Russia’s Market Reform Architect Dies

[alp227]

Source: Reuters

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Yegor Gaidar, the architect of the market reforms that helped cement Russia's transition from Communism, died on Wednesday. He was 53.

Gaidar, an economist who became late President Boris Yeltsin's reform commissar, provoked awe and antipathy for freeing prices in 1992 before the dust had settled on the ruins of the Soviet Union.

Gaidar's reforms -- dubbed "shock therapy" -- devalued the savings of millions of Russians and gave a handful of "oligarchs" their chance to grab the assets of a former superpower on the cheap.

The reforms, though painful for millions, helped Russia's post-Soviet transition and supporters say the reforms lay the foundation for the 10-year economic boom from 1999-2008.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2009/12/16/world/news-us-russia-gaidar-death.html

[JVS]

1. Yes he deserved to die, and I hope he burns in HELL!

[New Dawn]

2. Good riddance.

[naaman fletcher]

3. I don't think he's as much to blame for the bad stuff as others..

Gaidar introduced market reforms to a totally failed state planning system. The problem was that the "Red Directors" who had the power in the Soviet Union were trying to undo basic reforms. Reforms such as it not being illegal for you to sew a patch on a shirt for someone and charge them for it. Yes, private enterprise was totally illegal until then. The Red Directors were an evil bunch who created various thought crimes in order to get free labor for the Uranium and Nickel mines.

They would put books in libraries that one was not supposed to read, and then later arrest the people who read them.

It was a terrible, evil system. There was nothing "liberal" about it, except to the extent that some here think and enemy of the U.S. must be OK.

Anyway, faced with a counter-reform by the Red Directors, Yeltsin sold out. He let the Oligarchs buy up assets such as mines, oil rights, factories, etc. at sweetheart prices. In return the Oligarchs financed his staying in office.

The Oligarchs are an evil bunch, and I am not justifying this in an "ends justify the means" way, but it is important to bear in mind that the Red Directors were no less evil than the Oligarchs, and had run the economy into the ground.

[AlphaCentauri]

4. was he a Chicago or Harvard boy? n/t

[Zynx]

5. No doubt he was from one of those two. For supposedly having such eminent

faculties they sure produce a lot of idiots.

[TheLastMohican]

6. Good riddance

His actions were nothing but a cleverly engineered genocide - Russia lost so many people, comparable with WWII figures. I am sure the devils in hell are happy today and are preparing the biggest frying pan just for him.
Too bad he didn't stand the trial when still alive but his soul will never be resting in peace.
But watch out, he used every advice of the "Chicago boys" school of economics, who might try the same scenario for USA, when 99% of saving go bust and everybody for himself.