To Russian Prime Minister Mishustin for confirming my (and many others) long time believe that in modern society...well, let Mishustin speak for himself when visiting today Kostroma State University and talking to the students there:
Translation: I know a large number of absolutely wonderful financiers, economists who used to be not very good engineers, but I don't know a single, even not a very good one, engineer who used to be good financier or economist.
In other words, he advised students to get a STEM education, because, well, let's face it, in the 21st Century issues of real leadership and competent management start on the engineering level. How funny, let me quote myself from my second book:
No understanding of warfare is possible without understanding its most important tools, weapons and people, tactics and operational art. It is precisely the field in which American political class has zero competencies—they simply do not teach nor grant degrees in what amounts to military science in the United States. Obviously, rubbing shoulders with American military top brass and listening to rumors may create among some pundits and political figures an illusion that they know how the military operates or how wars are fought—but it is only an illusion. Truth to be told, regurgitation of the few, beaten to death, political talking points in the media sphere doesn’t require any serious background in anything of substance. On the other hand—writing a graduate thesis on Anti-Submarine Warfare operations in Arctic or on Fractionate Exchange Rates during air operations in the EW-dense environment—are the skills of a completely different level and backgrounds of which modern American pundits and an army of armchair “military analysts” cannot conceive. But precisely these skills and knowledge are the key to not only understanding of a modern warfare but to grasping geopolitical reality which is increasingly complex and rests on the foundation of the ever-evolving and revolutionary military technologies.
The Real Revolution in Military Affairs. A. Martyanov. Clarity Press, Atlanta, GA. 2019. pp 1-2.
How timely is this Mishustin's admission. But the explanation to this statement is extremely simple: Russia's National Projects do not need yet another generation of marketing specialists, economists, bankers and MBAs, they need engineers, engineers, engineers....did I forget to mention engineers? They need CNC operators and programmers, they need construction and industrial engineering specialists, they need geologists, natural resources surveyors and the list is huge. Recall, yet again, what picture did Putin present to then PM Medvedev four years ago.
It always was, is and will remain so that it is technological-scientific-industrial abilities of nation which define this nation's position in the world. Everything else follows. And that is, sad for some, truth. I will just remind you WHO most of Russia's liberal "reformers" were: with a notable exception of universally hated Anatoly Chubais, who is an electrical engineer by education, most of them came out of economic-law and other humanities fields. They "reformed" Russia in 1990s in such a way that they unleashed a demographic catastrophe and a hidden famine. Their defining feature, apart from greed and rabid anti-"communism" (in reality it is a variant of Russophobia), was their utter incompetence in any matter concerning real economic development of the country. I am not going to lie--it is gratifying reading second in line of command in Russia stating this. Incidentally, Mishustin, an industrial system integration specialist by education, knows what he is talking about.
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