Minimum Program of the Left Front

'''"Left in power." The minimum program of the Left Front'''

Preliminaries
The minimum program of the Left "Left in power" (hereinafter - the Program) is designed to develop the Political Platform of the Left Front. The need for it is due to the fact that the political platform, as well as most of the policy documents of other parties and movements, mainly contains the principles, goals and objectives of the organization. This program is structured as a set of priority measures to be undertaken in the case of a radical transformation of the socio-economic system of today's Russia. There will further be developed and made public a maximum program, which will focus on building a communist society.

The program is based on the following principles:

1. Main objective of the program – to answer the natural questions of people today, who do not accept today's practices and today's power, but have lost trust in the traditional parties and their slogans of annoying common words. These issues boil down to one, "but what are you going to do quite specifically, if we the people entrust to you, the left, with the power?

2. The looming political crisis "elite" may be the catalyst for a mass revolutionary movement from below – for the creation of decent and fair living conditions for the working people of Russia. In particular - really free health care, compulsory secondary and affordable higher education, a progressive scale of income tax plus freedom of speech and assembly. In other words, the conditions which are usually denoted by the term "welfare state" and that in recent years there has been an active attack against. To achieve these goals (which the Left Front regards as the minimum program) allies of Communists may include social democratic, and even left-liberal policies, trends and organizations. The specific measures outlined in the program – are not socialism, but a number of urgent practical steps towards socialism. At the same time, we will work to directly fight for socialist change, to fight for such a development in which the social-democratic stage turns into a socialist stage, bearing in mind that the main objective of the Left Front is the building of socialism in Russia.

3. We believe that the left-wing forces, having taken power, will most likely be of a composite coalition. The Left Front will strive to have the maximum impact on the political and ideological platform of the future coalition, its composition and action. The development of this program is one of the ways to have such an effect.

It is clear that the first stage of the left wing coalition may include a wide range of parties and movements. Even more obviously, after the objectives of the first phase (implementation of the minimum program) have succeeded, the road of the proponents of further movement toward socialism will diverge from those who would consider it sufficient to achieve a specific set of social guarantees while retaining a significant proportion of private ownership of the means of production.

We are confident that the economic competition with the private sector will benefit in the long run, socialist enterprises, cooperatives, people's enterprises of different types [meaning unclear to me -- Communpedia], and fair elections, liberated from the dictatorship of the bourgeois state apparatus and owned by major MEDIA owners, will bring victory to the left forces.

1. Control system: the only source of power is the people
The key task of political reform from the point of view of the left - is the establishment of a system of real democracy. This requires a radical democratization of all spheres of social, political and economic life of the country. Gradually, citizens should be directly involved in the adoption of the majority of management decisions that affect them.

1.1. Elections and referendums

1.1.1. There will be a reliable system of electronic voting (using the terminal in order to vote, and home computers), which drastically reduce the cost and simplify the organization of elections and referendums allow voters to track their voice, as well as facilitate the review system of Deputies who have lost the support of the citizens.

1.1.2. Will gradually shift from a secret to an open ballot vote, that will significantly reduce the possibility of any falsification of the election results.

1.1.3. Participation in the elections will be not a right but the duty of the citizen, for failure to perform which will provide for liability.

1.1.4. Election campaigns will be funded only by the state. The State ensures each party (the candidate), equal access to the media, including TV channels, and provides facilities for meetings with voters. Campaign finance from private sources will be prohibited to eliminate the inequality of opportunities of candidates.

1.1.5. Elections at the federal, regional and municipal levels will be carried out on a mixed system (deputies selected both from territories, and by voting for electoral lists). The right to form electoral lists will be had by registered political parties and public organizations. The right to form electoral blocs (from multiple parties and / or public organizations) will be restored.

1.1.6. Barriers to pass in all elections completely canceled.

1.1.7. The law on referendums will be greatly simplified to make the process of organizing and conducting a referendum available to citizens and civil society organizations. Methods of direct democracy will be widely available. Referenda will be held regularly at the federal, regional and local level. In the future, all the major laws [alt. translation: "basic law"] will be put to a referendum.

