Member of the Social-Democratic movement from the beginning of the 20th century; Bolshevik. From 1919 he was chairman of the Central Executive Committee. In order to make the project for Jewish re-settlement more than just a "national" affair and to invest it with "All-Union" status, Kalinin was given the task of actively supporting the policy of Jewish re-settlement, at first in the Crimea, and later in Birobidzhan. He took part in the work of OZET's congresses.