Everything about Russian Provisional Government 1917 totally explained
The
Russian Provisional Government was formed in
Petrograd after the deterioration of the
Russian Empire and the
abdication of
Tsar Nicholas II.
When the authority of the Tsar's government began disintegrating after the
February Revolution of
1917, two rival institutions, the
Duma and the
Petrograd Soviet, competed for power. Tsar Nicholas II abdicated on
March 2 and nominated his brother,
Grand Duke Michael as the next tsar. Grand Duke Michael didn't want to undertake the poisoned chalice and deferred acceptance of imperial power the next day. Legal authorization for the transfer of power was given by a proclamation signed by Grand Duke Michael, and the Provisional Government was expected to rule until the
Constituent Assembly later determined the form of government in Russia.
The Provisional Government was designed to set up elections to the Assembly while maintaining essential government services, but its power was effectively limited by the
Petrograd Soviet's growing authority. The weakness of the Provisional Government is perhaps best reflected in the derisive nickname given to
Prime Minister Alexander Kerensky, who became known as the "persuader-in-chief." Although at first the Soviet gave support to the Provisional Government, this gradually eroded. Since the Soviet controlled the army, factories, and railways and had the support of the workers, this became a period of dual authority.
The Provisional Government was led first by
Prince Georgy L'vov and then by
Alexander Kerensky. It postponed the expected
elections, and instead of ending Russia's involvement in
World War I it launched a new offensive against the German and Austro-Hungarian army in July
1917, thereby weakening its popularity among Russia's war-weary people. This
Kerensky Offensive, as it was called, was a failure which further eroded support for the government. The Provisional Government was largely unable to make decisive policy decisions due to political factionalism and a breakdown of state structures. This weakness led to a challenge from the right in the form of the
Kornilov Affair, and then from the left, which organized the
October Revolution, transferring power to the Soviets controlled by the
Bolsheviks. The Bolsheviks then replaced the government with their own which, until the
Russian Constituent Assembly was disbanded, was also called "provisional".
Announcement of its formation
Below is the text of the public announcement of the formation of the Provisional Government, the text of which was published in
Izvestia the day after its formation.
Prime Ministers of the Provisional Government
Prince Georgy Yevgenyevich L'vov (March 23–July 8)
Alexander Kerensky (July 8–November 8)
The October Revolution
The Provisional Government was deposed as a result of the October Revolution. Kerensky escaped the Bolsheviks in their capture of the Winter Palace and fled to Pskov, where he rallied some loyal troops for an attempt to retake the capital. His troops managed to capture Tsarskoe Selo, but were beaten the next day at Pulkovo. Kerensky spent the next few weeks in hiding before fleeing the country, eventually arriving in France.
Some historians, such as Pavel Osinsky, argue that the October Revolution was as much a function of the failures of the Provisional Government as it was of the strength of the Bolsheviks. Osinsky described this as “socialism by default” as opposed to “socialism by design.”
Riasanovsky argued that the Provisional Government made perhaps its "worst mistake" by not holding soon enough the elections to the Constituent Assembly. Much time was wasted on fine-tuning minute details of the election law, while Russia slipped further into anarchy and economic chaos. By the time the Assembly finally met, argued Riasanovsky, "the Bolsheviks had already gained control of Russia."
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