Gaidar’s Revolution: The Inside Account of the Economic Transformation of Russia - Tapa dura

Aven and Kokh provide a fascinating history of the second Russian revolution of 1989-92, as told by participants to participants, and focusing on the central role of Yegor Gaidar. Even the most imaginative novelist could not match the drama and clash of personalities as vividly as these interviews.

William Nordhaus, Sterling Professor of Economics, Yale University

In 1990-93 Russia was transformed from a centrally planned to a market economy (with Russian characteristics) -- a period of economic and political turbulence for all involved. This fascinating book records, through interviews two decades later, the recollections, reflections, and re-evaluations of key leaders in that dramatic transformation. A remarkable collection.

Richard N. Cooper, Professor of Economics, Harvard University.

This fascinating book records the recollections and ideas of the key participants in Russia's attempts at market reforms, with a special focus on the central role of the brilliant and cunning Yegor Gaidar. For anyone who lived through these reforms without the benefit of hindsight, or who has studied what went right and what did not, the key players and events jump off the page with action and insight. No one ever knows all of history. This oral history allows us to know far more than we have to date. --David Lipton, First Deputy Managing Director, International Monetary Fund (IMF)

After the collapse of the Soviet Union a team of young economic reformers led by Yegor Gaidar worked to create a new economic future for Russia. Against an overwhelming threat of looming hunger and civil war, they created a market economy which is still in place today. In the face of crisis, a process of 'shock therapy'- involving the end of price regulation, the introduction of privatisation and a reduction in public spending - appeared necessary. Their plans have been the subject of controversy ever since - the path to the new economy was not smooth and Russia continued to struggle with economic crises throughout the 1990s. Yet Gaidar's plans have been widely praised for saving the country from complete collapse. For the first time in this book, the participants in the process reveal their experiences during those frantic days, their insights into Yegor Gaidar and of the formation of post-Soviet Russia. In doing so, this book provides a unique perspective on contemporary Russia, making it an indispensable resource for understanding its economic and political complexities.