Nikolai Bunge

Ivan Tyurin. Portrait of N.H.Bunge, 1887

Nikolai Khristianovich Bunge (Russian: Никола́й Христиа́нович Бу́нге) (November 23 [O.S. November 11] 1823, Kiev–June 15 [O.S. June 3] 1895, Tsarskoye Selo) was the preeminent architect of Russian capitalism under Alexander III. He was a distinguished economist, statesman, and academician of the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences.

Bunge was born to a German ethnic family in Kiev and was second generation of Kievan. His grandfather moved from the East Prussia to Kiev sometime in the 18th century. Bunge was a professor of the Kiev University, of which he served as a dean between 1859 and 1880, when he was summoned to St. Petersburg to become a deputy minister and then (since 1881) Minister of Finance. Five years later, he became Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers, the highest position in the civil administration of the Russian Empire.

Bunge undertook a number of reforms with the aim of modernizing the Russian economy. He consolidated the banking system of the Empire and founded the Peasants' Land Bank (1883) which helped peasants to purchase land. He introduced important tax law changes which seriously reduced the tax burden of the peasantry. The head tax was abolished and the inheritance tax was introduced.

Bunge's policies towards the Russian industries were extremely protectionist. He promoted the construction of railways and spearheaded the first Russian labour laws, some of them aimed at reducing child labour.

However in 1887 under pressure of conservative deputies, accusing him of incompetence and incapability to overcome the budgeted deficit, N.K. Bunge resigned.

Political offices
Preceded by Aleksandr Abaza	Finance Minister 1881—1886	Succeeded by Ivan Vyshnegradsky
Preceded by Mikhail Reutern	Chairman of the Committee of Ministers 1887 — 1895	Succeeded by Ivan Durnovo
Educational offices
Preceded by Ernst Rudolf von Trautvetter	Rector of St.Vladimir Kiev Universiy 1859–1862	Succeeded by Mykola Ivanyshev
Preceded by Aleksandr Matveyev	Rector of St.Vladimir Kiev Universiy 1871–1875 1878–1880	Succeeded by Aleksandr Matveyev
		Succeeded by Konstantin Feofilaktov