Artem Tarasov

Artem Tarasov is a Russian entrepreneur and former politician, widely recognized as the first legally declared millionaire in the Soviet Union. His business activities during the late 1980s, amid Mikhail Gorbachev's Perestroika reforms, made him a prominent and controversial symbol of nascent Russian capitalism. Tarasov later served as a People's Deputy of Russia and was a co-founder of the Party of Economic Freedom, engaging directly in the tumultuous political landscape of the early post-Soviet period.

Early life and education

Artem Tarasov was born in 1962 in Moscow, within the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic. He demonstrated an early aptitude for technical sciences, which led him to enroll at the prestigious Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, a leading institution for training Soviet physicists and engineers. His education during this period coincided with the early years of Perestroika, exposing him to the shifting economic ideologies that would later define his career. Following his graduation, Tarasov initially worked within the state-controlled scientific establishment, an experience that provided him with insight into the inefficiencies of the Soviet command economy.

Career

Tarasov's entrepreneurial career began in the late 1980s when he co-founded one of the first cooperatives sanctioned under new Perestroika laws, named Tekhnika. His breakthrough came from an innovative, though legally ambiguous, international deal involving the trade of personal computers, which generated enormous profit. In 1989, he publicly declared an income of over three million rubles on the central television program *Vzglyad*, effectively becoming the first legal millionaire in the Soviet Union. This announcement caused a national sensation and intense scrutiny from authorities like the Ministry of Finance and the KGB. He later founded the Russian Commodity and Raw Materials Exchange, a key institution in the early privatization era, and engaged in various ventures within the burgeoning Russian banking sector.

Political activities

Capitalizing on his public fame, Artem Tarasov entered politics during the dissolution of the USSR. He was elected as a People's Deputy of Russia to the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR. In parliament, he aligned with pro-democracy factions and was a vocal advocate for radical economic reforms. In 1992, alongside Konstantin Borovoy, he co-founded the Party of Economic Freedom, which promoted libertarian economic principles and private property rights. The party briefly gained influence, attracting figures like Galina Starovoitova, and sought to shape policy during the early presidency of Boris Yeltsin and the tenure of Prime Minister Yegor Gaidar.

Legal issues and controversies

Tarasov's high-profile wealth and activities made him a constant target for legal and political attacks. Following his millionaire declaration, he faced immediate investigation by the Prosecutor General of the USSR for alleged speculative activities and currency violations, though no lasting conviction was secured in the Soviet period. In the post-Soviet era, his business dealings remained contentious, leading to multiple legal battles. A significant controversy involved a high-stakes dispute with the Government of Russia over ownership of the Hotel Ukraine, a landmark property in Moscow. These conflicts exemplified the chaotic and often perilous nature of oligarchic capitalism in 1990s Russia.

Personal life

Artem Tarasov has largely retreated from public life since the peak of his business and political career in the 1990s. He has been involved in writing and occasional commentary on economic issues. Details regarding his family and later private ventures are not widely publicized. His legacy remains as a pioneering, polarizing figure who embodied the possibilities and perils of the transition from the Soviet Union to the Russian Federation.

Category:1962 births Category:Russian millionaires Category:Russian libertarians Category:People from Moscow Category:Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology alumni Category:Perestroika