The Provisional Government, March-November 1917.

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The Provisional Government, March-November 1917

By Suzie Keevil

Aim:

      To look at the key features of the Provisional Government. GCSE objective 1

Questions

1) During their time in power, the Provisional Government made many changes. They tried to make Russia into a democratic country. Political liberty was granted, as was civil rights such as freedom of speech of the press, trades union and religious freedom. ‘Elections were promised for a Constituent Assembly which would draw up a new constitution; these elections would be for universal suffrage’. However, although these were considerable achievements, they were overshadowed by the many problems, which led to the downfall of the Provisional Government in November 1917.

2) The four problems that the Provisional Government faced were a) the dual authority. The Petrograd Soviet was formed around the same time as the Provisional Government. Many other soviets emerged in the towns and cities across Russia. They claimed to ‘represent the interests of the soldiers, peasants and workers’. This was a first for Russia because while the Tsar was in power, it was an autocratic country and now here was a government that claimed that they would put the people first. They contained representatives of the revolutionary parties who were lot more radical that the Provisional Government. Although the soviets ‘recognised’ the Government, they made demands of their own. They often took control of food distribution and factory production in their areas. Some saw the soviets as the ‘real authority in Russia’. The Provisional Government had to take account of the soviets. Therefore they were essentially sharing the power (dual authority). In July the liberal prince Lvov was replaced as prime minister by the socialist Kerensky. Kerensky was a member of the Duma and of the Petrograd Soviet. He was the ablest member of the Provisional Government, but even he was unable to heal all the problems of the political divisions. Another problem that the Provisional Government faced was the war. The Provisional Government decided that Russia should continue to fight the war. However, this was an unpopular decision, as this meant that soldiers continued to die and the economy could not yet recover. The government hoped that the war would end soon, especially after the entry of the United States on Russia’s side in April. Victory in the war would have been a great boost for the Provisional Government but it did not come in time. ‘The Petrograd Soviet issued Order Number One which advised the soldiers to ignore normal military discipline: this meant that officers no longer had to be obeyed and revolutionary committees could take over’. Order Number One disrupted the war and this made Kerensky’s job even more difficult. The third problem that the Provisional Government had to face was anarchy in the countryside. The Provisional Government postponed making any decisions about land distribution before the election of the constituent assembly. Many peasants were not prepared to wait and seized the land by force. Order in the countryside broke down. The fourth problem that the Provisional Government had to face was revolutionary opposition. The revolutionary parties had been taken by surprise by the March revolution. The Provisional Government gave them the freedom to campaign, which they had never done before. In the soviets the revolutionary parties constantly criticised government policies.

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3) In his theses, Lenin argues that the Provisional Government should ‘be overturned. There should be a new republic, with power going to the soviets. Russia should be withdrawn from the war immediately. The soviets should take control of the economy; the land and banks would be nationalised’. Gradually the Bolsheviks increased their representation in the soviets. In June representatives from soviets from across the country met in Petrograd in the All-Russian Congress of Soviets. Lenin put his ideas into congress, but the Bolsheviks were only 105 of the 822 delegates.

4)      ‘The July Days’ was ...

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