TEHRAN- The head of the Smart Governance Think Tank, stating that in recent years, the issue of public participation in the economy and utilizing the capacity of small capitals to boost production has become one of the most important axes of the country's economic policy, said that the martyred Leader of the Revolution, on various occasions, while emphasizing the necessity of directing liquidity towards productive activities, always stressed the removal of investment barriers, facilitating the presence of the people in the economic arena, and creating effective mechanisms to utilize popular capacities.

Seyed Taha Hossein Madani, in an interview with IRNA on the occasion of the funeral of Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei, the martyred Leader of the Islamic Revolution, while reviewing his intellectual system in the economic fields, stated: A review of the views of the martyred Leader of the Islamic Revolution shows that from his perspective, production growth, inflation control, and the country's economic progress will not be possible without the real participation of the people and the targeted direction of funds towards productive sectors. Therefore, using modern financing tools and creating safe paths for the entry of small capitals into national and production projects can be an effective step in achieving these goals.

He continued: The martyred Leader of the Revolution always had a special emphasis on economic issues during different periods. His particular and general attention to the economy can be seen in the naming of the recent years; in addition to his general emphasis on the economy, he also had important statements on detailed issues, paying attention to which can be a way forward for the country.

Madani added: The necessity of public participation in the economy is one of the topics that was always prominent in the statements of the martyred Leader. Within this framework, he directly referred to the participation of the people, the necessity of directing liquidity towards production, facilitating and removing obstacles to people's investment, introducing suitable investment places from the perspective of profitability for the people and usefulness for the country's economy, and preventing capital from flowing into non-productive sectors.

* The martyred Leader's reference to controlling and directing liquidity

The head of the Smart Governance Think Tank continued: For example, on July 15, 2018 (24 Tir 1397), he asked the government to form a "knowledgeable, sensitive, hardworking, risk-taking, and brave" working group for the liquidity issue to find solutions for the problem of banks and liquidity with a "clear work plan" through round-the-clock efforts and "immediately start acting."

He added: In September of the same year, while emphasizing the possibility of managing liquidity with jihadi efforts, he declared that "We should not assume that nothing can be done about liquidity; that is not the case. Liquidity can be controlled, it can be managed; of course, it requires a full-time active team; a full-time team... a round-the-clock active team of elements who are jihadi workers, meaning they truly want to work, do not distinguish between night and day, and are innovative, put them on this matter and tell them to manage the liquidity."

The head of the Smart Governance Think Tank said: On July 15, 2018, regarding the importance of liquidity management, he stated that "We must not let this liquidity flow towards currency, gold, housing, and goods, because naturally, wherever this liquidity turns and rushes towards, it destroys that area..." In September 2020, he also referred to this issue and declared that "Excessive liquidity, the liquidity that exists today, is a great danger. Economists know better than us that wherever it turns, it is destructive; sometimes it turns towards coins, sometimes towards currency - as happens and you see - sometimes it goes towards housing and becomes something else. You must not allow this; it must be managed; that is, liquidity should not be left uncontrolled. One cannot say that it has increased and nothing can be done about it; no, it can be controlled, it can be restrained, and it must be restrained." "We must direct the existing liquidity towards production."

* The martyred Leader's emphasis on public investment

The head of the Smart Governance Think Tank stated: Another issue that is evident in the thoughts and statements of the martyred Leader regarding the economy and public participation with small capitals in economic affairs is the issue of facilitating and removing obstacles to people's investment. For example, in his Nowruz message for the year 1404 (2025), he said that "One of the important issues in the country's economy is productive investments. Production leaps when investment is made. Of course, investment should mainly be done by the people - and the government should plan its various methods - but where people have neither motivation nor the ability to invest, the government can also enter this field; not as a competitor to the people, but as a replacement for the people; where the people do not come, the government should enter and invest... Both the government and the people must seriously pursue investment for production with determination and great motivation. The government's job is to provide the grounds and remove the obstacles to production; the people's job is to be able to use their small and large capitals in the path of production."

* Without public participation, the engine of the economy does not move

Madani further added: In May 2020, in a video connection with the country's production complexes, he stated that "Without public participation, no government will be able to organize the country's economy and start the engine of the economy. Therefore, one of our important issues must be to bring the people's talents, initiatives, and various capacities into the field of the country's economy."

