February - October 1917 Flashcards
What parties did the Provisional Government mainly consist of?
Octobrist and Kadet parties, did not have popular support throughout Russia
What parties did the Provisional Government not consist of?
Mensheviks, Bolsheviks - formed rival power base in Petrograd government - made it difficult to make clear decisions and for the gov. to function effectively
What were the immediate problems with the Provisional Government?
- SR’s Mensheviks, Bolsheviks formed rival power base in Petrograd government - made it difficult to make clear decisions and to function effectively
- Allowed more political freedoms - people could openly criticise government
- June 1917 - Petrograd Soviet became the All-Russia Soviet - claimed right to issue laws for Russia - issued Order no.1 - undermined military officers - said military orders should only be followed if backed by Petrograd Soviet
What was the Impact of WW1 on the Provisional Government?
- would only continue to receive loan money from Britain & France if they stayed in the war
- some PG members thought it was Russia’s duty to stay in the war
- Abdication initially improved morale - poor supplies and economic problems continued - reversed process
- Petrograd Soviet March 17 declared they only supported a defensive war - PG disagreed with PS
- April 17 demonstrations against war Petrograd increased
How did the Provisional Government lose lots of support in June?
- supported ‘June Offensive’ against Austro-Hungarians - failed - mass desertions- morale collapsed
Why did political, social and economic chaos still increase in the countryside?
PG exerted control on cities but did not have capability to influence countryside - could not stop peasants seizing large amounts of land from landowners