Vladislav Surkov, the Kremlin’s political strategist, defended the system of state control that he developed, saying Russia can only modernize if it has a strong central government.
“Consolidated power is the instrument of modernization,” Surkov said in an interview in Vedomosti published Monday. “Some call it authoritarian modernization. I don’t care what they call it.”
Modernization is the new catchword of President Dmitry Medvedev, who wants Russia to kick its dependence on natural resources in favor of a high-tech economy. Surkov, the first deputy chief of staff in Medvedev’s administration, coined the concept of “sovereign democracy” to describe the system of centralized power that he helped create during Prime Minister Vladimir Putin’s presidency.
Surkov, 45, rebuffed suggestions that political liberalization is necessary for economic reform.
“Spontaneous modernization” only worked in Anglo-Saxon countries because of particular cultural attributes, while France, Japan and South Korea relied on “dirigiste methods” to achieve economic development, Surkov said in the interview.
Medvedev wants Russia to establish its own Silicon Valley, Surkov said, possibly outside Moscow or in the Pacific port city of Vladivostok. The main problem facing Russian innovators is a lack of demand, he said.
“Raw resources companies dominate, and the people who got rich and superrich made their fortune not from new ideas and technology, like Gates and Edison, but from dividing up the property amassed by the Soviet people,” Surkov said.
The government must help stimulate demand via state-run corporations, Surkov said. The Russian Silicon Valley will be populated by local and foreign experts in “supermodern” settlements financed by public and private money.
“The Russian economy is like an old armored train without a locomotive,” he said. “Liberal hopes for the invisible hand of the market were unjustified.”
The Institute of Contemporary Development, headed by Medvedev, published a report this month saying economic modernization depends on political reforms that will turn Russia into a U.S.-style democracy.
While Surkov allowed that centralization has reached its limits, he said Russia is already a democracy.
“If they criticize democracy in Russia, that means it exists,” he said. “If there are protests, that’s democracy. In totalitarian states there aren’t any demonstrations.”
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
![paiment methods](https://static.themoscowtimes.com/img/contribute/payment_icons.png)
Remind me later.