- revolutionary events that took place in Russia in early March (according to the Julian calendar - in late February - early March) 1917 and led to the overthrow of the autocracy. In Soviet historical science, it was characterized as "bourgeois".
Its tasks were the introduction of a constitution, the establishment of a democratic republic (the possibility of maintaining a constitutional parliamentary monarchy was not ruled out), political freedoms, and the solution of land, labor and national issues.
The revolution was led to a significant deterioration in the socio-economic situation of the Russian Empire in connection with the protracted First World War, economic ruin, and a food crisis. It became more and more difficult for the state to support the army and provide food for the cities, dissatisfaction with military hardships grew among the population and in the troops. At the front, the agitators of the left parties successfully acted, calling on the soldiers to disobedience and rebellion.
The liberal-minded public was outraged by what was happening at the "top", criticizing the unpopular government, the frequent change of governors and ignoring the State Duma, whose members demanded reforms and, in particular, the creation of a government responsible not to the tsar, but to the Duma.
The aggravation of the needs and miseries of the masses, the growth of anti-war sentiments and general dissatisfaction with the autocracy led to mass demonstrations against the government and the dynasty in large cities, and above all in Petrograd (now St. Petersburg).
In early March 1917, due to transport difficulties in the capital, supplies deteriorated, ration cards were introduced, and the Putilov plant temporarily suspended its work. As a result, 36,000 workers lost their livelihoods. Strikes in solidarity with the Putilovites took place in all districts of Petrograd.
On March 8 (February 23, old style), 1917, tens of thousands of workers took to the streets of the city, carrying the slogans "Bread!" and "Down with autocracy!". Two days later, the strike had already engulfed half of the workers in Petrograd. Armed squads were formed at the factories.
On March 10-11 (February 25-26, old style), the first clashes between the strikers and the police and gendarmerie took place. Attempts to disperse the protesters with the help of the troops were unsuccessful, but only heated up the situation, as the commander of the Petrograd Military District, following the order of Emperor Nicholas II to "restor order in the capital", ordered the troops to shoot at the demonstrators. Hundreds of people were killed or injured, many were arrested.
On March 12 (February 27, Old Style), the general strike escalated into an armed uprising. A massive transition of troops to the side of the rebels began.
The military command tried to bring new units to Petrograd, but the soldiers did not want to participate in the punitive operation. One military unit after another took the side of the rebels. The revolutionary-minded soldiers, having seized the armory, helped the detachments of workers and students to arm themselves.
The rebels occupied the most important points of the city, government buildings, arrested the tsarist government. They also destroyed police stations, seized prisons, released prisoners, including criminals. Petrograd was overwhelmed by a wave of robberies, murders and robbery.
The center of the uprising was the Tauride Palace, where the State Duma had previously met. On March 12 (February 27, old style), the Soviet of Workers' and Soldiers' Deputies was formed here, the majority of which were Mensheviks and Trudoviks. The first thing the Council did was to solve the problems of defense and food supply.
At the same time, in the adjacent hall of the Tauride Palace, the Duma leaders, who refused to obey the decree of Nicholas II on the dissolution of the State Duma, formed the "Provisional Committee of the Members of the State Duma", which declared itself the bearer of supreme power in the country. The committee was headed by Duma Chairman Mikhail Rodzianko, and the body included representatives of all Duma parties, with the exception of the extreme right. The members of the committee created a broad political program of reforms necessary for Russia. Their first priority was to restore order, especially among the soldiers.
On March 13 (February 28, old style), the Provisional Committee appointed General Lavr Kornilov to the post of commander of the troops of the Petrograd District and sent his commissars to the Senate and ministries. He began to perform the functions of the government and sent deputies Alexander Guchkov and Vasily Shulgin to the Headquarters for negotiations with Nicholas II on the abdication of the throne, which took place on March 15 (March 2, old style).
On the same day, as a result of negotiations between the Provisional Committee of the Duma and the executive committee of the Petrograd Soviet of Workers' and Soldiers' Deputies, a Provisional Government headed by Prince Georgy Lvov was created, which took full power into its own hands. The only representative of the Soviets who received a ministerial post was the Trudovik Alexander Kerensky.
