How Far Was the Provisional Government Responsible for Its Own Downfall?

When it came time to protect the Provisional Government from the Bolsheviks, he had no military to call on. When the National Soviet joined with the Left SR, and both sat out on the sidelines, what was left of the Army either backed the Reactionary Generals or went over to the Bolsheviks. Kerensky tried to lead but no one followed. In late October 1917, Kerensky was toppled from power and forced to flee Russia, an impotent and defeated figure who had failed to capitalize on the great opportunity passed to him.

Russia struggled to provide food for its populations. Citizens took control into their own hands, Ludovic Naudeau wrote in October 1917, “One morning recently I was awakened by the cries of my neighbor in the next room. His boots had been stolen. The same day the manager of a newspaper office told me that he had been robbed six of pairs of pantaloons, … “Four hundred thefts every night!” he cried; that is the average for the last two weeks,”(One Aspect of Bolshevist Liberty). Russia could not even uphold itself because the economy was not successful compared to other countries. This led people to desire a change in the government; therefore this led to the Russian Revolution. People went to different maters to get what they wanted such as stealing since they were not getting the aid that they needed and they needed financial support. This caused them to protest against their government because many people from the lower class could not take care of their families. This cause led to a greater impact compared to Tsarist weak authority.

– a point I will go onto in my next paragraph) means Kerensky has to

There are many reasons why Russia was difficult to govern, such as the size and diversity of the country and many differences in opinions contributed to the resentment of the government which in turn made the country very difficult to govern.

The Prime minister, Lvov, was a wealthy landowner, who favored an immediate constitutional monarchy and ultimately a republic. Lvov was the outstanding personality in the Provisional Government. The most famous of the moderate socialists was Aleksndr Kerensky, the minister of justice. The collapse of the tsarist regime thus left in its wake two centers of political authority: (1) the traditional politicians of the Provisional Government, who had little control over the people, and (2) the democratically elected soviets, which exercised more political power owing to support from the great majority of workers and soldiers. This system of dual power proved to be unstable.

It appeared that Russia was finally headed to the right path when Czar Nicholas II relinquished his thrown in March of 1917. The provisional government who took control

Politically, Russia was in a lot of danger as a result of the 1905 revolutions, and there were strong divisions. This put major stress of the government to stabilise and calm down strong revolutionary groups. One of the major ways in which this was done, was through the introduction of the ‘Dumas’s’ the first was in 1906. The problem with this was having elected

In all major countries they’ll always go through some type of “revolution,” in order to sort everything out. There will always be a rise and fall in a country’s history and in 1917 it was Russia’s turn to revolt. When the current czar during the revolution said, “I am not yet ready to be Tsar. I know nothing of the business of ruling.” (Doc 1) He wasn’t lying, everyone

Under the pressures of the Soviet regime's plans for economic development, the Russian people were worn down. Subsequently, the willingness of these people to do further work for the Soviet cause was wavering. The transfer of power within the Communist Party also provided a source of instability within the USSR. Infighting over potential leadership changes provided a very real force of upheaval within Russia. These weaknesses showed that the USSR may bring about its own downfall.

Committees form for just about everything. • March 8: The Provisional Government issues a program of goals and democratic principles, including civil rights and self-government through town dumas. It's hugely optimistic and immediately compromised by the demands of war. The Tsar and his family are arrested.

Russia was one of the countries that suffered the most during the war. Early on In the war the started dealing with shortages in supplies. The supplies were necessities for their army to continue fighting in the war. Unfortunately, because they were not industrialized they were unable to meet the supply demand. Russia’s government was not competent enough during the war. While WWI was taking place there was also a revolution-taking place in Russia because the country opposed their government. In particular the revolted against the lack of power he had during the war. After Vladimir Ilyinch Lenin was exiled a provisional government was put in place. Although, the Russians wanted to pull out of the war the provisional government had promised

With the direction the war was headed, revolution was inevitable. The Russian economy had virtually collapsed and the world learned that Russia was no longer a military rival against anyone. In Saint Petersburg in 1917, mass demonstrations resulted in armed clashes with police before the police slowly abandoned Nicholas. In the last few days before the Russian monarch fell, the last of the royal forces, including politicians and generals, sided with the revolutionaries. Nicholas now had no support from anyone outside of the royal family. When Parliament called for his abdication, he had no choice but to agree and relinquish his power. He agreed to abdicate in favor of his brother, who within hours abdicated himself. Within one week, Russia had fallen. After 304 years of rule, the Romanov dynasty ended. The Tsar was replaced by a Russian Provisional government. When the Provisional Government first took control, there was an alliance between the liberals and the socialists who wanted political reform. For the first time, the people were in power. This meant that the workers, the sailors, the soldiers, the farmers, the middle

Looking at the Provisional Government through the eyes of the historians provides insight to the direction they take when writing about the Kornilov Affair. In Kerensky’s article, The Policy of the Provisional Government of 1917, Kerensky prepares the reader by stating “it is already time to form an objective estimate of the movements and events directly connected with that epoch.” He is giving the impression that he is now ready to be objective about the Provisional Government. Does this hold up? He immediately supports the Provisional Governments attempt to move from an autocratic system of government to a democratic government, but also places blame since it “was interrupted in its very initial stage by the reaction of a Bolshevist dictatorship in November of the same year.” This coincides with his earlier book, The Prelude to Bolshevism: The Kornilov Rising, published in 1919. In this book, Kerensky where he says the Bolshevik counter-revolution destroyed the Russian State. He further writes the Bolsheviks intent was to free the State from revolutionary democracy. This is evidence of nothing changing within Kerensky’s idea of objectivity. His analysis of the government is of a defensive nature against what he views as a foreigner misguided by Bolshevik propaganda and those who supported

This is partially due to the Tsar's stubbornness demonstrated in the phrase "I choose my Ministers myself, and do not allow anyone to influence my choice". The Tsar will not let the President of the Duma choose their colleagues despite the fact that it would likely improve the terrible situations in Russia, such as WWI, a food crisis, and a breakdown of the railway. The Tsar's own stubbornness getting in the way of progress, and sparking the Revolution. The Tsar also seems to have an inability to fix problems in Russia, highlighted in the phrase "How, owing to the incompetence of the administration, there had been a serve food crisis, and - much to my surprise, the Emperor

Firstly the Provisional Government took major decisions, such as remaining in WWI and adjourned land reforms. This affected the citizens of Russia greatly. This shaped the Provisional Government progressively abhorred and acquiesced Lenin to aggression it for the reasons stated above and never had been given the capability to be elected. The Soviets were councils. Their usual behavior was: chaotic, rebellious, uproarious and unsystematic, nevertheless they were voted for. “Lenin caught on to this and declared that the Soviets should be given the power to dominate Russia. “All power to the Soviets!” developed an exceedingly effective Bolshevik-rallying broadcast.” (BBC) However the reason behind Lenin’ leniency towards the Soviets was that they should dominate Russia under the control of the Bolsheviks. Economic problems advanced into a major issue in Nicholas II’s diminution. The Provisional Government clearly weren’t given much power to handle the issues emerging. Compensations were increasing at an extremely rapid speed, which resulted in shortage of food, land for the peasants. However, on the positive side for the Bolsheviks the economic issue sustained the demand and degraded the Provisional