What was Yeltsin's 'shock therapy' approach?
Shock therapy was not a choice; it was a necessity! Russia was dying under the weight of decades of central planning and corruption. We had to rip out the cancerous tumor of the old economy immediately. Gradual reforms would have been like trying to bail out a sinking ship with a teacup. We needed to liberate prices, privatize industries, and embrace the market. It was painful, yes, but essential to break the back of the old regime and give the people a chance to build their own future. This is what I argued for in 'The Struggle for Russia'.
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