How we created the New philosophy project

In 1996, being 22 years old, me, Rysenkov Artem Vladimirovich - the New philosophy founder and theorist - graduated from the Moscow Aviation Institute (MAI). Being very much interested in the future of the country in democracy, I have joined the DVR party ("the Democratic Choice of Russia"). In 2000-2002, I worked in the Union of Right Forces (the Union of Right Forces is a successor of the DVR party) in its Moscow regional organization, genuinely believing that democrats were capable to lead the country to the better future.

In 2002, when working in the party, I understood that the democrats saw no real prospect replacing real work with demagogy and serving their selfish interests instead of the interests of people. In 2003, democrats have lost, though stylishly enough, the State Duma vote. However, long before that I had left for an absolutely different area, not in any way related to politics. The country has reached high living standards, and there remained no real political forces, except for ‘Medved’.

Somehow, me and my former party colleagues and active supporters (most of them stopped co-operating with the Union of Right Forces by that moment) frequently met each other and communicated. All of us were socially active people.

In 2007, when we met another time, we have shared a feeling that the country and society, and the whole World, were moving a wrong direction. Something should have to be done. It was proposed – to return to the politics. Propositions were made to go to assist political leaders. There were considered every variants, right down to communists.

That was the moment when I proposed to act in a different way: to stop searching a leader to stick to, and to understand, what we wanted, and after that only to find a leader, who would proclaim our ideas and thoughts.

We have outlined some theses, which, from our point of view, the political leader should support and, accordingly, to make public, and then we have tried them on practically all major political leaders. To our great surprise NO ONE of the major political leaders has made public NOTHING that would be absolutely normal for any average person and would seriously change a political situation in the country for the best. It was found out that nobody from them had offered real things for real improvement of life of the people and the country. Politicians have limited their proposals to ‘minor repairs’ in insignificant fields of life of the country. We have understood that there were no difference even between the opposite parties, for example, between the communists and the democrats!

It was rather curious, why it all went that way, and we have decided, first, to analyze the existing situation, and, second, to find again the objective we should move to, to live in a decent civil society.

We have parted to think it over. Each one has committed to writing what he thought, and after a couple of months we have met again. After a short discussion it became absolutely clear for everyone: all political parties play in the same political field, which is called ‘the one with more money and power is right’. The objective of a party leader - to reach a piece of pie styled as ‘power’ and to tear off at least a slice, or better would be to stick to it and stay there the longer the better. Even those leaders of parties, who take no helm of state today, such as Yavlinsky or Nemtsov – have a minor piece of pie. It would be no point for them to change seriously the power structure, to carry out real reform of the state political system.

If they call the people to an absolutely different side, first, it is not the fact that the state machinery would not mop up the floor with them, and, second, who says that the indicated way would be interesting for the people and the people would be ready to support the proposed reforms? Therefore the most correct would be to behave oneself standardly in a known political game field: never snap at the power and to support the status quo of things.

Then we have decided to go our own way separate from political leaders, and to create a project, which would collect the wisest thoughts of the wisest men - professionals in their field, HOW to build a decent civil society.

Thus we have created the New philosophy public project.