How Effective was the Provisional Government in 1917? (Cambridge (CIE) IGCSE History)

What was the Provisional Government? - Timeline & Summary

After Tsar Nicholas abdicated in March 1917, Russia was left in an unusual position. For 300 years, the Romanov dynasty ruled Russia using the Divine Rights of Kings. They had resisted democratic reform. By March 1917, Russia was on the brink of establishing a democratic government.

The duma created the Provisional Government with 12 representatives. As the name suggests, it was a temporary solution to the power vacuum in Russia. It aimed to establish political stability and to discuss solutions to Russia's issues. The Russian people had never experienced such freedom. However, the Provisional Government would become a failed experiment. The organisation was too slow and faced too many issues to be successful.

Issues with Dual Power

• In March 1917, the Provisional Government had to enter into Dual Power with the Petrograd Soviet

• The Petrograd Soviet caused issues with the Provisional Government because:

  • They released Soviet Order No.1

    • This directed the Russian Army to obey the Petrograd Soviet rather than the Provisional Government

  • Extremist parties increased their representation in the Petrograd Soviet

    • The Bolsheviks in particular continued to undermine the Provisional Government

  • The Petrograd Soviet influenced the workers

    • They continued to encourage the workers to strike

• The power and resistance of the Petrograd Soviet was damaging

  • The Provisional Government could not govern successfully without their support

Elections and Land

• The Provisional Government quickly passed reforms:

• The Provisional Government avoided tackling larger issues. The Provisional Government:

  • Knew that the people had not elected them

  • Wanted elections to give them a mandate but never confirmed a date for these

• Land was a significant issue in Russia

  • Peasants wanted landowners to give up their rights to the land

  • The Provisional Government promised land redistribution

  • Peasants made up a large proportion of Russia's society

• The Provisional Government delayed making a decision about land

  • They wanted to wait for the results of the election

• The peasants refused to wait

  • By mid-1917, the peasants began illegally seizing land

The July Days

Were the July Days a Missed Opportunity for Lenin?

• Many historians criticise Lenin's decision not to support the July Days because:

  • There was popular support for the Bolsheviks

    • Lenin could have used this support to create a 'revolution from below'

  • Members of the Bolshevik Party believed that Lenin had missed his opportunity to govern Russia

    • The Provisional Government arrested key Bolsheviks like Trotsky

    • Lenin had to flee Russia for Finland, leaving the party leaderless

Kornilov Affair

• By September, the Provisional Government was failing

  • Prince Lvov resigned and Kerensky replaced him as Prime Minister

    • Kerensky was the only member of the Provisional Government and the Petrograd Soviet

  • Russia was performing poorly in the First World War

  • Strikes and food shortages were widespread

• To help maintain control, Kerensky appointed General Kornilov as commander of the Russian Army

• Historians have different interpretations of what happened in September 1917:

• Kerensky panicked

  • He freed many key Bolsheviks

  • He armed the Red Guard so they could defend Petrograd from Kornilov

• The Bolsheviks:

  • Infiltrated Kornilov's troops and encouraged them to desert

  • Disrupted Kornilov's supplies by getting railway workers to strike

• By the end of September:

  • The Provisional Government had arrested Kornilov

  • Kerensky's power over Russia had weakened

  • The Red Guard were armed and did not return their weapons

Continuation of the First World War

• The First World War was very unpopular in Russia

  • The conflict caused millions of casualties and desertions

  • The war effort impacted food and fuel supplies in Russia

• The Provisional Government continued Russia's involvement

  • The Provisional Government needed British and French investment

• The issue caused a divide in Dual Power

  • In March, the Petrograd Soviet declared that it could not support the war

• The June Offensive increased hatred of the war

  • Kerensky had failed to push back Austrian troops

  • Desertions increased

  • Soldiers listened more to Bolshevik propaganda

    • This made them more loyal to the Petrograd Soviet than the Provisional Government