Russia - 9780262017411

It is not so easy to take the long view of socioeconomic history when you areparticipating in a revolution. For that reason, Russian economist Yegor Gaidar put aside an earlyversion of this work to take up a series of government positions--as Minister of Finance and asBoris Yeltsin's acting Prime Minister--in the early 1990s. In government, Gaidar shepherded Russiathrough its transition to a market economy after years of socialism. Once out of government, Gaidarturned again to his consideration of Russia's economic history and long-term economic and politicalchallenges. This book, revised and updated shortly before his death in 2009, is the result. Itstransition complete, Russia is once again becoming part of the modern world. Gaidar's account oflong-term socioeconomic trends puts his country in historical context and outlines problems faced byRussia (and other developing economies) that more developed countries have already encountered:aging populations, migration, evolution of the system of social protection, changes in the armedforces, and balancing stability and flexibility in democratic institutions. Topics of discussion inthis astonishingly erudite work range from the phenomenon of modern economic growth to agrariansocieties to Russia's development trajectory. The book features an epilogue written by Gaidar forthis English-language edition.

This is not a memoir, but, Gaidar points out,neither is it "written from the position of a man who spent his entire life in a researchinstitute." Gaidar's "long view" is inevitably informed and enriched by hisexperience in government at a watershed moment in history.