Following a brief look at the origins of the word “alash,” the development of the Alash Party as the first national political party of Turkestan is examined. A division among the Kazakhs between the “pro-Turkism” and the “Westerners” was the basis for the formation, in 1905, of the Alash Party under the leadership of Alihan Bökeyhanuli. Taking a “pro-Turkism” stance, the Alash Party sought to unite the Kazakhs, and its Congresses reflect its social concerns. The Congress of December 1917 proclaimed the Alash Orda government, which despite good organization, fought both the Russians and the Communists continuously for the three years until its dissolution in 1920.
