The CPRF is going into the 2016 elections with a program of economic and spiritual revival of Russia. Today we present to the country our approaches and principles so that tomorrow they become the laws of the state, the deeds of the Government of Popular Trust and national interests. Our Ten-Point Program is a new vision of the future of our Motherland.
1. The people is the master of its land
The riches of Russia must serve the people and not a handful of oligarchs. We come out for nationalization of the oil and gas industries. This measure alone will increase the national revenue by more than three trillion roubles.
Nationalization of key banks, the power industry, railways, communications systems, and defense industries would create a strong government sector in the economy. This would make Russia less dependent on foreign capital. Today the share of foreign companies in metallurgy, railway and power generating machine building already exceeds 75%. That share continues to grow in spite of the sanctions. In effect, we are talking about colonial dependence.
Nationalization will lend a planned character to the country’s development, broaden its competitive opportunities in the world. The Law On Strategic Planning initiated by the CPRF has already been passed. But this is only the first step. If the economy is to run smoothly and effectively tactical and strategic planning should become the norm. A corresponding state body has to be created for that purpose.
2. Economically sovereign Russia
Today Russia’s financial system is tightly linked to the centers of world capitalism. The country does not enjoy real independence. It is time to restore our economic sovereignty and protect ourselves from the diktat of the dollar. The Central Bank of Russia should be rid of the influence of the US Federal Reserve System. It must serve the cause of developing the national economy and the social sphere.
State control of the banking system and currency transactions will be able to stop the appalling flow of capital abroad. In recent years it has turned into an instrument of ruining Russia and robbing its citizens. In the past ten years the country lost nearly 40 trillion roubles, which equals three annual budgets.
We are prepared to solve the issue of Russia leaving the WTO. During the four years that we have been its member the country’s budget has been bled to the tune of 800 billion roubles. Indirect losses are estimated at 4 trillion. Russia has no need for such a burden.
The new government will also strengthen the country’s economic sovereignty by promoting small and medium business and advanced forms of economic management. Our anti-crisis plan guarantees maximum support of people’s and collective enterprises. Even under current conditions they display a high level of effectiveness and expand social benefits for their workers. Their case refutes the liberal myth of the advantages of private ownership of means of production with its exploitation of hired labor.
3. Industry. Science. Technology
Enough claptrap about import replacement. It is a disgrace for our country to be in 95th place in terms of economic development. It is a disgrace to have16% of manufacturing industry in the structure of GDP. Its share has to be raised to 70-80%. In Germany the share is 83%.
Russia needs a powerful modern industry based on latest discoveries and high technologies. Its key sectors should be microelectronics, robotics and machine-tool building. Only then would we be able to survive in a world where predatory globalists run the show. Thanks to the perseverance of the CPRF the Law on Industrial Policy has been passed. It has to be made to work.
Industrialization in the 21st century is impossible without the revival of science. The decimation of the Russian Academy of Sciences is a crime against the country’s future. It is time to put an end to the ruinous pseudo-reforms. Financing of research by domestic scientists has to be increased several times over. The share of organizations developing innovations should be raised from today’s 10 to 30 percent. This would be investment in tomorrow.
4. Prosperous agriculture means prosperous Russia
The land of Russia can feed its own population plus another 500 million people with choice food products. Yet half of our food is imported from abroad and it is often of inferior quality. Just think of palm oil on whose import our Finance Ministry has refused to introduce excise. Meanwhile a third of Russian arable land is overgrown with weeds. Many sectors of agriculture are in deep crisis.
The food situation threatens national security. It is time for the state to pay attention to agriculture. Russia will become well-fed and healthy if large-scale agricultural production and the social infrastructure in the countryside are revived, if seed breeding and selection livestock breeding are restored, if the spider cobwebs of middlemen who block farmers’ access to markets are broken.
All this can be done if two conditions are complied with. First, at least 10% of budget revenue should be directed to support agriculture. Second, active support must be given to private farmers and peasant households while putting the stake on collective farms and cooperation. It has long been proven that such enterprises are more resilient. They adapt far better to changes in the food market.
The CPRF is ready to pass new Land, Forestry and Water Codes. We propose a complex of measures to improve the environment.
5. Credit resources must be used to revive the country
The Government’s complaints about lack of money are a primitive lie. The gold and currency reserves and the National Welfare and Reserve Funds amount to 33 trillion roubles. For many years Russia has been crediting its foreign rivals and feeding Texas and Kansas. It is time to use this money for our own development.
Today Russia is in 48th place in terms of the state of its transport infrastructure. We are in 87th and 82nd places respecrtively in terms of the quality of air and water transportation. This is a scourge for our vast country. This is where investments should go.
Our regions are in urgent need of support. Of the 85 regions only ten are donors. The rest are mired in debts. The summary budget deficit is about 2.5 trillion roubles. In 55 constituent entities of the Russian Federation government debt exceeds half of the revenue targets. They are unable to meet their social obligations. It is our duty to help the regions to look at the future with confidence and to develop. The CPRF advocates replacement of commercial loans with subsidies and subventions from the federal budget.
6. Price and tariffs control means accelerated development
Last year food prices jumped by more than 20%. People’s real incomes plummeted. In terms of living standards Russiahas dropped to 91st place in the world next to Laos and Guatemala. That is not the way to live. Running the economy like this is a crime.
