Roberto Unger, Brazil’s former Vice-president of strategic development and professor at the Harvard Law School gives a speech at the Forum of Development Institutes.
Upon careful consideration of the Skolkovo Foundation’s initiatives in Russia I was sincerely impressed. My scholarly point of view focuses on alternative ways of social progress in leading developing countries. Still my Brazilian origins are of great influence on my judgment and I see the challenges of my country being similar to the ones Russia is facing right now and Skolkovo is trying to address.
The Institute’s role in the future of the nation will depend on two issues.
It would seem logical to overlap the natural resources sector, oil and gas production in particular, with the high-technology sector. It would seem this combination potentially might become the driving force of the national economy.
This idea is an illusion.
Natural resources mining and high-technology production have one thing in common – they are unable to create jobs and provide majority of Russians with a wide range of opportunities.
High-technology sector will fail its mission in Russia if it becomes an enclave disconnected from the rest of the country’s economy.
The technology sector should become like a liver that assimilates scientific and technological innovations that has the potential to transform the country’s economy (including gas and oil production and mining, agriculture). Skolkovo can become a channel for implementation of such programs of structural changes.
Science and technology are no enough
A new institutional structure is needed – a foundation for decentralized strategic coordination between the state and small- to medium-sized businesses, the most important agents of the state’s economy.
Russian economy’s revolutionary progress depends on adoptation of state-of-the-art technologies and advanced practices by small- and medium-sized firms.
This approach will provide the labor force with educational and economic capabilities.
The latter alternative is definitely more advantageous.
A sample template for automatic structural transformation of a national economy doesn’t exist.
We are to find the right way as we advance toward the set goal, and this calls for experimentation in various parts of the country. This is the fundamental reason of the regional alternative advantage over the national unified vertically imposed strategy.
I would like to point out 2 different theories of regional politics in the modern world.
One of it is realized in political agendas of such countries as Italy, which is trying to develop its Southern region.
It is a compensatory concept according to which government fosters underdeveloped regions with compensation in attempt to bring them to the average national level.
As a result, regions’ development policies degrade into practices of political clientelism.
Structural change doesn’t come from distribution of compensations.
Another theory of regional politics relies on a vision that finds nation’s rebirth and a chance to rethink its future in the challenge of regional development.
Under this theory each region becomes a fruitful ground for experiments and a place for the government to test alternative models of national future. Brazil realized that this is the way to approach the Amazon region in the Central Western and Northeastern part – the most challenged parts of the country.
This theory of regional politics must prevail.
Regional development alternatives must become the forefront of the national development alternative. The spirit of experimentation should outweigh the dogmatic loyalty to an existing standard.
The role of Skolkovo can be determined by a combination of answers to the two questions announced at the beginning of my speech:
Answers to these two questions will enable Skolkovo to become a partner, a co-author, and a source of inspiration for the manufacturing revolution and social engagement that Russia is in need for.
Professor at the Harvard Law School, a philosopher, lawyer, and politician.
His writings offer a comprehensive view of our humanity, and present a path for humankind and each individual to a greater life.
Professor Unger started his teaching career at Harvard University when he was 23. At 29 he became the youngest tenured professor in the history of the Harvard School of Law.
Roberto Unger’s courses are known for a broad multi-disciplinary range of topics including philosophy, politics, economy, social theory and law. Unger authored 25 books and taught a number of world leaders, including Barack Obama, the president of the United States.
Since 1970 Unger was actively engaged in politics. From 2007 to 2009 he held the post of Brazil’s Minister of Strategic Development under president Luna’s administration. Unger developed legal and political programs in the fields of economic development, education, civil society, and institutional development. He reformed Brazil’s educational system and labor legislation. In the field of education Unger emphasized development of analytical and learning skills instead of focusing on a minimum of practical skills that are in demand on the labor market. In labor relations Unger defended status of temporary workers. Unger’s legislative initiative for the Amazon region development resonated with the public.
Unger’s political beliefs are grounded in the concept of social flexibility: society goes through constant and gradual changes by the way of experiments in separate fields without a certain driver for the changes.
Unger’s philosophy is founded in the belief that social world generally is created by the humankind and its imagination. Therefore, law according to Unger is a projection of an institutional mindset; economy is a field of constant search and innovation, a place for combination of human and material resources.