He added: At the beginning of 1402 (2023), he considered one of the country's major problems to be not thinking about ways of public participation and said: "I advise the esteemed officials, economic experts, and those interested in the fate of the country to sit down and find ways for the general public to participate in economic issues. Wherever the people have entered, we have progressed. In the Sacred Defense, the people entered, and we won; in the country's political issues, wherever the people entered, we won; in economic issues, it is the same; if the people enter, all individuals enter, we will win, we will succeed; however, how should the people enter? The map for the people's entry into the economic field must be shown to the people. Of course, in past years, I have relied on and recommended the creation of small companies and helping small companies; there were also unsuccessful experiences in this regard; some things were done that were not complete and measured; such things must be done."

* How and where should the people participate?

The head of the Smart Governance Think Tank said: On April 4, 1402 (2023), in a meeting with the country's officials, the martyred Leader once again emphasized providing the ground for public participation in economic affairs and stated: "What will certainly bring about production growth is the presence of the people in production; in various sectors, from small and minor productions to large productions by the people [to be done]. This very production growth affects curbing inflation; that is, it affects that as well. Well, it cannot be done with words and slogans; just saying 'People! Come and participate' is meaningless and has no result. How should they participate? Where should they participate? The ground for participation must be provided."

Madani stated: In these statements of the martyred Leader, while there are important points about public participation in economic affairs, the necessity of teaching the methods of this participation and providing the conditions has also been emphasized.

He added: In this regard, in May 2024, in a meeting with workers, he said that "The issue of public participation in production is important, which we called 'Production Leap with Public Participation'. How is 'public participation' achieved? That is the question. Suppose a person is willing to participate in the production leap; how should he participate? Who should teach him? This is my point. One of the important duties of officials is to sit down and explain the grounds for the presence and participation of the people in production, in productive work, and prepare the grounds. For example, one is cooperatives - creating cooperative production companies - another is helping home-based businesses; another is helping handicrafts; another is helping the creation of knowledge-based companies."

He continued: In the same meeting, he advised the government to use the views of people outside the government and said: "The government can use economic experts who are thankfully in the government and also outside the government; these can provide many other ways that [lead to] public participation; participation in the field of industrial issues, home-based issues, handicrafts, agriculture, livestock; in all these, the people can participate; the way must be shown to the people, the ground for public participation must be provided, and the issue of public participation must be facilitated."

The head of the Smart Governance Think Tank clarified: The issue of introducing a suitable place for investment from the perspective of profitability for the people and usefulness for the country's economy was also raised in the thoughts of the martyred Leader in earlier years. In August 2011, he stated that "We must take seriously the introduction of the country's investment opportunities to the private sector. That is, private sector activists must know where and what the investment opportunities are; everyone should be informed, and no exclusive use should be made. The confinement of information, restricting information to some individuals and excluding others, leads to strange rent-seeking... Information must be publicized. Information must be made transparent."

* People build power plants

He said: The martyred Leader also mentioned examples of productive investment to guide the people in his statements in September 2018. In this regard, he had declared that "We have, say, four hundred thousand billion tomans, or according to some, six hundred thousand billion tomans worth of unfinished projects; well, create attractions for the private sector so that this liquidity is directed this way; these things can be done; give concessions, create attractions. We have had instances in selling our oil where we have made some concessions in price to advance the work, for example, giving a discount to someone; well, let's do this internally; we can make the private sector do it, important things can be done. That day, I think it was in this government meeting that I said, suppose right now these 30-megawatt power plants that they said Russia builds - I thought we didn't have less than 100 megawatts; it turned out we have 50-megawatt and 30-megawatt ones as well - well, their price shouldn't be too high, and they are revenue-generating; encourage and entice the private sector to go and get ten or twenty of these, bring them and install them in various places; it provides energy, it absorbs liquidity, it is a water desalinator, and has many such benefits."

* Crowdfunding, one of the best ways to attract public economic participation

The head of the Smart Governance Think Tank said: So far, this review of a small part of the economic thoughts of the martyred Leader indicates his emphasis on engaging the people in economic affairs, directing liquidity and people's small capitals towards production, development, and employment, and using experts outside the government to explain the methods of public participation in economic affairs.