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GET IT OFF YOUR CHEST - Will Dmitry Medvedev's economic plans help Russia?
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- Economist February 19, 2008, 13:12
- yes , micro-implementation and micro-management is THE key ...As I said.
The thing I want to stress, is that, democracy, rule of law etc are those terms that can be interpreted differently at different times depending on the circumstances, as in International Affairs! So lets stick to Economics and ignore Politics, Pluuse...!
My Ardent plea to Mr M or anyone else taking up Putin's mantle would simply this - Keep Economics and politics as apart as possible, make life easier for the would be businessman, and establish a program or target namely 50/10 , i.e. the target of having at least 50 World respected/ recognized/revered Brand names owned/bought /or at least managed by Russian companies, and I think he is on the right track there also.
My last fervent wish/request to all the powers be - Let Russian business be - let it flower, let a million inlets of income develop, after all we have nothing to lose but our shackles of Colonial bondage!
After all now the 4th richest is Russian, and 2nd largest congregation of billionaires is in Russia.
Time to think further, time for the richest, most innovative, freest, the most advanced area of the world - The Eurasian Homeland!
- fred February 18, 2008, 18:14
- economist ...
don't you think you're going a bit fast ?
yes , micro-implementation and micro-managment is THE key ...
BUT first , the frame of the law has to fully improve the legal status of anything ...
what would be the point to have the world's best micro-whatever , if the rules valid in Moscow can be voided by any schmuck with a bit of power (or strength) in ekaterinburg or magadan ?
so the most important step is to have a legal framework , it has to be obeyed by ANYONE in Russia ...
In order to do so , Russians themselves have to understand they shouldn't ashamed of theirs past , not afraid of theirs future ...
IN "anyone" i mean all entities present on russian soil , including the "cultural" organisation as "alliance française" , Goethe institut" or "British council" and all N.G.O. not obeying the russian laws ...
For that purpose , all other countries HAVE to respect Russia , and remember "Democracy is about respecting a country's people wish and vote , NOT to tell them what is best for them !"
then implementation of mesure to devellop small and medium bizz , then to care about the taxs aspects of things ...
as if in any country , peoples live well , they may understand the purpose of paying tax , if theirs life is a shamble or they feel the GOVT is mad spending on rubbish (as USA and Iraq) i would even give advice NOT to pay or to make the process as difficult as possible ...
- Economist February 17, 2008, 16:25
- Russia always reminds one of having the largest, swankiest house on the block, but somehow its interior has really matched its grand exterior!
The policies as announced by Medvedev is somehow, according to many, the beginning of this renovation/refurnishing.
A reduced Tax rate(both direct and indirect), increased emphasis on innovation that encourages R/D efforts, promotion of SME's, expansion of emphasis on infrastructure,agriculture and roadways and most importantly further improvement on health, demographics, education, reforms etc MAY pave the way where RF really realises its potential.
Somehow, many times, MICRO-IMPLEMENTATION and not really planning or targets have been the bane of Russian Economics.
Any successor to Putin should remember his aims - That keeping the average Russian's welfare and increasing his/her wealth/real incomes/ quality of life - should be Central to any policy he/she may formulate.
- Russ from Berlin February 17, 2008, 16:10
- Sanjay, I wholeheartedly agree with your suggestions. I would even go a step further: I would eliminate taxation altogether for people living below the poverty line. But alas, ever since the counter-revolution, Russia has been slavishly aping the USA, including Bush's tax policy, which allows the top 0.2% to go tax-free and accumulate obscene wealth, while leaving a $9 trillion national debt to be paid by the middle and working classes for generations to come. The intention apparently is to keep the middle and working classes in a permanent state of abject ignorance and subjugation through total exploitation.
Russia's main sources of revenue should be her immense natural resources, which belong to the people, and should therefore be nationalised. But this probably won't happen, because unrestrained capitalism will have to devour itself, like a cancer-ridden body, before humanity realises that this system of production and distribution is flawed beyond repair.
- fred February 16, 2008, 12:39
- sanjay :
yes and no ...
being half french , i can guarantee you : a more specific tax system is very hard to achieve , in france where in the law everyone is a special case according to his personal datas , situation is completely absurd ...
we have achieved to have more civils servants working directly or undirectly for tax administration than the 14 E.U. countries after us , TOGETHER !
to a result wich is quite simple to understand : income tax is costing about what it bring in the till ...!!
off-course other taxs bring cash , but the income tax could scrapped-off the state budget wouldn't even notice it (if they could get ride of all the stated civils servants)
as a matter of fact , in france income-tax is thought of being a "social justice" ... that notion is total rubbish : only 50 % of household pay income-tax , does it mean that only 50% of households have some right to this "social justice" ?
at the same time , if you do tough regulations for richs , they just leave ...
why do you think so many are heading toward London ? quality of life ? no ,it's absolute rubbish there ! nice weather ? i don't think so ! kinsness of locals ? just plain average "i don't know you = i don't care" !
no everything is resumed by a simple notion = tax policies !
so after been living in the two differents system , the flat rate is not the best , but very far from being the worst ....!
because as soon as you start making some exceptions to the rule ... there is no more rules anymore ...!
the system should be kept as simple AND efficient as possible !
with only one exception = low and average earners having more than 3 kids , at the ONLY condition they raise children in a good and nice way !
- Sanjay February 16, 2008, 10:49
- This is a very sensible and timely topic RT has chosen. May be because of Med's recent address.
I am deeply sceptical about his plans for several reasons.
First: Russia's TAX system is the most rubbish in this world. Despite all the positive accolades on the flat tax and continued euphoria, this is the one area where havoc is being caused by the elite on the lower classes.
One fails to understand what kind of advisors Putin and Med are keeping who are pulling wool over everyone's eyes.
Americans used to have a 75% ITR for top 0.1% elite throughout the 1950-70s period when they achieved maximum growth and stability. This was the period before Nixon lifted gold peg and changed it to oil and americans started living off of others' money. Russians cannot do this.
Russia is in a much more depressed and catastrophic shape and yet there is this most unjust 13% flat tax, which is being lauded by anglo-americans and parroted by russian puppets before Putin and Med.
One of the reasons flat-tax was preached was because it was thought it would simplify the whole system and enable higher tax revenues. This is only partially true because the rule of rule during 90s and early 2000s was really non-existent and even now looks weak.
On the other hand the progressive tax system is very complex and creates difficulties in implimenting.
Frankly, the solution should be as follows: A staggered tax system should be advocated which taxes eveyone based on income brackets and population percentile.
For example:
The Bottom 90% should pay a flat tax of 10% (even lower than 13% of today). This would make sure that almost 120 million russian citizens and their families would not have to worry about losing substantial part of their incomes through taxes.
The top 10% should pay : 20%.
Top 1% : 33%
Top 0.1% or roughly 120,000 people and on family basis 40,000 people should pay 75% tax.
These top 0.1% Fat cats like Mikhail-Fridman, bosses of energy and metal companies, financiers, should face the main burden of Taxes.
The neo-liberal immediately jumps and raises a big hue-cry on how the rich are being targeted and that the taxes should be same for everyone.
But the neo-liberal hidden agenda does not explain the fact that beyond a certain limit, these 0.1% are only going to spend their money on anglo-american real-estate and expensive and perverse pleasures.
Tax reduction for bottom 90% from 13 to 10 percent can easily be balanced by tax increase from 13 to 75 percent for top 0.1%.
Russia needs to radically overhaul its Tax system if it hopes to have any social justice and prosperity in near or long term future.
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