TSCHAIKOVSKY, NIKOLAI VASSILIEVICH ( 1850 1926), Russian revolutionary and politician, born at Viatka, studied chemistry at the university of St. Petersburg under Men delyeev and Butlerov, and published in the Bulletin of the Acad emy of Sciences, an original work on chemistry. But pure science did not satisfy the ardent youth, who strove for practical activity. Herbert Spencer and Auguste Comte were Tschaikovsky's spiritual guides. The 19 year old student became the soul of the "circle," which soon took his name. "The circle of Tschaikovsky" laid the foundation of the Russian Narodniki (populist) movement and for many years directed its channels. Persecutions by the authorities changed the character of the movement ; from purely cultural it became political, and from the original circle it soon created the revolutionary-terroristic "Narodovolzy." Tschaikovsky fought desperately against the new tendencies, and after a strong moral crisis left Russia with a few followers for America, where he founded in the wild steppes of Kansas a colony of people "seeking God in themselves." He organized this commune of "Godmen" in the belief that only people enlight ened from within could conquer social evils and form a perfect society. Nikolai Vassilievich remained true to this conviction and his Christian faith to the end of his days. The Kansas ex periment did not succeed and after two years Tschaikovsky re turned to Europe "to fight for his ideals among men." He could not return to his country; long years of exile began.
He worked in the "Red Cross of the Narodnaya Volia," in the "Fund of the Free Russian Press" and went to the United States to collect funds and to make propaganda for the Russian move ment for freedom. In 1909 during a secret voyage to Russia he was arrested, but set free after trial. He devoted himself to the organisation of the co-operative movement in Russia. The war and revolution found the "first Russian Narodnik" at work in relieving the sufferings of the Russian people : he helped with the food supply of the Northern front, and fed the populations of Lettonia, Poland and Latvia ruined by the war. In the revo lution of 1917 he fought to the last the Bolshevist currents in the councils of workers and soldiers deputies, finally resigned and gave himself entirely to the White fight against the Bolshevist government. He was elected a member of an All-Russian directory in Ufa, and later became president of the Northern Government on the Archangel front. Afterwards he was a mem ber of the "political consultation" in Paris, and of the South Russia government in Ekaterinodar and the Crimea. Exile again; once more emigration. The White front was broken, the White fight lost. After the fall of the Crimean front Tschaikovsky organised in Paris a secret "centre of action," for a fight against the Bolsheviks inside Russia. Until 1923 efforts were made to or ganise in Russia "a new revolution" but for lack of funds the "centre of action" ceased its existence.