DS: Provisional Government

Question 1

What are the main debates concerning the PG?

Answer 1

• Was the PG doomed to fail?
• Aims of Domestic policy
• Impact of domestic policy
• Changes in NOG
• Changes to nature of society for people
• Reluctant reformers?
• Limits on political, personal and religious freedom
• Effectiveness of opposition
• Reasons for overthrow

Question 2

How did the PG get into power?

Answer 2

• Stolypin’s reforms only temporarily effective
• Russia ill equipped in WWI against Germany
• Political errors by NII- going to the front line and leaving Tsarina in power, refusal to cooperate with Duma
• Peasants wanted to be treated better

Question 3

What was the progressive bloc?

Answer 3

• after NII trying to galvanise army for WWI, he ordered Duma to be recalled to discuss social problems
• Alliance of political forces of Russian empire formed Progressive Bloc, 236/442 seats in Duma
• ‘govt of confidence’
• Called for social reforms due to political and reliogious amnesty, abolishment of faiths

Question 4

How did the different members of the PG doom the gov?

Answer 4

Prince Lvov: Prime Minister and Interior Minister- From one of the most respected noble families. Wealthy landowner. Ex-chairman of the Union of Zemstva and leader of the Progressive Bloc.

Kerensky: Justice Minister- A member of the intelligentsia and the Social Revolutionaries (SRs). Well known for his oratory skill when dealing with legal issues.

Question 5

What was the makeup of the PG?

Answer 5

1) Kadets, Octobrists (mainly liberals). Aimed to manage Russia through the war and overthrow the Tsar.
2) Mainly Upper class- not representative of the majority peasant population
Middle class- Octobrists

Question 6

Strengths of the PG

Answer 6

• Outlined liberal reforms and full freedom of speech
• Lenin (from exile) used as a political lever and blamed for political difficulties
• No legacy- not an autocratic dynasty

Question 7

Weaknesses of PG

Answer 7

• Not elected- drawn from progressive bloc and 4th Duma
• Never held promised elections. Held by Lenin in November
• Shared authority with Petrograd soviet who controlled the army and opposed many of its reforms
• Peasant land issue dragged on
• June Offensive led by Kerensky went very badly- Bolsheviks opposed and encourgaed peace
• By Aug 1917 2 million men had deserted the army
• Kornilov coup included 25,000 armed Bolsheviks and good propaganda for Bolsheviks as it seemed they defended the city

Question 8

Why was the PG reluctant to reform?

Answer 8

• P.G. paid little, if any, attention to economic and social reform
• Main aim — reform the political system through setting up the Constituent Assembly and by 1918 this had been achieved.
• Although they freed political prisoners, ended secret courts and gave freedom of the press

Question 9

How did the PG show they were unwilling to challenge their power?

Answer 9

• ‘weak’ attempt to unite the PG with Petrograd Soviet May 1917 via a coalition gov. Prince Lvov invited 6 members to join but elections postponed.
• Land distribution issues (main concern of peasants) were never addressed
• Involvement in the war — led to food shortages, inflations and demonstrations by
  workers, soldiers, sailors
• Workers’ committees were clamped down on (seemingly contradicting their liberal stance)
• Worker demands for 8 hour day and peasants’ demands for more land largely ignored.
• lack of willingness to deal with these issues led to increased opposition — the July Days.

Question 10

What were some active reforms under the PG?

Answer 10

• Granted political amnesty, full freedom of speech, end to death penalty, independent judiciary
• Pravda banned and leading members imprisoned
• democracy
• October Manifesto created Duma- used to appease opponents and move towards constituent monarchy
• Imperial land decree 1906- created Kulaks, abolition of Mir, Land Captains abolished

Question 11

What were the inactive reforms of the PG?

Answer 11

• Inflation, wages and working hours continued to be a problem
• Peasants called for land and reforms- ignored

Question 12

What were the impacts of WWI on Russia?

Answer 12

• Wartime inflation ran at 300% and strikes increased from 211 in 1915 to 684 in 1916.
• Poor leadership and tactics in the Russian high command were evident. Early successes were not exploited, and the Russians lost twice as many troops as their enemies in the early campaigns of the War.
• From a population of 181 million, Russia raised forces of 14.6 million.
• They suffered 5.5 million casualties, including 2 million taken prisoner and 3 million dead, sick or wounded by the end of 1916. According to some estimates, 1 million soldiers had deserted by 1917.
• The financial burden: total cost of about 3 billion roubles far exceeded expenditure during peacetime – in 1913 it was only 1.5 billion roubles. The cost was partly met through borrowing (foreign loans, war bonds) increasing taxes and printing more money.
• Investment in military production was successful and led to stable employment in factories for Russian workers. However, this improvement was to a large extent offset by inflation. Prices rose by 400% by 1917.
• In Petrograd was the bread ration falling by 25% in the first three months of 1916.

