Nikolay Bunge

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Nikolai Khristianovich Bunge (Russian: Николай Христианович Бунге) (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 of Russia. He was a distinguished economist, statesman, and academician of the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences.

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 (1893) 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 regulating child labour.

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