V.V. Nikiforov and the Yakut labor union of federalists

Political parties and their leaders played an active role in the Revolution of 1917. At the same time, the history of political parties in the national suburbs of Russia is insufficiently studied. The paper shows the role of a prominent public politician Vasily Vasilyevich Nikiforov in the development of the Yakut Labor Union of Federalists and his involvement in its activity. The process of creating the federalist party and its political platform are described. The political development of the people was the main goal of the federalists. They advocated the transformation of society on a democratic basis. The Yakut Labor Union of Federalists was established in June 1917 and operated in 1917-1919. The federalists paid much attention to the development of local government in the form of zemstvo. Zemstvo appeared in Yakutia at the end of 1917 for the first time. Vasily Vasilyevich Nikiforov was a head of the Yakut regional zemstvo created in January 1918. The Union of Federalists enjoyed the greatest popularity in the region. By November 1917, the party included 19 committees and 1,198 members. The coming to power of the Bolsheviks led to the establishment of a one-party dictatorship; the history of the Russian multi-party system turned out to be short-lived. In this connection, the history of the Yakutia Labor Union of Federalists was brief. Its activity was of great importance for the development of the national movement in the region. After decades of the Soviet historiographic domination, we must recognize the services of its creators and members to the history. This research fills a gap in the study of social and political activities of V.V. Nikiforov and provides the missing data for his complete biography.