Boris Akunin: "Russia is a rich country of poor people"

“Most of all in the focus of my interest is the methods of management and the relationship between the authorities and society. That is, in fact, what is most important.

It's all about the structure. The structure of our state is such that after each shake-up, whether it be some very bold reforms or even a revolution, since the foundation of the state remains the same, the new government, even if it is a revolutionary power, facing the threat of the collapse of the state, immediately begins to restore the outline of what was.

And often also with an overlap and an inflection.

It's scary to let go of control in such a huge and diverse country, which when you let go of these levers of control without changing the structure of the state, the state immediately begins to fall apart.

...I am confident that one of the main goals of the new Russia will be to fight poverty, because Russia is a rich country of poor people.

Unjustly acquired funds should go to funds that will deal with this, so that we do not have so many unfortunate poor people. They just shouldn't be.

It will be necessary in the new Russia to introduce real effective instruments, for example, people's control, so that the local authorities know that they depend on society.

This is actually very simple to do.

To do this, it is necessary that once a year, in each district, a rating vote is held for all officials occupying key positions, from the chief of police to the chief of the tax inspection and so on.

And if you didn't get the minimum rating from the residents, go to hell.

I'm talking about officials and an annual referendum among residents of each district, so that a person knows that he depends on the people who live here, and not on the authorities. This is a very simple, elementary thing.

...An important public tool as a social elevator is the army.

The Russian army is a disgrace.

The army should not be a place where they are afraid to give up their children, but should be the place where the competition is. Because there you receive education, privileges, and there you are treated like your children, and not like slaves.

Of course, the pension reform is ugly too. Of course, the retirement age should be raised, but this should be done differently".

The entire interview with Boris Akunin can be viewed here.