The Provisional Government Flashcards
What was the Petrograd Soviet?
a city council made up of workers and soldiers which exercised significant influence over the Provisional Government
What was the Provisional Government?
a group made up of 12 members of the Duma committee after the tsar abdicated who believed that Russia needed to modernize and democratize in order to catch up with the rest of Europe.
Who was the first leader of the Provisional Government?
Prince Lvov
What were the first acts of the Provisional Government?
- Releasing political and religious prisoners
- Promising full democratic freedom
- Ending the death penalty
- Taking over land belonging to the tsar
- Transferring power to zemstvos (local councils)
Which 8 prinicples were the Provisional Government to follow if they were to be supported by the Petrograd Soviet?
- Amnesty for all political prisoners
- Freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, right to strike
- No privileges of class, religion or nationality
- Elections for a constituent assembly
- Elected peoples militia to replace all police units
- Local government to be elected
- Military units that took part in the revolution to stay together, keep weapons and not be sent to the front
- Off duty soldiers to have the same rights as citizens
Why was the Provisional Government supposed to listen to the Petrograd Soviet?
they had control over communications, many ordinary soldiers and sailors and over local efforts to improve food supplies
Alexander Kerensky
Russian lawyer, politician, and revolutionary who bacame the leader of the Provisional Government in July 1917
What mistakes did Kerensky make as the leader of the Provisional Government which contributed to his failure and unpopularity?
- Continued to support WW1 which angered ordinary soldiers
- Acted against the old ruling classes, which lost him support from conservatives
- Failed to control the Bolsheviks
What were the weaknesses and failures of the Provisional Government which led to its collapse in Oct 1917?
- Lack of decisive leadership
- Lack of control over military
- ‘Dual Power’
- Failure to hold a general election
- Lack of legitimacy
- Failure to provide more land for peasants
- Criticism of government
- Failure to improve economy
- Continuing to fight the war
How was a lack of military control a contributing factor to the collapse of the Provisional Government?
Order Number 1 meant the Petrograd Soviet had the
final say on military matters, not the Provisional Government. Continuing to fight the war rather than only defending Russia’s borders was very unpopular
How was Dual Power a contributing factor to the collapse of the Provisional Government?
it meant the Provisional Government was in a very weak position and there were areas it had no control over, such as the railways and postal service.
How was a lack of legitimacy a contributing factor to the collapse of the Provisional Government?
people didnt like that it was not elected by the people, unlike soviets
How was free speech a contributing factor to the collapse of the Provisional Government?
Slander about the government was easily spread
How was failure to improve the economy a contributing factor to the collapse of the Provisional Government?
there was no quick way to solve shortages
How was continuing to fight WW1 a contributing factor to the collapse of the Provisional Government?
the June Offensive was a failure, making the Provisional Government’s commitment to fighting the war even more problematic