1.1.8. Monitoring of elections and referendums will conducted by independent and open election commissions formed of representatives of political parties and public organizations.

1.2. Representative (legislative) power

1.2.1. The people transmits its power through freely elected representative bodies (Councils) at all levels of government.

1.2.2. The highest authority of the country is the Supreme Council, consisting of two chambers - the Council of the Republic and the Council of the Federation. Deputies of the Council of the Republic shall be elected from the lists formed by parties and public organizations. The Federation Council is formed on the basis of delegation from the regional councils. Similar bicameral Councils will be formed at the regional and local level.

1.2.3. The power of the President of Russia is limited to official functions, and in the long term - the presidency is abolished.

1.2.4. In order to promote direct democracy at all levels (federal, regional and local) are formed committees of people's control (КНК), which are endowed with control functions, as well as the right of legislative initiative. КНК are formed by direct delegation of civil society - political parties, public organizations, social movements, trade unions, labor groups, cooperatives, etc. Members of the КНК will have the right of unimpeded access to all public and private entities to implement control functions.

1.2.5. In the state system the principles of federalism will be consistently implemented, the rights of local (municipal) authorities will be significantly expanded, including - in the public sector.

1.3. Executive

1.3.1. All governing bodies of executive power (from local to federal) are formed by the Soviets and are responsible to them. There will introduced an annual evaluation of senior officials in the executive branch on specific statistical indicators. If the figures are unsatisfactory, officials sent into retirement.

1.3.2. The central task of the executive is to implement the results of the referendums and the laws adopted by bodies of representative power.

1.3.3. Will be gradually implemented the principles of "Electronic government", according to which citizens have the right to obtain documents electronically, and officials are obliged to document the passage of cases using the open electronic resources (except for the narrow scope of classified information directly determined by law).

1.4. Judiciary

1.4.1. There will be guaranteed the independence of the judiciary, which is provided by:

- Direct election by the population of trial judges and the appointment of judges of higher courts by the Soviets, as appropriate;

- The financing of the judicial system from top to bottom from the federal budget;

- Increased accountability of judges for making unauthorized sentences;

- The duty of judges to register and publicly disclose all their contacts with persons concerned in the present case and to specifically base the decision on quotes from the applicable provisions of the law;

- Mandatory video recording of all trials with subsequent placement on the Internet.

1.5. Political parties and civil society organizations

1.5.1. The state will strive to facilitate processes of self-organization by grassroots people of industrial, consumer, territorial and other matters. Only the self-organization of the population can really guarantee the development of democracy.

1.5.2. Permission is granted for all political parties and public organizations, with the exception of structures that promote the idea of the superiority of some peoples over others on the national (racial) lines.

1.5.3. To regiset a regional party (public organization), you must have 100 members (participants) to create a federal party (public organization) - 1,000 members (participants).

1.5.4. The State promotes the formation and operation of independent trade unions, public organizations of self employed citizens (political, social, cultural).

1.5.5. All political parties and public organizations are regularly provided free access to the appropriate level of media, including - on TV.

1.6. Relations with the Church.

1.6.1. A citizen may profess any religion or no religion. Any deprivation or restriction of citizens' rights on religious grounds is not allowed.

1.6.2. The church is separated from the state, not only legally, but in fact:

- Stops funding from the budget of all church organizations and religious activities

- Prohibit all religious activities in public institutions, military units, etc.

- Actions of government agencies and other governmental public events may not be accompanied by any religious rites or ceremonies.

1.6.3. The school is completely separated from the church. Teaching of religion in all government and public schools that teach general subjects is not allowed.

2. The economic transformation
2.1. The redistribution of property for the benefit of the people:

2.1.1. Subject to nationalization are natural resources that are now in private ownership, and rents from mining operations  completely and unconditionally. Private ownership of land is liquidated. Plots should be made available to organizations and individuals in ownership and use, including lifelong and inheritable, if and as long as the land user (his family) themselves are handling the site. Raw land (more than the size specified for a summer cottage), shall be withdrawn and transferred to others without compensation. Nationalized banks and other financial institutions, is government control of foreign trade operations.