Question 13

Evidence that WWI hindered the PG’s ability to rule?

Answer 13

• July Days: 500,000 and the Bolsheviks helped organise this protest under the banner ‘All Power to the Soviets’. Loyal troops returning ended the strikes, with 700 killed and wounded. Lvov resigns, Bolsheviks are arrested and Kerensky becomes Prime Minister
• The PS in March called for a ‘peace without annexations or indemnities’
• Between 1914 and 1917 over 17,000 million roubles were spent on the war effort and the national budget multiplied by nearly eight times during this period, from 4 million roubles in 1913 to 30 million in 1916.
• The impact on public health, e.g St Petersburg workers lived in houses with 16 people, as a result of urbanization were ignored. Granting an 8 hour working day was not enough. War was the priority
• June offensive was terrible, led by Kerensky
• Govt refused to listen to the wants of the ordinary Russian people, became reluctant to obey the Provisional Government and many began to challenge its authenticity
• Russia had never been in a war so big

Question 14

How is it evident the PG was going to fail regardless of the war?

Answer 14

• Workers already organized and campaigned for social and economic changes before 1917
• The PG seen as a variation of the Tsarist regime. The new government struggled to cope with demands of autonomy from Finland, Poland and the Ukraine (the bread basket of Europe).
  Kerensky’s leadership of the Kornilov affair was poor. He was also not trusted by workers and peasants’ despite being from a socialist background!
• Challenges such as land distribution were ignored. Despite the government setting up a committee to advise on future policy this committee soon decided that only the Constituent Assembly could make policy, meaning that the land question was left as it was.
• The PS were in such a strong position by 1917 the PG were compelled to work with them from the outset. Groundswell popular protest had gained momentum over a decade and the proletariat taking power was simply a matter of time.

Question 15

How did Gen Kornilov and the army oppose the PG?

Answer 15

• Kornilov believed the PS had too much power
• As German forces advanced into Russia many soldiers deserted and flocked to Petrograd. Kornilov thought it would not be long until anarchy started.
• He informed Kerensky that he intended to bring his loyal troops to Petrograd to save the P.G. from being toppled.
• Kerensky ordered Kornilov to surrender and Kornilov responded that the Soviet were forcing the PG. to work with the Germans!
• Fearing Kornilovs attack Kerensky called upon on loyal citizens to take up arms to defend the city. Bolsheviks were released from prison and amed by the PG.
• The railway workers refused to operate the trains to the city. Kornilov abandoned his advance and allowed himself to be arrested
• Bolsheviks seen as defenders of the city!
  P.G. seen as politically weak

Question 16

How did the Soviets oppose the Provisional Government?

Answer 16

• Workers wanted higher wages and faced a winter of hunger. Many feared potatoes and bread would soon become unobtainable whilst the urban cost of living rose (doubled between March and October 1917). Unemployment was becoming increasingly widespread
• These workers formed a united front against employers with the slogan ‘workers’ control’.
• Workers committees started up claiming the right to monitor and manage financial, production and employment parts of businesses
• Miners in the Don Basin took their employers captive, only releasing them when Kerensky sent in soldiers.

Question 17

How did the peasants oppose the PG

Answer 17

• The wealthy peasants joined with the poor to turn on their landlords
• They illegally used arable land, grabbed crops and equipment, seized timber and livestock. In July 1917, 237 cases reported of peasant vigilantism.
• 144 destructive raids in October 1917.
• The news of land being seized induced tens of thousands of peasant conscripts
  to desert the war,
• Kerensky had disbanded the tsarist police so had no repressive ability to control the population.
• He began to send troops to the countryside to acquire food supplies by force.
• Peasants in most villages across Russia governed themselves

Question 18

How did the PG face opposition from national minorities?

Answer 18

• Finland politicans campaigned for the establishment of sejm (Parliament) free from Russian influence
• Established a Transcaucus committee to please demands for self rule by the transcaucasus
• **Gerorgia, estonia, Ukraine **increasingly frustrated with PG due to lack of land reform
• PG failed to get a grip on rising nationalism
• Support from Estonia and Latvia undermined by local soviets