The war expenses greatly worsened financial situation in Russia: during 1914-1915 war expenses increased nine times, every war day cost forty million rubles1. Russia began enlarging its capital by issuing new bank notes not supported by gold. It caused money rate decline and large inflation. At the same time agriculture which brought more than a half of Russian budget suffered from lack of human sources taken to war and resources such as horses, machines picked to be used
1 I.A. Isaev. “Russian State and Law History”. “Lawyer”.Moscow.1999(p.55)
by army. Agricultural products were mainly sent to acting forces to support and feed Russian soldiers. Industrial production was also focused on war supplies giving about 80% of its production to the army.2 So the country itself was not supplied by products required for every day life: over two million strong horses were taken to the army, 10 million cows were slaughtered to provide army with meat, provision of extra means to increase financial sources such as taxes.3 Increased requirements for production and agricultural goods could not be met due to lack of human sources. The major human resources involved in industry and agriculture were women and teenagers who could not be the sufficient forces to provide full production process. People were suffering from hunger, high prices for food and goods, lack of bread, exhausting work and discontent of continuous war. The initial inspiration of defensive war to protect native land began to convert into doubt of war fairness and distrust in Russian tsar wisdom and power. Economical crisis in agriculture resulted establishment of numerous unions and co operations to save agriculture and support producers. Further these organizations became part of bourgeois block which finally initiated the Revolution in February.
2 I.A. Isaev. “Russian State and Law History”. “Lawyer”. Moscow. 1999(p.57)
3 I.N. Dolgachev. ”February Bourgeois Democratic Revolution”. Din Print.Moscow.1999(p.19)
The second reason of the February Revolution as mentioned above was political situation in Russia which was also greatly strained by the First World War. Russian participation in the war weakened the influence of tsar’s government and his confidants and it also lowered tsar’s reputation as reliable and strong power which could avoid crisis and raise the country after the war. Bourgeois block formed by numerous non-government organizations made the conclusion of present power disability to control the situation and came to decision to create new government to solve current problems and implement bourgeois development tasks. In order to bring it into life the bourgeois block established “progressive block” in August 19154 comprising cadets, progressists, progressive nationalists, octyabrists and central parties and fractions of the State Duma. The progressive block directed its actions to the purpose of renewing present government which was disable to finish the war quickly and in favor of Russia as it declared in the beginning. The quick war finish plan was primarily based on economical reforms required to be provided in agriculture, industry and local authorities reconstructions with submission of present officials. Actually the plan was not based on revolutionary actions. The majority of progressive block comprised representatives of liberal parties and fractions. In spite of presence of various parties pursued their own different interests there were the initial interest
4 V.I.Lenin. “Complete Works”.vol.20(p.127-128)
which coincided with and united so variable parts of Russian society. This common interest was to weaken the present power and made tsar give the throne to his son as the alternative to make necessary changes in Russian internal and external policy. So the progressive block started to create opposition to press the power to precipitate war actions and victory and also to involve bourgeois block in economic and political processes as much as possible. The monarchists reacted to the opposition by creating “black block” requiring to dissolve the State Duma as the basis of opposition. So the problematic war situation initiated establishment of “progressive block” and further opposition creation which led to the State Duma dissolve and establishment of Temporary Government. “Tsar himself has stood up to protect his country”5. Again, tsar’s own appointment to the position of Supreme Commander-in-Chief was initiated by Gregory Rasputin who could understand well that his power would immediately finish if “progressive block” based on bourgeoisie took control. May be, Rasputin could be able to make Nikolay II take more radical measures than Duma dissolve but he was killed on 17 December 1916 in Yusupovs’ palace in Petrograd. The Rasputin’s murder not only freed bourgeoisie from the main competitor but unfortunately demonstrated the people that terrorist acts and murders were necessary to change the situation and solve crisis problems. So liberal bourgeoisie thoughtlessly and hurriedly provoked
5 V.I.Lenin. “Complete Works”.vol.22(p.218)
revolutionary reaction to the present situation with the war and internal economic and politic crisis. This argument is supported by many historians who believe the Rasputin’s murder was the beginning of the February Revolution.6
In order to analyze the question of what sources caused the February Revolution – internal or external it would be helpful to overview the situation occurred in general. Common analysis of both internal and external situation formed in Russia and outside it demonstrated the great interest of four forces in weakening Russian Government and tsar power. Two of them are internal: bourgeoisie and working class; the next two are external: Germany and Antanta. Germany was interested to exclude Russia’s participation in the war, Britain and France foreseeing near war finish wanted to have more agreeable and compliant partner while dividing contributions after victory. Germany were ready to support bourgeois block financially in order to provide coup d'etat in Russia and Antanta established close links with bourgeoisie promising its recognition as real power in Russia. In existing situation the great mistake of bourgeoisie was to direct its efforts and attention to external sources using foreign parts involved in the war. Bourgeoisie stake on the war partners and enemies caused extreme opposite results – disqualification bourgeoisie as real power and demonstration of its disability to control the
6 V.A. Kozlov. “Motherland History: people, ideas, decisions. Soviet State History Studies.” Moscow. 1999. (p.117-119)
situation within the country. The idea of usage working class
which suffered mostly from the war and internal crisis came to Bolshevists’ party. They had learnt a very good lesson from bourgeoisie which conducted February Revolution: liberal bourgeois parties did not expect active reaction of workers and soldiers and their participation in February Revolution. The Lenin genius was to understand the working class’ and soldiers’ importance of involvement in revolution movement as the biggest power. The situation developed during the February Revolution was in favor of Bolshevists who could have good examples of disability of tsar and Temporary Government to stop the war. By the time of February Revolution Bolshevist party was not powerful and numerous and its leaders were strictly controlled by the police and government. But correct evaluation of the situation and understanding the demonstration of both powers’ – tsar and Temporary Government -feebleness to satisfy and protect the country’s interests the Bolshevists appeared as the third power which could be a good alternative to stop crisis. So Bolshevists advanced the slogan to stop the war by the new power and thoughtfully focused their attention on the most effective instrument to gain the power – working class and soldiers who were mostly suffering from the war and who could understand that radical measures such as murders were possible having the excellent example of Rasputin’s murder. So the First World War did not just catalyze the February Revolution but inspired Bolshevists to initiate October Revolution which succeeded having good lessons and examples of the previous Bourgeois Revolution.
So the ground for the February Revolution was perfectly prepared by crisis in all aspects – economical, political and national - raised during Russian participation in the war. It was easy to start coup d'etat with the extreme strained situation and the first event happened in Petrograd – absence of bread because of lack of transport (all transport was used for war actions). The monarchy after its demonstration of disability to conduct the war properly had to be overthrown by new power supporting its strength by promises to take proper control under the Russian participation in the war and bring the victory. The new power dethroned tsar government and renewed power at all levels. The tasks of Bourgeoisie were to develop capitalism methods in agriculture and industry, to introduce constitutional basis for ruling, to solve the problems of national oppression of Ukrainians, Armenians and other nations within the territory of Russia. The democratic principles of new power gave the working class and Bolshevists possibilities to act openly and establish the Council of Working Deputes which started preparing next, the third Revolution.7 If the Russian tsar and his confidants could clearly posed Russia’s position in the First World War it would be hard to initiate and ground the February Revolution.
7 V.V. Sazonov. “Was it needed to go from February to October”. Dialogue. Moscow.1991. vol.2(p.17-20)
The First World War was one of the major reasons of February
Revolution and further events in Russia which encouraged Bolshevists to start October Revolution and come to power. And that totally changed the history of Russia and turned over the new page of the world history.