enterprises. We will stop them being ruined by large transnational corporations. Our monetary system will guarantee them provision of long-term cheap credit.
4. New industrialization, modernization of the economy and putting it on the track of innovations. We will apply science and new technologies to start active development of technologically progressive industries: microelectronics, biotechnology, robotics and machine tools. We will raise the share of manufacturing industry in the GDP of our country from current 15-20% to 70-80%, to keep pace with the most advanced countries of the world.
5. Safeguarding Russia's food autarky and overcoming the present situation of importing a significant portion of food products from abroad. We will start the program of sustainable rural development to revitalize the countryside, large-scale agricultural production and social infrastructure in rural areas. We will apply for this task at least 10 percent of budget expenditures. We will reintroduce the Soviet standards (GOST) and introduce criminal liability for the falsification of food products.
6. Our historic task is to ensure the revival of "provincial" Russia. We will make budget financing of regions equitable. We will provide sufficient coverage of natural gas supplies in our country. We guarantee budgetary help for small towns, villages and rural settlements. We will reopen schools, hospitals and other social infrastructure in the countryside. We will finance from the budget connection of homes in small towns and villages to natural gas, electricity, water and sewage networks.
7. Price controls on basic foods, consumer goods and utility tariffs. We will curb predatory pricing of natural monopolies and stop the extortionate price rises for indispensable consumer goods and services. We will reduce the prices of medicines and tariffs for all types of transportation. The so-called "charges for housing overhaul" will be revoked. The charges of utility and municipal services should not exceed 10 percent of family income.
8. Taxation as the instrument of social justice and development. We will introduce progressive income tax with zero rate for the poor. The tax system will serve as the stimulus for productive investment and innovation. We will revoke value-added tax, transportation tax and the privatized road toll system "Platon" that suffocate our industry.
9. Restoring guaranteed employment and 8-hour working day, creating jobs and decent wages. The minimum wage will be 25 000-30 000 rubles. Workers will again earn equitable wages and get decent holidays allowing them to regenerate their vitality. We will reintroduce guaranteed employment for youth. Graduates of state universities and colleges will be guaranteed their first employment. We will launch large-scale programs for retraining and advanced training.
10. We
will stop the
destruction of social
sphere. We will guarantee
free high-quality secondary and higher education and health care. We will
reintroduce free annual overall clinical examination. We will set high
standards for budgetary financing at the minimal level of 7% of GDP for each
of: science, education and health care. The budget will finance all the
expenses for treatment of seriously ill people, especially children. Gymnastics
and sport, being the most important means of keeping the nation healthy, will
again become available to the people.
11. Motherhood and childhood will enjoy full protection. We will restore the system of preschool day-care and will guarantee all children places in kindergarten and after-hours care at school. We will make available for children free (activities) in sports, hobby groups and creative studios. We will raise monthly child benefits to fully cover child's subsistence and extend baby care benefits from one and a half to three years. The state will subsidize the production of goods for children.
12. Our citizens will get fair retirement benefits. We will immediately pass the law on (extra) benefits for (the Second World) war-time children. We will not raise the current age of retirement. We will reintroduce inflationary indexation of the retirement benefits of working pensioners. We will cancel the multiplicator of 0.54 currently applied to the retirement benefits of military personnel. We will guarantee an average old-age pension to amount at least 50% of the average salary.
13. We will protect the moral health of our nation, revive our national culture and provide comprehensive (budget) financing of museums, theatres and libraries.
14. We will start mass construction of high-quality affordable housing. We will introduce the provision of apartments and homes for young families as well as the decommissioning of dilapidated and ramshackle housing. We will expand mass construction of housing and provide it to families with children at cost prices in instalments, without usurious mortgage interest rates. Mortgage interest rates will be reduced to 3-4%. Large families and young families will receive interest-free loans for a period of 30 years. We will prohibit development which increases the (existing) density of urbanization.
15. We will curb the greed of usurers. We will declare debt amnesty for the victims of "microfinance organizations". We will provide relief to those who took mortgages denominated in foreign currency. We will introduce criminal liability for those who sell bondage schemes. We will prohibit commercial debt collection and transferring the debt obligations of citizens.
16. We will protect our natural environment. We will ban both privatization and long-term leasing of forest and water areas. The practice of transforming forests and parks into construction plots will be prohibited.
17. We will guarantee defence capability and security of our country as well as a high scientific and technological level of the defence industry. We will significantly increase combat readiness of our Armed Forces and raise the prestige of military service and law enforcement agencies.
18. Judiciary will once again serve the law, the citizens and society as a whole, and not the oligarchy. We will guarantee genuine independence of the courts of law and crime investigation agencies from the executive authorities. We will introduce the election of judges. We will transfer all cases of the so-called "extremism", especially those invoking (infamous Russophobic) 282nd article (of the criminal code of RF), as well as all corruption trials of senior officials into (the competence of) jurors courts. Innocently convicted patriots of our Fatherland will be released and rehabilitated. The same will apply to convicted ordinary participants of protests, but not to provocateurs, perjurers and organizers of illegal (subversive) activities.
