Who are the autocrats and who are the democrats now? In his day, American patriot Lyndon LaRouche frequently held up the “suggestion box” in U.S. factories, where skilled workers could (and did) pass on their ideas for improving the production process, as an example of the genius of U.S. democracy and highly-productive economy, when the American System of economics reigned, not Wall Street. People were proud to contribute to the nation’s development.
On Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin addressed a forum called “Strong Ideas for a New Time,” organized by a non-profit organization called the Agency of Strategic Initiatives (ASI), which defines itself as a platform for Russians to submit ideas for civil projects and initiatives needed in the country, proposals for how to improve life in their regions or nationally. This year, some 90,000 proposals were submitted by 300,000 Russians from 85 entities.
“This mechanism is fully consonant with the tasks of our internal development and the time when truly revolutionary transformations are gaining momentum and getting stronger,” Putin said of the ASI’s efforts. He elaborated:
“National and global processes are underway to develop the fundamentals and principles of a harmonious, fairer and more community-focused and safe world order as an alternative to the existing world order, or the unipolar world order in which we lived…. [note past tense—GGS]
“Only genuinely sovereign states are in a position to ensure a high growth dynamic and become a role model for others in terms of standards of living and quality of life, the protection of traditional values and high humanistic ideals, and development models where an individual is not a means, but the ultimate goal.