2.1.2. Continuous checking will be conducted on the sources and legitimacy of accumulated capital. Illegally obtained property nationalized. To this end:

- Statutes of limitations for economic crimes in a large scale are revoked.

- Property liability is restored (including confiscation of property) for crimes, particularly economic ones.

2.1.3. Fully supported will be the development and strengthening of the cooperative movement in all its forms and manifestations, including the creation of national enterprises.

2.1.4. Preserved small and medium-sized businesses do not set obstacles to the development of this sector, subject to national legislation. Remove all restrictions on the use of private property, individual and family work without the use of hired labor.

2.1.5. The nationalization of the basic means of production and the confiscation of illegally obtained property, would concentrate in the hands ofthe government, controlled by the people, the labor, material and financial resources necessary for the recovery of lost social security, accelerated growth of the economy. At minimum, to double (from 15 to 30%, with a consequent increase) the proportion of the state budget in the GDP of the country (in the United States is now 28%, the USSR was 48%).

2.1.6. The state will begin a program of technological modernization, focused on the revival of the technical and economic complex of the USSR and the introduction of the most advanced (also borrowed) technology. This will be provided to overcome the raw material orientation of the economy through the development of environmental- and resource-saving, high-tech industries.

2.2. Management at the national economic, regional and sectoral levels.

2.2.1. Implement a flexible management system, which combines software and target management, the system of public procurement contracts and free market relations.

2.2.2. Restoration in updated form of Central Government management of the economy. They should be organized on the principles of e-democracy and indicative planning, delegated representation of labor collectives through industry councils.

2.2.3. Develop and implement an emergency plan to restore and develop the economy. As part of the emergency plan to provide the following system of priorities:

- Education, science and culture;

- Health care, including the pharmaceutical industry;

- Companies that provide a technological breakthrough;

- Agriculture, including the revival of large state and cooperative farms, businesses for storage and processing of agricultural products, supply and marketing organizations.

2.3. Management at the enterprise level: the development of industrial democracy and self-government.

2.3.1. Convert to the greater part of the people's business in the hands of the state. The means of production (fixed and current assets), while remaining public property, are passed to work collectives in a competent economic management. Teams will have the right to decide independently, within the law, virtually all matters of the company's life: hiring, distribute income, decide what to produce (in excess of the state order), how to produce.

2.3.2. Keep under direct state management enterprises of strategic importance: defense industry, fuel and energy, communications, bulk gas and oil transportation, etc. In order to develop and self-management and improve efficiency in enterprises of this type:

- Establish workers' control, set strict proportionality between wages and the average salary in the Administration Group (for example, no more than 3 to 1). The right of disposal and use of social funds is completely transferred to the labour collectives.

- Heads of state-owned enterprises will continue to be appointed by the state, but labor groups will have the right of confirmation, and the right to demand their resignation by general vote.

- Production plans and assignments are formed mainly on the basis of policy indicators and government orders. For its part, the state guarantees the logistics plan and marketing of finished products at set prices.

2.3.3. In private-sector enterprises to create organs of production workers' control with powers of self-government, as well as provide for free trade union activity.

2.4. Development and implementation of the state program for the rural revival. Our priority - support for domestic agriculture. Integrated and prudent use of land resources, the preservation and restoration of soil fertility, support for organic agriculture, the introduction of environmental standards for land use.

3. The social program. Overcoming excessive income inequality, improving the quality of life of citizens
3.1. Pay and working conditions:

3.1.1. Incrementally implement the shortening of the working day and the working week.

3.1.2. Increase the share of wages in the value of goods. Radical reform of the tariff system and pay systems, ensuring equal pay for work of equal value for all categories of workers in the various sectors and industries. Avoiding the falling of wages of highly paid of workers, engineers and ordinary employees. At the same time the wages of employees of the lower job categories will be increased to the objectively calculated living wage.

