Council on Foreign and Defense Policy: principles and forms of activity

Russia's huge social system includes various organizations. Among them, the Council on Foreign and Defense Policy occupies a special place. This structure is sometimes mentioned in the media. But more often its activities are unknown to a wide range of viewers and readers. However, it is not important to deny it. What does the Council on Foreign and Defense Policy of the Russian Federation do? Let's figure it out together.

History

The Council on Foreign and Defense Policy was established in 1992. This is a public organization. A number of politicians, entrepreneurs, public figures gathered and decided that the country needed their experience. It should be recalled that this was a time of complete restructuring of the state. The USSR has just disintegrated. In Russia they decided to build democracy. And how to do it? On what principles to organize a new society? This few people then understood. In the work they decided to join together, using previously accumulated experience, connecting existing connections. The latter circumstance at that time was the most important. People gathered not simple: politicians, scientists, big businessmen. Everyone had partners and friends abroad. Contacts with them revealed to the members of the council what they did not talk about in the USSR in the public field. It was not secret knowledge, rather, the usual practice of democratic construction, new for the country. It is important that the Council on Foreign and Defense Policy was initially aimed at finding a place for Russia in the modern world. And this was a very serious task, by the way, not completely solved nowadays.

State Security Strategy (short)

To understand what the Council for Foreign and Defense Policy of Russia is doing, it is necessary to understand how and from whom the country defends itself. Every serious state has its own security strategy. The document lists threats and ways to neutralize them. These include:

• External;
• Internal;
• Transboundary.

We will not delve into the decoding of threats. There are many of them. For example, the buildup of military groupings at the borders, political instability in the neighbors, economic risks, the existence of illegal units, and others. Each of the existing threats must be neutralized "on the distant approaches", so that it does not undermine the foundations of the state. And this is a serious task, which helps to solve the Council on Foreign and Defense Policy. This organization is engaged in analyzing the situation in the world, identifying threats and analyzing them.

The objectives of SWAP

The Council on Foreign and Defense Policy has set itself certain goals. This is a non-governmental organization. Consequently, it has no direct influence on the policy of the state. The organizers saw their tasks as helping to develop a concept for the development of the Russian Federation. Namely, the goals were formulated as follows:

• The formulation of strategic tasks, including in foreign and defense policy;
• Development of civil society;
• Formation of statehood.

Thus, the organization takes part in the interpretation of the processes in the country, the formulation of the meanings of existence. SWAP attracts a large number of specialists to its detail. Modern threats require a comprehensive scientific approach. There are a lot of forces in the world that are trying to undermine state foundations. They need to identify and understand how to resist them.

Council on Foreign and Defense Policy: composition

Over the years, the SWAP has brought together a number of highly qualified specialists. It is headed by the international journalist F.A. Lukyanov. The Council consists of State Duma deputies, politicians, businessmen, scientists, public figures. Everyone brings their own experience, knowledge in a certain field. To demonstrate the level of activity, we point out, among the members of the presidium are A. Pushkov, V. Nikonov - deputies of the State Duma. V. Tretyakov, I. Jurgens - professors. A. Bugorov, V. Velichko - representatives of business. Council - a public organization. It unites a huge number of people who are not indifferent to the fate of the Motherland. Its Presidium consists of eighteen people, and the total number is constantly replenished by experts. The organization is not static. It poses new, more complex tasks, which leads to the growth of its members. It is necessary to involve in work more and more experts specializing in this or that area.

Forms of work

The analysis of problems goes on constantly. SWAP holds informal meetings at which special issues are discussed. The work of the council attracts wide sections of the public. Regularly organized conferences and seminars with the participation of representatives of science, narrow specialists. As a rule, representatives of public associations and political parties are invited to the events. One of the priority areas of SWAP was information and awareness-raising. The organization was created to help the formation of civil society. And this requires constant work with the population. In the political struggle SWAP does not take an active part. He actively interacts with government agencies and institutions. In addition, the Council for Foreign and Defense Policy is an organization that makes recommendations to the country's leadership. She conducts research, is engaged in lobbying.

Financing

Quite a delicate issue today is the problem of money. It is clear that the activity of such a structure can not be free. It is necessary to maintain a manual and apparatus, to order research, to pay for the work of the specialists involved. As it is written in the documents of SWAP, it is financed by sponsorship, donations, grants.

Work organization

It should be noted that the activity of SWAP is multifaceted and complex. Specialists develop certain areas, conduct research, sum up the results. In order to develop recommendations, the Assembly of the Council on Foreign and Defense Policy meets regularly. This event, in which the groups share the results of their labors. The SWAP apparatus prepares it. An approximate plan can be presented in this way:

• Problem definition;
• Selection of specialists;
• setting goals;
• Analysis and decision making;
• General meeting (assembly);
• Development of recommendations.

That is, the issue of any complexity is divided into parts. With each working a certain group of specialists. Some study theoretical aspects, others look at practical solutions, others study public opinion and so on. Then the results of the work are divided among themselves. As a result, they prepare recommendations. This is an approximate scheme of activity. In practice, everything goes much more complicated. It should be borne in mind that SWAP examines only global problems that have many aspects of a different level of complexity. They should be examined from all sides to avoid mistakes.

Why such an organization

Let's philosophize. You agree that the society of the Russian Federation is difficult. People are divided into groups of wealth, interests, political preferences and so on. The task of the state is to create from them a single civil society. This does not mean bringing all people to a common denominator. Rather, it is about finding solutions where citizens feel protected and free. This is why expert advice like the one we are considering is needed. They help the state to constantly work with the public, to study people's opinions, to form certain positions among citizens. It is impossible to divide the inhabitants of the country into their own and others'. Everyone should feel necessary, important, understood, protected. And this requires a huge amount of work, part of which was undertaken by SWAP.

Conclusion

An absolutely natural economic crisis leads to the fact that society is looking for a guilty one. Today, such an honor was given to the "liberals". And there are a lot of them in SWAP. There is a risk of hearing criticism against this organization, related to the liberal nature of its positions and principles. However, this, if you think about it, is irrational. A non-governmental organization does not engage in politics. It develops and provides the authorities with an expert assessment of the problem. And this is useful for the state and society. Do you agree?