Small business can be a powerful force for change, but its potential to transform societies can be significantly undermined by political actions. This is the message the Russian business community is sending to the rest of the world.
The country’s recent actions in the Caucasus region generated a lot of criticism from nations near and far. While the world powers are mulling over a proper response, tensions are running high with discussions on sanctions and Russia announcing the withdrawal from some WTO agreements (for now at least).
The idea of the iron curtain going back down is on the minds of many. Not the old one, that used to separate communists from capitalists, but a new one defined by the struggle to identify real democratic values.
Recognizing the dangers of isolation for regular citizens, OPORA – a Russian business NGO representing 110 civil society organizations and fighting for small business interests across the country – put out an open call to its partner organizations abroad. OPORA is calling for unity in support of the private sector and cautions against ruining business relationships between Russia and the rest of the world that took a long time to form. As OPORA notes:
Business is by nature a universal mechanism. It knows how flexibly and in proper time to react to the most different processes, whether they concern owner’s sphere directly or not. It is not possible to stop the development of business initiative by any laws, prohibitions, keen competition, barriers and sanctions. New businesses will appear even not because of, but in spite of. And the only obstacle, which can brake, and possibly, freeze for long years the development of entrepreneurship – are non-business control mechanisms.
Full text of the letter (Russian and English) is here.
Published Date: September 04, 2008