Yegor Gaidar is dead … this was a schocking news. I was just planning to participate in his foundation conference in January and now such news. The health of Gaidar was after 2006 attempt to poison him of-cource not good, but his death was not expected. Gaidar was a man, who had enough courage to take in the first years of freedom decisive decisions to move Russia to the road of market economy. He knew that these steps are unpopular, but he was ready to pay the price. He was not politician, he was statesmen. To be the first is always difficult – all of us can do mistakes in this situation. But even from mistakes the next reformers could learn, when You are having no strength to pass decisions, it is even nothing to learn. Gaidar’s reforms had been clearly more succesful, when he had been not changed from his Prime Minister position on the decisive moment of reforms. This was not so much Russia’s decision, but advice from Western “friends” as from Strobe Talbott, declaring that “Russia needs more therapy and less schock”. Such of advice did not let Russia to pass J-curve of reforms and start develop normally. Unfortunately afterwards only Gaidar was blamed and nailed for the problems. Yegor Gaidar was a good friend and a brave man – he deserves all credit for this.
Thank you for telling us about him, Mister Laar.
It is good to remember the crimes of the past.
It is much more important to celebrate the heroes. We can only build on the good. The only way to get more good in the world is to celebrate and praise those who do good.