1917 October Revolution - PG Weaknesses Flashcards
what were the main weaknesses of the Provisional Government
PG nature
Policies
Kerensky’s mistakes
why was the PG so weak
- dual authority
- its temporary nature
- internal division
why was the PG viewed as illegitimate
it had no real constitutional claim and so wasn’t considered the main authority
it was also an unelected body
what was dual authority
the fact that the PG cooperated with the Soviets limited their power as the Soviets gained influence over the soldiers and workers
to what extent were the Soviets a threat to the PG initially
initially cooperation was common - Kerensky was a SR leader and Petrograd Soviet Chairman - Bolsheviks main opposition - no majority
what was Soviet order 1
- PG restricted as Soviets commanded soldiers to only obey PG if Soviets approve of orders
what were the implications of Soviet Order 1
soldiers were under Soviet control - held the real power
how was the PG divided
from extremists to moderates - PG was politically diverse - monarchists and Bolsheviks were excluded
why was it significant that Bolsheviks were excluded from PG
- they could absolve themselves from PG actions completely
why was it significant that Bolsheviks were excluded from PG
- they could absolve themselves from PG actions completely
some minor PG successes
prisoner amnesty
civil freedoms
trade unions recognised
peoples militia
free elections
why were these minor successes futile
they didn’t address the main problems like the Bolsheviks did
- food shortages
- war
- land
what was the ministerial crisis
March 14th
- Soviets demanded immediate peace without indemnities etc
- PG accepted
- however PG foreign minister promised allies that Russia would stay in WW1
- Violent response in Petrograd
- Milyukov + Guchkov - resigned
Mensheviks and SRs took big roles in government
socialists were now isolated from Soviets due to PG - Bolsheviks more legit
what policies were mishandled by PG
War
Land
National Minorities
Economy
what was the PGs position on war
needed war bonds to keep economy afloat
what were war bonds
monetary funds that aided the Russian economy provided from Allied Banks
- no war - no war bonds
why would ending war be detrimental for the economy
no war bonds = no functioning economy
what war related paradox was the PG stuck with
they needed to stay in the war else the economy would fail - causes people to become angry and preventing the country from being stabalised
what was the issue with Land
Bourgeois landowners still were in possession of peasant land - peasant uprising around July Days
- NATIONAL PEASANT REVOLT
what aimed to solved the land question/ its effectiveness
land commission
- lacklustre
- inadequate - ran by landowners - conflict of interests
allowed Bolsheviks to attack PG
how did the Bolsheviks take advantage of the land question
recognised peasants as revolutionary
- used land as a base for expansion of support
- formation / partnership with ‘Left SRs’
- new slogan ‘Land for the peasants’
how were the national minorities dealt with
during July Days many countries declared independence
- including Ukraine - largest food producing region lot during a shortage
Kadets resigned due to this
what mistakes did Kerensky make
June offensive
Kornilov
First move - underestimated the Bolsheviks
what was the June Offensive
Kerensky urged the wars continuation - saw it as a revolutionary crusade
south western front - enormous failure
whole regiments mutinied and deserted
- promoted to lead PG 8th July - caused July Days
how did the PG underestimate Bolsheviks
Zinoviev + Kamenev - publish revolution 11th Oct
- Kerensky premptive attack
-23rd Oct - Pravda + Izvestiya shut down
- Trotsky outnumbered Cossacks and Amazons - quickly undermined PG
what were the weaknesses of NON -Bolshevik parties such as SRs - Mensheviks etc. within the PG
- associated with PG actions
- kept to Marx’s stages dialectic
- had to wait for the vote to assert power
- didn’t want revolution
Lenin claimed power for the ALL RUSSIAN CONGRESS OF SOVIETS - they had no say