On March 14 (March 1, according to the old style), a new government was established in Moscow, during March - throughout the country. But in Petrograd and in the localities the Soviets of Workers' and Soldiers' Deputies and the Soviets of Peasants' Deputies acquired great influence.
The coming to power of both the Provisional Government and the Soviets of Workers', Soldiers' and Peasants' Deputies created a situation of dual power in the country. A new stage of the struggle for power between them began, which, together with the inconsistent policy of the Provisional Government, created the preconditions for the October Revolution of 1917.
The material was prepared on the basis of information from open sources
History of Russia [Textbook] Team of authors
8.7. February Revolution 1917
The revolutionary situation in Russia was brought to life by a combination of objective and subjective reasons. At the beginning of 1917, the economic development of the country finally came into conflict with the backward autocratic political system. The proletariat of Russia put forward both economic and political demands in its struggle. The World War exacerbated the already difficult relationship between the social strata in Russian society. The threat of civil war in Russia became more and more inevitable.
The people demanded an end to the war, protested against the lack of food, clothing, fuel, etc. Anti-war speeches developed into a revolutionary movement against the existing system. On January 9, 1917, on the twelfth anniversary of Bloody Sunday, more than 150,000 workers in Petrograd went on strike. In January and February, the strike struggle did not subside. The workers of Petrograd and other industrial centers of Russia, part of the front and rear units of the army were under the influence of Bolshevik propaganda, which ultimately determined the fate of Russia.
The bourgeois-democratic revolution in Russia began on February 23, 1917. On this day, the women of Petrograd, celebrating the day of international solidarity of working women - March 8, staged a demonstration that took place under the economic and anti-war slogans "Bread!", "Return our husbands from the front!" . The women's initiative was supported by the workers of Petrograd. The next day, February 24, the spontaneous uprising of the workers developed into a general strike under the political demands "Down with the imperialist war!", "Down with the tsar!"
On February 25, strike committees began to form in the capital's factories and factories, which led the revolutionary uprising of the St. Petersburg proletariat.
On February 27 soldiers of the Petrograd garrison joined the workers. The citywide political strike developed into an armed uprising. On February 28, the rebels captured the Winter Palace, the Peter and Paul Fortress, and the Admiralty. Prisoners were released from the Kresty prison. The rebels arrested the commander of the Petrograd Military District, General S. S. Khabalov, Minister of War A. A. Belyaev, and other ministers of the government, which surrendered power without resistance.
On February 27, 1917, the Cadets and Octobrist factions created from among their members the Provisional Committee of the State Duma, headed by the Octobrist M. V. Rodzianko. On the same day, the factions of the Social Democrats (Mensheviks) and the Trudoviks formed the Petrograd Soviet of Workers' and Soldiers' Deputies, headed by the Menshevik N. S. Chkheidze. Trudovik A.F. Kerensky and Menshevik M.I. Skobelev were elected his comrades (deputies). N. S. Chkheidze signed Order No. 1, which stated that units of the Petrograd garrison could not leave their places of deployment in battle order, and also withdraw military equipment without the sanction of the Petrograd Soviet. This meant that the Petrograd Soviet was the real power, since the army was subordinate to it.
On March 1, 1917, the tsar sent a telegram from Headquarters agreeing to fulfill the traditional demand of the Cadets to create a "responsible Duma ministry." However, it was too late to create a government responsible to the Duma: this step could no longer stop the revolution. On March 2, deputies of the State Duma A. I. Guchkov and V. V. Shulgin arrived at the headquarters of Nicholas II with a prepared text of his abdication from the throne. The emperor signed the text of the renunciation, but not in favor of his son Alexei, but his brother Mikhail. However, Mikhail refused the throne offered to him, transferring power until the convocation of the Constituent Assembly to the Provisional Committee of the State Duma.
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From the book Up to Heaven [History of Russia in stories about saints] author Krupin Vladimir NikolaevichIt did not solve the economic, political and class contradictions in the country, but it was the prerequisite for the February Revolution of 1917. The participation of tsarist Russia in the First World War showed the inability of its economy to carry out military tasks. Many factories stopped their work, the army felt the lack of equipment, weapons, food. The transport system of the country is absolutely not adapted to the military situation, agriculture has lost ground. Economic difficulties have increased Russia's foreign debt to enormous proportions.
