Yaropolk Gusev
Yaropolk Nikolayevich Gusev | |
|---|---|
| Ярополк Николаевич Гусев | |
 | |
| 1st Prime Minister of the Slavic Union | |
| In office November 6, 1912 – July 28, 1915 | |
| Preceded by | Position Established |
| Succeeded by | Position Abolished |
| Monarch | Peter II |
| Finance Minister of the Slavic Union | |
| In office August 30, 1894 – February 11, 1902 | |
| Monarch | Aleksei II |
| Preceded by | Yulian Sergeev |
| Succeeded by | Slavik Egorov |
| Personal details | |
| Born | June 22, 1854 Khizny, Slavic Union |
| Died | March 23, 1916 (aged 61) Adrikagorod, Slavic Union |
| Cause of death | Pneumonia |
Count Yaropolk Nikolayevich Gusev (Slavic: Ярополк Николаевич Гусев; June 22, 1854 - March 23, 1919) was a Slavic statesman who served as the first prime minister of the Slavic Union, replacing the Imperator as the head of government. Prior to the Slavic Revolution he was one of the most important men in the Slavic Union, and from 1912 to 1915 in addition to serving as head of government he de facto acted as head of state as well due to the tendency of Regent Grand Duke Boris to delegate tasks to Gusev.
Gusev came to prominence with his appointment as Finance Minister in 1894, Gusev's adoption of the gold standard and state capitalism, and other economic policies helped industrialize the Slavic Union, however many of his policies widened the income gap and would go on to cause the overthrow of the monarchy in 1915.
Prior to his appointment as prime minister Gusev was well respected by both monarchists and republicans, but when he became prime minister he enacted multiple unpopular policies and would end up being convicted of "crimes against the Slavic people" and dying of pneumonia in prison.
Early life
Gusev's mother, Lucinda Orozco, was from a Catholic Noriyan Parabocan family. She converted to Slavic Orthodox upon her marriage with Nicholas Yulivich Gusev. Gusev was raised on the estate of his fathers parents. Gusev had two brothers (Alexander and Boris) and two sisters (Olga and Sophia). Gusev's family was prominent in the Slavic aristocracy, his forebears having served the Imperators since the 16th century, and as a reward for their service had accumulated huge estates in several provinces. His father was a general in the Slavic artillery. He graduated from Adrikagorod University at the top of his class in 1876.
After graduating Gusev decided to pursue a career in the railroads. Gusev undertook six months of training in a variety of positions on the Ledyanaya Railways to gain a practical understanding of railways operations. At the end of that period, he was appointed as chief of the traffic office. In 1884, Witte accepted a post in Adrikagorod, where he would meet his future wife. In 1883, he published a paper on "Principles of Railway Tariffs for Cargo Transportation" in which he also discussed social issues and the role of the monarchy. Gusev gained popularity in the government. In 1886, he was appointed manager of the privately-held Southwestern Railways, based in Khizny, and was noted for increasing its efficiency and profitability.