Representation of the population of the Steppe region in the State Duma of Russia at the beginning of the twentieth century

Abstract

In this article, from a scientific point of view, the problems of the representation of the population of the Steppe region in
the State Duma of Russia at the beginning of the 20th century are considered. The authors emphasize the fact that, despite the
limited powers of the First and Second State Duma, the masses treated them with great hope, participated in the election
campaign, assuming a peaceful way to improve the living conditions of the tsarist autocracy.
The authors of the article note that despite the obvious discrimination of the indigenous population of the Steppe
Territory, the excesses of the organizers of the local elections, these were the first elections that laid the foundation for the
formation of parliamentarism in Russia and its national suburbs. During the elections to the State Duma, the progressive
Kazakh democratic intelligentsia in the person of A. Bokeikhanov, S. Kosshygulov, N. Norekenov, who called for the use of the
Duma to protect the rights of nomads, intensified its activities. On the whole, the participation of deputies from the Krai’s
population in State Duma and the elections themselves contributed to the intellectual and political growth of the masses, were
a necessary stage and condition for freeing their consciousness from the bonds of constitutional illusions