Modernization is inevitable

Let's ask ourselves again: do we need modernization, and if necessary, which? The fact that capital is needed is undoubted. I will not even give any data on the wear of equipment, its moral obsolescence, which are given in all works on this topic. Not only not to be repeated: it’s just not the matter of this, you can’t do anything with the change of “iron”. It is about building an open and competitive economy that ensures the welfare of citizens and worthy positions of the country in the world arena. We must be aware that this is that I will emphasize the words “open and competitive,” the Russian economy has never been if you mean leadership. Military power - yes! Expansion and retention of vast territories - yes! But at the cost of poverty of their people and the deprivation of their generally accepted rights and freedoms. In the USSR there was a diversified, but closed economy, by the end, more and more dependent on the West in technology and food. In today's Russia, the economy is relatively open, but competitive mainly in fuel and raw materials, thereby depending on the conjuncture of the raw materials. Of high -captive and technological goods - mainly only weapons, judging by its share in the markets. Therefore, openness and competitiveness is a huge qualitative change that requires tremendous, long -term, purposeful and consistent work from the whole country. This work will affect both the renewal of capital and the restructuring of the infrastructure, but most of all - a serious improving the quality of human capital - professionalism, education, health and longevity, business and labor ethics, mentality. The requirements of the post -industrial society that need to be consistent with to achieve the goal relate primarily to these qualities, the situation of freedom and trust, favorable for creativity and communications.

Is it worth it? After all, views are very widespread that it is preferable to store traditions, not to abandon the special fate of Russia. Or give priority to the restoration of the greatness of the country, not sparing resources, relying on what we have today - oil, gas, metals, forest; On the furs, hemp, Potash, as in the old days. This is simpler, this will reduce the uncertainty and risks of development, however, at best, only the retention of the current position in the world's table of welfare and culture ranks.

Let me remind you that the aggravating contradictions between developed countries (the West, but also Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Singapore) and the countries of Islamic culture are largely explained by the fact that the peoples of the latter do not want or cannot abandon traditional values, but, sharing them in a constant form, are less successful in the production of innovation - the main motor of the modern economy. Their lag is growing, rejection in relation to people of a more successful culture is intensifying. Only two Islamic countries were able to achieve an average level of development-Turkey and Malaysia, but in the first case, in the 20s, Ataturk planted a secular state in the country and since then the army has been carrying out political control over Islamic extremism; And in the second - a significant role is played by the Chinese community, which traditionally controls the business. It is not possible to break out of backwardness, preserving centuries -old ways, even if the elites are westernized.

The countries of East Asia, including China, are more successful. They learned to organically combine modern and their traditions. As noted, rice culture and Confucian ethics, which made concessions in relation to trade and entrepreneurship, turned out to be the prerequisites for the high quality of human capital-a rare combination of hard work, discipline and unpretentiousness, albeit for some time. Other qualities at the stage of industrialization are not so important. The active participation of the state in the catching up development for people of such a culture is naturally, familiar and for the time being, it does not create tangible obstacles. They arise later, when the potential of catching up development is exhausted. Here, modernization occurs, goes quickly and for other countries is a challenge. Competition is aggravated.

Russia is also faced with challenges of this kind. To her usual waves of modernization in order to overcome the lag behind the West, the threat of losing to lose in the East is added to be in a position close to the countries of Islam. This follows, apparently, that modernization has no alternative for us, this is a matter of survival. We simply cannot afford to relax and not change. Moreover, the vector of changes is also predetermined if the objectives mentioned above - the welfare of citizens and the country's worthy positions in the world - are recognized as relevant.

So, modernization is inevitable. Modernization of society, and not just fixed assets. The only question is what role the state should play in this process.