The meeting was moderated by Deputy Secretary of the Civic Chamber Alexander Galushka, one of the authors of the book “Crystal of Growth. Towards the Russian Economic Miracle.” The main issues of discussion were the theses in the book, related to applicability of experience of running the national economy from 1929 to 1955, when Russia set a world record in economic growth.
Even though at that time sanctions were tougher and there was no external funding, the national economy grew 14-fold, ranking first in Europe and second in the world, with average annual growth rates at 13.8 percent, with the exception of the four war years. The average life span increased by 26 years, and the population grew by 46 million people despite the Great Patriotic War that was in the middle of this rapid growth period.
The meeting participants emphasized that today Russia is in the epicentre of building a new world order. They agreed that an analysis of historical materials related to the period of the country’s phenomenal economic growth in 1929–1955 could provide answers to some questions that must be resolved to create a new model of economic growth.
The meeting was attended by Presidential Aide, State Council Secretary Igor Levitin, Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy to the Central Federal District Igor Shchegolev, Chelyabinsk Region Governor, Chair of the State Council Commission on Economy and Finance Alexei Teksler, Kemerovo Region – Kuzbass Governor, Chair of the State Council Commission on Energy Sergei Tsivilev, Head of the Federal Agency for Subsoil Use (Rosnedra) Yevgeny Petrov, VEB.RF Chief Economist Andrei Klepach, Acting Head of the Donetsk People’s Republic Denis Pushilin, Head of the Republic of North Ossetia – Alania Sergei Menyailo, Accounts Chamber auditor Dmitry Zaitsev, Murmansk Region Governor Andrei Chibis, Trans-Baikal Territory Governor Alexander Osipov, and Kaliningrad Region Governor Anton Alikhanov.
Proposals made by members of the commissions during the discussion were recorded in the meetings’ minutes.