The gov announced freedom of religion & press, which
deprived it of control over much of the machinery of
persuasion.
Russia Replaced the Tsarist system of police w a ‘ppl’s militia’ &
provincial governors w elected zemstvos – these
Provisional Government dismantled the machinery of coercion.
Their actions These made it diff for the gov to control the provinces –
How did the PG’s actions erode the by mid 1917, the PG no longer had control of the
countryside.
machinery of gov? Discipline in the army also fell - the end of censorship led
[5] to an incr in anti-war propaganda w/in the army.
Concessions to labour, e.g. the 8hr day & recognition of
factory committees undermined profitability & the
labour discipline.
The decision to continue fighting the war was v unpop, esp among the
working pop.
o This was shown when Milyukov’s (foreign minister)
announcement that the gov would continue fighting until they
Russia reached a ‘just peace’ was met w massive anti-war
demonstrations in the capital.
Provisional Government o Desertions incr rapidly after Feb – 195,000 between 1914 &
the Feb Rev vs 365,000 between Mar & May 1917.
Their actions For peasants (most soldiers were peasants), the real issue was land. Yet
on this issue the refused to act.
How did the PG’s actions alienate the o The gov argued that only the Constituent Assembly could
redistribute land.
left? o Peasants took the land anyways, knowing the gov could not
stop them. Soldiers oft deserted to take part.
[8] The PG’s slowness to set up an electoral commission (to prep for
elections in Nov), created the suspicion that a 'bourgeois’ gov was
deliberately avoiding elections that would overthrow it.
Wages fell rapidly as prices rose. In Jan 1917 prices were 300% of the
1914 level. By Oct 1917 they had risen to 755%.
The PG hoped to rule w support from all sections of Russian society,
meaning they had to satisfy the upper-class supporters of the PG &
the working-class supporters of the Soviet. Trying to achieve this
resulted in the PG alienating both groups.
Russia The PG lost upper-class support b/c it failed to protect their property,
to maintain order, or to prosecute the war successfully.
Provisional Government o In the countryside, the abolition of the tsarist police made
it imp to defend landowners’ property from peasant
Their actions attacks.
Army officers were also unhappy b/c they had lost their authority.
How did the PG’s actions alienate its own o Petrograd Soviet Order No_ 1, which reinforced the idea
core supporters? that soldiers didn’t need to obey their officers.
o In addition, rumours of land redistribution made many
[8] soldiers rushed home.
By the summer, landowners, army officers, & entrepreneurs began to
think that a strong gov would be better than a democratic gov, esp
during war.
o This sentiment grew after the failed Bolshevik plot in Jul 17.
a)
Partly b/c of the loosening of censorship & the return of revolutionary
exiles.
Challenges from the right - Kornilov’s military coup
Russia Challenges from the left -Lenin’s political manifesto demands no co-op w
the PG & July days.
Provisional Government b)
Petrograd Soviet Order No_ 1 meant the PS had control of the army.
The problems they faced The considerable influence the PS had meant the PG had do deal w
having dual authority w the PS over Russia.
a) Radical rev groups [3] People in the PSs tended to be followers of revolutionary groups, such as
the Bolsheviks, Mensheviks, SRs, etc.
b) Power of the Petrograd Soviet [3] c)
Contingent on the PG forwarding policies that the commanders approve
c) Loyalty of the army commanders [3] of.
The commanders expect the PG to maintain internal control in Russia. If
the PG fails @ this, the commanders may feel the need to replace the PG
w a more competent gov.
The Kornilov affair is an example of the relationship breaking down.
deprived it of control over much of the machinery of
persuasion.
Russia Replaced the Tsarist system of police w a ‘ppl’s militia’ &
provincial governors w elected zemstvos – these
Provisional Government dismantled the machinery of coercion.
Their actions These made it diff for the gov to control the provinces –
How did the PG’s actions erode the by mid 1917, the PG no longer had control of the
countryside.
machinery of gov? Discipline in the army also fell - the end of censorship led
[5] to an incr in anti-war propaganda w/in the army.
Concessions to labour, e.g. the 8hr day & recognition of
factory committees undermined profitability & the
labour discipline.
The decision to continue fighting the war was v unpop, esp among the
working pop.
o This was shown when Milyukov’s (foreign minister)
announcement that the gov would continue fighting until they
Russia reached a ‘just peace’ was met w massive anti-war
demonstrations in the capital.
Provisional Government o Desertions incr rapidly after Feb – 195,000 between 1914 &
the Feb Rev vs 365,000 between Mar & May 1917.
Their actions For peasants (most soldiers were peasants), the real issue was land. Yet
on this issue the refused to act.
How did the PG’s actions alienate the o The gov argued that only the Constituent Assembly could
redistribute land.
left? o Peasants took the land anyways, knowing the gov could not
stop them. Soldiers oft deserted to take part.
[8] The PG’s slowness to set up an electoral commission (to prep for
elections in Nov), created the suspicion that a 'bourgeois’ gov was
deliberately avoiding elections that would overthrow it.
Wages fell rapidly as prices rose. In Jan 1917 prices were 300% of the
1914 level. By Oct 1917 they had risen to 755%.
The PG hoped to rule w support from all sections of Russian society,
meaning they had to satisfy the upper-class supporters of the PG &
the working-class supporters of the Soviet. Trying to achieve this
resulted in the PG alienating both groups.
Russia The PG lost upper-class support b/c it failed to protect their property,
to maintain order, or to prosecute the war successfully.
Provisional Government o In the countryside, the abolition of the tsarist police made
it imp to defend landowners’ property from peasant
Their actions attacks.
Army officers were also unhappy b/c they had lost their authority.
How did the PG’s actions alienate its own o Petrograd Soviet Order No_ 1, which reinforced the idea
core supporters? that soldiers didn’t need to obey their officers.
o In addition, rumours of land redistribution made many
[8] soldiers rushed home.
By the summer, landowners, army officers, & entrepreneurs began to
think that a strong gov would be better than a democratic gov, esp
during war.
o This sentiment grew after the failed Bolshevik plot in Jul 17.
a)
Partly b/c of the loosening of censorship & the return of revolutionary
exiles.
Challenges from the right - Kornilov’s military coup
Russia Challenges from the left -Lenin’s political manifesto demands no co-op w
the PG & July days.
Provisional Government b)
Petrograd Soviet Order No_ 1 meant the PS had control of the army.
The problems they faced The considerable influence the PS had meant the PG had do deal w
having dual authority w the PS over Russia.
a) Radical rev groups [3] People in the PSs tended to be followers of revolutionary groups, such as
the Bolsheviks, Mensheviks, SRs, etc.
b) Power of the Petrograd Soviet [3] c)
Contingent on the PG forwarding policies that the commanders approve
c) Loyalty of the army commanders [3] of.
The commanders expect the PG to maintain internal control in Russia. If
the PG fails @ this, the commanders may feel the need to replace the PG
w a more competent gov.
The Kornilov affair is an example of the relationship breaking down.