The state is duty-bound to control prices for bare necessities, fuel and drugs. The spending on utilities and housing services must not exceed 10% of the family budget.
It is the duty of the government to regulate the tariffs for electricity, fuel and transportation. Such are the key factors of economic development and the well-being of the country’s citizens.
7. Taxes must be fair and effective
Russia has created a distorted taxation system. It caters to moneybags and thieving bureaucrats. We propose to phase out the VAT. It increases the cost of domestic products, makes them uncompetitive and provokes inflation. It is no accident that there was no such tax in the USSR and there is no such tax in the USA.
The recent years have seen the property tax and the land tax on cadastre value increase many times over and the notorious Platon system is being introduced. They hit hard at citizens, small business and agriculture. These levies must be canceled immediately.
Yes, abolishing taxes means budget losses. But there is the wherewithal to compensate for them. The country needs a progressive tax on the incomes of physical persons. It works well in the USA and China, in Germany and France and in many other countries. It is high time for Russia’s fat cats to shell out. We are ready to cut income tax for the poor and to abolish all taxes for the poorest strata. This would not only be fair, but would add 4 trillion roubles to the country’s budget.
The production and sale of alcoholic beverages is a special sphere. State monopoly in this sphere is a must. It would add more than 3 trillion roubles to the national budget and protect thousands of people from being poisoned.
In short, the country will have a development and not a survival budget.
8. People are the main asset of the nation
The authorities are brazenly violating the Constitution which declares that Russia is a social state. In fact the country is dangerously split. Ten percent of the population have grabbed almost 90 percent of the national wealth. What is the price of all this? The price is that while some people are wallowing in riches, the majority barely make ends meet. Their labor and pension rights, the right to education and healthcare are under attack.
The popular-patriotic forces will restore justice. We will stop the disastrous “optimization” of the social sphere. The system of pre-school education will work again. Accessible and high-quality secondary and higher education will be guaranteed. We will revive the system of vocational training and restore the prestige of technical and teacher-training higher education institutions.
The law “on war children” will be passed immediately. The people whom Hitler had deprived of a childhood are entitled to a special status, extra benefits, free use of city and commuter transport and monthly medical checkups.
In a rich, large and cold country the right to housing is the right to normal life. The state must be responsible for building social housing and for the state of the domestic infrastructure. The outrageous levies on capital repair of housing and building maintenance costs will be canceled.
It is the duty of the authorities to raise the living standards in the country. The CPRF proposes passing legislation that forbids decisions that aggravate social inequalities. Science, education and healthcare will have 7% allocated to them respectively. We guarantee first jobs and other forms of support to young people. Children and mothers, disabled and old people will receive particular attention. We have the corresponding package of laws ready.
9. A strong country means safe life
During the previous parliamentary elections the CPRF was campaigning for a new foreign policy. Today much has been done toward that end. Yet the ring of NAT0 military bases around Russia is tightening, the sanctions and persecution of our fellow-countrymen are getting tougher.
We demanded strengthening of the country’s defences and an end to the ravaging of the army presided over by Serdyukov. The authorities have drawn some conclusions, but have taken the destructive minister under their wing.
We advocated speeding up the rapprochement between Russia, Byelorussia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan. The Eurasian Economic Union began functioning in January 2015. However, omissions on the part of the Russian authorities enabled Banderovites to gain the upper hand in Kiev.
Russia needs an authoritative, professional Government of Popular Trust which would strengthen national security, consolidate the country’s position in the world, and guarantee its sovereignty. The combat readiness of the Armed Forces and the prestige of army service must be greatly enhanced. Particular attention must be paid to information and technological security. Everything must be done to bring the fraternal peoples of the USSR closer together, to expand cultural programs and protect our fellow countrymen abroad.
The state must serve its people. It is important to make governance more effective: to support self-organization of people, to tighten control over the activities of officials, to activate the mechanism of recalling deputies who do not keep their campaign promises. Judges, members of the Federation Council and heads of local governments must be elected.
Corruption and crime threaten the security of the country and its citizens. The CPRF advocated robust measures to combat them. Those guilty of major economic crimes must not only be imprisoned, but should be liable with their property.
10. Alandofhighculture
The multi-national culture of the peoples of Russia is the foundation of its spiritual revival, its pride and historical heritage. A genuine government of the people will not allow people’s souls to be seared by anti-Sovietism, nationalism and Russophobia. It will protect citizens from immorality, vulgarity and cynicism.
Conditions should be created that would enable everyone to preserve and multiply cultural achievements –writers and composers, film-makers, higher education institutions and state-owned media. The authorities must surround with care the museums, theatres, picture galleries, philharmonics, Houses of Culture, libraries and archives. We will do everything to make sure that the Russian hinterland ceases to be a cultural ghetto.
Spiritual and moral health of the nation must go hand-in-hand with its physical development. Special attention must be paid to encouraging children and young people to engage in creative activities, physical culture and sport. Talent in Russia must have every kind of support.
Such are the ten key points of our plan for the resurgence of Russia.
A difficult test lies ahead.
But we Communists will withstand that test.
Because the Party has confidence in its righteous cause, a program for change and a united team of professionals.
We are ready to assume responsibility for the revival of our beloved Motherland.
Ours is the right cause, we shall overcome.