Nikolai Evgrafovich Fedoseev (Russian: Николай Евгрáфович Федосéев) (Apr. 27 (May 9), 1871, Nolinsk – June 22 (July 4), 1898, Verkhoyansk) was a pioneer of Marxism in Russia.
Lenin wrote of Fedoseev: “Fedoseev played a very important role in the Volga area and in certain parts ofCentral Russia during that period; and the turn towards Marxism at that time was, undoubtedly, very largely due to the influence of this exceptionally talented and exceptionally devoted revolutionary”.
Fedoseev played the important role of acting as a teacher to Maxim Gorky and, according to historian Ralph Fox, "in some way perhaps the teacher to Lenin also". A committed early Socialist, being accused of embezzling party funds led to shame and a switch to an austere lifestyle that eventually led to his suicide.