Kazakhstan's Strategy - from social protection to social progress: Nazarbayev's article in «Kharif» paper
ASTANA. July 2. KAZINFORM - Strategy of Kazakhstan is being developed from social protection in the direction of social progress. "Kharif" Iranian newspaper (number 362 dated July 1, 2013) published an article by Nursultan Nazarbayev, President of Kazakhstan, titled "Social modernization of Kazakhstan: Twenty Steps to Society of Universal Labor".
"In Kazakhstan the government is initiator and main driving force of social modernization process. Nowadays it is important to cultivate in society, beginning from the earliest stages of educational process at schools, the provision that the state is not the endless donor, but a partner creating conditions for growth of citizens' welfare. Government's strategy is based on the direction from social protection to social progress. That means that dependency is unacceptable. Only in this case the Kazakh society will be able to overcome paternalism inertia", states the President in the paper.
N.Nazarbayev also notes that a significant barrier to social modernization is such a widespread phenomenon as social infantilism, based on a perverse motivation to work, "tied" to the initial transition period of "wild capitalism" in 90s.
Head of Kazakhstan outlines in the article his vision of purpose and meaning of social modernization which is to prepare society for life in the new industrial innovation economy, to find optimal balance between forced economic development of Kazakhstan and wide provision of public goods, to establish social relationships based on the principles of law and justice.