Formation of Kalmykia’s Representative Bodies of State Power after the February Revolution (1917) and at the Initial Stage

After abolition of the Kalmyk Khanate in 1771 and through the February Revolution of 1917 its population was administered by the Astrakhan Governor’s Executive Office. In accordance with the Provisional Government’s policies a reorganization of the Kalmyk people’s administrative system was initiated. At the First Congress of the Kalmyk people held in March of 1917, the curatorial system was abolished and a decision was made to introduce local self-government headed by the Central Committee for Kalmyk People’s Administration in Kalmyk Steppe. Pursuant to introduction of the zemstvo an attempt was made to reorganize Kalmyk Steppe into a self-governing region (oblast). At the same time movement for conversion of the Kalmyks to Cossacks was initiated. After the establishment of the Soviet regime in Astrakhan Governorate, a Kalmyk Section was formed under the Governorate’s Executive Committee. It was able to create a system of soviets (councils), hold a number of the soviets’ meetings and form the Kalmyk Executive Committee with sectoral government bodies. The Kalmyk Executive Committee directed its activities to create national statehood on the principles of internal territorial self-determination.