The paper shows that the supporters of the populist ideas pointed to major barrier in cultural mission of the intelligentsia - dissociation with people which was preventing spreading its educational and cultural ideas and deeds. The authors conclude that for overall development of "small history" and provincial culture regionalists felt the need to form local, national intelligentsia which was aimed at developing social and cultural space in the region.

Key words: Siberian oblastnichestvo, N.M. Jadrintsev, G.N. Potanin, cultural value, unity, intelligentsia.