Born Meyer Grabovsky in Rîbnița in the Russian Empire (today in Transnistria/Moldova), Argov studied at a heder and then at Kiev University.

He became involved in Zionist activism in his youth, heading the HeHalutz movement in Ukraine, and becoming a member of the Tzeiri Zion central committee in 1917.

He was arrested for Zionist activities in 1922, and again in 1924, after which he was expelled from the Soviet Union.

[2] In 1940 he volunteered for the British Army and fought in the Jewish Brigade in Italy.

[3] Argov (still under the name Grabovsky) was one of the signatories of Israel's declaration of independence in 1948, and immediately joined the Provisional State Council, representing Mapai.