3.1.3. Establish a middle-tier wage, indexed ahead of rising food prices, in the sectors of human reproduction (education, medicine, culture, etc.) - not less than the average in industry,

3.1.4. Exempt from income tax individuals whose income does not exceed the cost of living.

3.1.5. The establishment of minimum wages, pensions, and unemployment benefits not lower than the actual minimum subsistence level in the community. The establishment of science-based subsistence minimum necessary and sufficient for a decent living. The introduction of pensions and benefits - not less than 50% of the previous said.

3.1.6. The introduction of student scholarships at the subsistence level and scholarships for vocational training of at least 50% of the average salary in the country.

3.2. Order in current income.

3.2.1. Establish strict control over revenues of natural and legal persons:

- Abolish bank secrecy, including offshore.

- Introduce a single registered account, multiple anonymous bank accounts are canceled.

- Provide "transparency" of revenues of owners and managers of all businesses and organizations regardless of form of ownership. Data on paid employees salary, premiums, bonuses, dividends, etc. should be made available to the entire staff.

3.2.2. Criminal responsibility in the management of enterprises of all forms of ownership:

- For any attempt at tax evasion or concealment of the real value of income subject to taxation;

- For the payment of a "gray" wages and other income to the employees.

3.2.3. Stronger tax system:

- Flat rate of taxation of individuals will be canceled. We introduce a progressive tax on super-high incomes, the maximum size is adjusted to a lavel of 50% higher than the threshold value;

- Significant increases in inheritance tax assets and other means of production beyond the level defined as a super-high incomes;

- Introduce a special tax "on luxury," buying of mansions, yachts, jewelry, etc.

3.2.4. Permanent monitoring of the conformity of the expenditure of income obtained legally, especially among State officials.

3.2.5. Publication of government budgets at all levels (except the secret specifically defined by the law or controlled by special committees of the Soviets). Priority funding for education, health, science and defense with the protection of the relevant articles of the budget.

3.3. Pricing.

3.3.1. Deter prices by requiring state control over the pricing mechan

3.3.1 Deter rising prices by requiring state control of the pricing mechanism and mandatory indexing of wages to outpace the rate of growth of food prices. Maximize the use of international experience on the state control of prices.

3.3.2. Set upper limits of return (profitability) and trade margin of enterprises.

3.3.3. Legislate that payment to utilities can not exceed a certain (depending on the quality and size of property) relation to the cost of living. Determined by a transparent mechanism for the formation of rates.

3.3.4. Overhaul of housing is financed from public funds.

3.4. Housing policy

3.4.1. Restore massive state social construction, to ensure the development of housing construction and youth housing cooperatives. Introduce clear rules of nation-wide provision of affordable housing for young families.

3.4.2. Withdraw the benefit of needy excess vacant dwelling (eg, more than 3 apartments), which is used for investment.

3.5. Health

3.5.1. Withdraw public health from the sphere of Commerce and make it accessible to all.

3.5.2. Provide labor and war veterans who have lost their health as combatants in undeclared wars, free medicines in sufficient quantity.

3.5.3. Tighten the monitoring of medical officials' compliance with the obligatory considration of complaints from affected patients in the mode of "electronic government" and making informed decisions.

3.5.4. Restoring a system of compulsory medical examination of the population and the development of preventive medicine.

3.6. Education.

3.6.1. Eliminate child homelessness. Create the necessary network of children's homes, orphanages, boarding schools, colonies and other children's institutions with normal living conditions and tight control over observance of the civil rights of the child.

3.6.2. To revive compulsory free secondary and special education. Incrementally introduce free higher education. Cancel additional payment for various "services": Classes, workshops, electives, as being inaccessible to many of the students and sowing social discord.