19. We will restore the system of genuine democracy and people's representation. We will reintroduce the right of the people to decide all most important issues by referenda. The parliament will cease being an obedient endorser of the laws proposed by the executive and will become the assembly of the representatives of people's will. Its rights will be expanded. The president will be made controllable by and accountable to the people and the parliament. The impeachment procedure will be simplified. No one will have the right to be the president for more than two 4 years' terms in his entire life. We will establish the Supreme State Soviet, without the approval of which the president will not be allowed to decide any major issue. We will make the elections at all levels genuinely transparent and free, and will harshly persecute violations and frauds of vote counting.
20. We will improve the quality of public administration. We will introduce the accountability of the president for the cabinet of ministers he appointed, and the accountability of the government for its actions. The appointment of government (officials) will require approval by the State Duma (parliament). All candidates for ministerial posts will require public corroboration by the president. The central bank will function as a controllable and accountable government body executing the task of financing the industries. The Accounting Chamber will be restored as a supreme and genuinely independent government monitoring body. Suppression of corruption not as an empty slogan, but as everyday practice will have positive effect on the economics, politics and morality.
Yours faithfully,
11. Motherhood and childhood will enjoy full protection. We will restore the system of preschool day-care and will guarantee all children places in kindergarten and after-hours care at school. We will make available for children free (activities) in sports, hobby groups and creative studios. We will raise monthly child benefits to fully cover child's subsistence and extend baby care benefits from one and a half to three years. The state will subsidize the production of goods for children.
12. Our citizens will get fair retirement benefits. We will immediately pass the law on (extra) benefits for (the Second World) war-time children. We will not raise the current age of retirement. We will reintroduce inflationary indexation of the retirement benefits of working pensioners. We will cancel the multiplicator of 0.54 currently applied to the retirement benefits of military personnel. We will guarantee an average old-age pension to amount at least 50% of the average salary.
13. We will protect the moral health of our nation, revive our national culture and provide comprehensive (budget) financing of museums, theatres and libraries.
14. We will start mass construction of high-quality affordable housing. We will introduce the provision of apartments and homes for young families as well as the decommissioning of dilapidated and ramshackle housing. We will expand mass construction of housing and provide it to families with children at cost prices in instalments, without usurious mortgage interest rates. Mortgage interest rates will be reduced to 3-4%. Large families and young families will receive interest-free loans for a period of 30 years. We will prohibit development which increases the (existing) density of urbanization.
15. We will curb the greed of usurers. We will declare debt amnesty for the victims of "microfinance organizations". We will provide relief to those who took mortgages denominated in foreign currency. We will introduce criminal liability for those who sell bondage schemes. We will prohibit commercial debt collection and transferring the debt obligations of citizens.
16. We will protect our natural environment. We will ban both privatization and long-term leasing of forest and water areas. The practice of transforming forests and parks into construction plots will be prohibited.
17. We will guarantee defence capability and security of our country as well as a high scientific and technological level of the defence industry. We will significantly increase combat readiness of our Armed Forces and raise the prestige of military service and law enforcement agencies.
18. Judiciary will once again serve the law, the citizens and society as a whole, and not the oligarchy. We will guarantee genuine independence of the courts of law and crime investigation agencies from the executive authorities. We will introduce the election of judges. We will transfer all cases of the so-called "extremism", especially those invoking (infamous Russophobic) 282nd article (of the criminal code of RF), as well as all corruption trials of senior officials into (the competence of) jurors courts. Innocently convicted patriots of our Fatherland will be released and rehabilitated. The same will apply to convicted ordinary participants of protests, but not to provocateurs, perjurers and organizers of illegal (subversive) activities.
19. We will restore the system of genuine democracy and people's representation. We will reintroduce the right of the people to decide all most important issues by referenda. The parliament will cease being an obedient endorser of the laws proposed by the executive and will become the assembly of the representatives of people's will. Its rights will be expanded. The president will be made controllable by and accountable to the people and the parliament. The impeachment procedure will be simplified. No one will have the right to be the president for more than two 4 years' terms in his entire life. We will establish the Supreme State Soviet, without the approval of which the president will not be allowed to decide any major issue. We will make the elections at all levels genuinely transparent and free, and will harshly persecute violations and frauds of vote counting.
20. We will improve the quality of public administration. We will introduce the accountability of the president for the cabinet of ministers he appointed, and the accountability of the government for its actions. The appointment of government (officials) will require approval by the State Duma (parliament). All candidates for ministerial posts will require public corroboration by the president. The central bank will function as a controllable and accountable government body executing the task of financing the industries. The Accounting Chamber will be restored as a supreme and genuinely independent government monitoring body. Suppression of corruption not as an empty slogan, but as everyday practice will have positive effect on the economics, politics and morality.
Yours faithfully,
Pavel
Grudinin"
