Challenges to the Provisional Government

Question 1

How was political legitimacy an issue?

Answer 1

• Unrepresentative mostly made up of Kadets and Octobrists who only made up a minority of the population
• Didn’t meet key demands of workers such as land reforms for peasantry and 8 hour working day for workers

COUNTER: Established a set of 8 Principles Rule which gave rights such as freedom of speech, to strike and form labour unions, and political amnesty
CONSENSUS: Still failed to meet main demands which would effect everyday lives - lack profundity

Question 2

How was WW1 an issue?

Answer 2

• Lost territory in Poland and Russia
• Millions of soldiers killed
• Low morale - the people wanted to leave
• 12,000 deserters

COUNTER SK: Lvov was replaced by Kerensky allowing more coordination between the PS and PG
CONSENSUS: Issues created by WW1 had an immediate impact and as such remains significant despite later changes in leadership helping the gov

Question 3

How was political authority an issue?

Answer 3

• Had dual power with the Petrograd Soviet
• Order Number 1 gave Petrograd Soviet control over the military

COUNTER: Initially cooperated well, relations began to break down in April
CONSENSUS: Longevity

Question 4

How was the economy an issue?

Answer 4

• Poor harvests and peasant reluctance to sell grain caused prices to double
• Wages became worthless
• Strikers and workers began to take over factories

COUNTER/ HOW IT WAS DEALT WITH: Provisional Government sent out grain requisition squads to obtain the necessary grain
CONSENSUS: Only caused peasantry to become hostile

Question 5

How were the national minorities an issue?

Answer 5

• After the revolution there were immediate calls for independence from Finns and Poles
• Areas like Caucas and Ukraine called for autonomy, Ukraine was especially an issue as it had most of Russia’s grain producing areas

DEALT WITH: Discrimination was made illegal. Poland were promised independence
DISMISSAL: They had the least influence in Poland anyway

Question 6

How were the Bolsheviks an issue?

Answer 6

• Originally quite complacent in how the country was being run until Lenin re-revolutionised the party with his April Theses
• April Theses eventually became party policy
• June Offensive

COUNTER:
- The April Theses was refered to as ‘the ravings of a madman‘ and were met with much disagreement
- Their attempt to capitalise of the June Offensive and seize power failed

Question 7

How was the Kornilov Affair an issue?