3.6.3. Introduce a syatem of training of students, followed by mandatory work on distribution.

3.6.4. Abandon the exam (ЕГЭ), as the only means of selecting enttrants to higher education institutions.

3.6.5. Cancel division of higher education in the two-tier "bologna" system.

3.7. Ensuring cultural development

3.7.1. Full cooperation from the State in the creative development of the whole population.

3.7.2. Support intellectuals (writers, poets, artists, painters, etc.).

3.7.3. The systematic protection of monuments of history and culture. The ban on the demolition of buildings over 100 years old. Introduction of architectural development zones, which prohibit the demolition of buildings. Those buildings in a dilapidated state to be renovated while preserving the external appearance. The residents of these buildings can move to within no more than half-hour drive from her former place of residence.

3.8. Quality of Life

3.8.1. To approve as a general official indicator of quality of life in the regions of Russia the "Human Development Index" (HDI) determined annually by the United Nations. This is calculated as a complex, based on income per capita, life expectancy and educational attainment (Russia is ranked 73rd in the world).

3.8.2. Include improving the HDI in major targeted programs. Examine the dynamics of (increase or decrease in the HDI), as the primary objective indicator of the Federal and regional governments, for which they are automatically responsible.

3.8.3. From birth to death, each person is ensured the minimum living allowance.

3.8.4. Free services associated with the birth and death of a man.

3.9. Protecting the environment

3.9.1. The priorities of public policy should be both nature conservation, and a decent, healthy and productive existence of every person.

3.9.2. The comprehensive development environment for use by the public of all the possibilities of landscape and climatic systems in places of residence.

3.9.3. Unconditional protection of unique natural complexes.

3.9.4. Restore the State Committee on Ecology and environmental police with the right to prevent environmental harm.

3.9.5. The use of taxes for pollution and over-exploitation of natural resources, as well as to limit the degradation of consumerism

3.9.6. The introduction of producer responsibility for waste disposal.

3.9.7. Creating environmental industry. The development and implementation in all branches of industry, transport, agriculture and utility of tough new environmental standards. Tougher sanctions for environmental offenses.

3.9.8. Development and implementation of programs for energy efficiency, energy saving and renewable energy.

3.9.9. Refusal to extend the service life of old, exhausted nuclear power plants. Construction of new plants using technology to guarantee that nuclear accidents releasing radioactive substances will not occurr again.

3.9.10. The ban on the import of spent nuclear fuel to Russia, RAO and any nuclear material. Termination of import to Russia of hazardous waste from other countries.

3.9.11. Development and implementation of programs for the conservation and restoration of forests (including agroforestry). Withdrawal from economic use of all primary forests. Legislative imposition of a minimum area of forest being preserved in each region.

3.9.12. The development of ecological housing, support for environmentally friendly settlements.

3.9.13. The prohibition of financing facilities that have not undergone environmental review.

4. Foreign policy.
The strategic goal - to achieve a lasting peace in the world

4.1. Russia will pursue a peaceful policy towards all countries, carry out benevolent cooperation based on mutual respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty, mutual non-aggression, non-interference in the internal affairs of each other, equality and mutual benefit, and peaceful co-existence and development of world integration processes in a mutually beneficial basis with neighbors.

4.2. The first requirement is to develop a friendly relationship:

- With the CIS countries and other former republics of the Soviet Union. Gradual revival and development of a single federal state in the former Soviet space - in the interests of working people of all nationalities. Will be supported by the social and political movements active in this field;

- With the countries of socialist orientation. Full support will be given to the left and progressive forces of the world.

4.3. Given that a number of countries are prone to acts of aggression and violation of international law, Russia will take into account geopolitical factors, giving priority to its own national interests.

5. Defense. Main objective: to have armed forces that are necessary and sufficient for the application of a possible aggressor unacceptable damage

5.1. Main objective: to have armed forces that are necessary and sufficient for the application of the possible damage unacceptable to the aggressor.

5.2. The military-industrial complex should provide the army with modern weapons and equipment.

5.3. Army Recruitment will be conducted on a mixed model combining conscription, the contract system of alternative service. There will also be created territorial military units such as the militia.

5.4. The one-year compulsory military service to be used as a school for learning some military specialty. Will ensure the democratization of the service relationship, the legal protection of servicemen and their families.

Left Front, 2013

Source
Original document at http://www.leftfront.ru/about/program