Intending to extract the maximum benefits from the war, the Russian bourgeoisie began to create unions and committees on questions of raw materials, fuel, food, and so on.
True to the principle of proletarian internationalism, the Bolshevik Party revealed the imperialist nature of the war, which was waged in the interests of the exploiting classes, its predatory, predatory nature. The party sought to direct the discontent of the masses into the channel of a revolutionary struggle for the collapse of the autocracy.
In August 1915, the "Progressive Bloc" was formed, which planned to force Nicholas II to abdicate in favor of his brother Mikhail. Thus, the opposition bourgeoisie hoped to prevent the revolution and at the same time preserve the monarchy. But such a scheme did not ensure bourgeois-democratic transformations in the country.
The reasons for the February Revolution of 1917 were anti-war sentiments, the plight of the workers and peasants, political lack of rights, the decline in the authority of the autocratic government and its inability to carry out reforms.
The driving force in the struggle was the working class, led by the revolutionary Bolshevik Party. The allies of the workers were the peasants, who demanded the redistribution of land. The Bolsheviks explained to the soldiers the goals and objectives of the struggle.
The main events of the February Revolution took place rapidly. For several days in Petrograd, Moscow and other cities there was a wave of strikes with the slogans "Down with the tsarist government!", "Down with the war!". On February 25, the political strike became general. Executions, arrests were not able to stop the revolutionary onslaught of the masses. Government troops were put on alert, the city of Petrograd was turned into a military camp.
February 26, 1917 was the beginning of the February Revolution. On February 27, the soldiers of the Pavlovsky, Preobrazhensky and Volynsky regiments went over to the side of the workers. This decided the outcome of the struggle: on February 28, the government was overthrown.
The outstanding significance of the February Revolution is that it was the first people's revolution in history of the era of imperialism, which ended in victory.
During the February Revolution of 1917, Tsar Nicholas II abdicated.
Dual power arose in Russia, which was a kind of result of the February Revolution of 1917. On the one hand, the Soviet of Workers' and Soldiers' Deputies as an organ of people's power, on the other hand, the Provisional Government is an organ of the dictatorship of the bourgeoisie, headed by Prince G.E. Lvov. In organizational matters, the bourgeoisie was more prepared for power, but was unable to establish autocracy.
The provisional government pursued an anti-people, imperialist policy: the land issue was not resolved, factories remained in the hands of the bourgeoisie, agriculture and industry were in dire need, and there was not enough fuel for rail transport. The dictatorship of the bourgeoisie only deepened the economic and political problems.
Russia after the February Revolution experienced an acute political crisis. Therefore, the need was ripe for the development of the bourgeois-democratic revolution into a socialist one, which was supposed to bring the proletariat to power.
One of the consequences of the February Revolution is the October Revolution under the slogan "All power to the Soviets!".
The February Revolution Summary will help you gather your thoughts before the exam and remember what you remember from this topic and what you don't. This historical event was a landmark for the history of Russia. It opened the door to further revolutionary upheavals, which will not end soon. Without assimilation of this topic, it is pointless to try to understand further events.
It is worth saying that the events of February 1917 are of great importance for modern Russia. This year, 2017, marks the centenary of those events. I think that the country is facing the same problems as tsarist Russia then: the monstrously low standard of living of the population, the authorities' disregard for their people, who feed these authorities; the lack of will and desire at the top to change something in a positive direction. But then there were no TVs ... What do you think about this - write in the comments.
Causes of the February Revolution
The inability of the authorities to solve a number of crises faced by the state during the First World War:
- Transport crisis: due to the extremely small length of railways, there was a shortage of transport.
- Food crisis: the country had extremely low yields, plus peasant land shortages and the inefficiency of noble estates led to a disastrous food situation. The country was aggravated by famine.
- Arms crisis: for more than three years, the army has experienced a severe shortage of ammunition. Only by the end of 1916 did Russian industry begin to work on the scale necessary for the country.
- The unresolved worker and peasant question in Russia. The share of the proletariat and the skilled working class has grown many times over in comparison with the first years of the reign of Nicholas II. The issue of child labor and labor insurance was not resolved. The salary was extremely low. If we talk about the peasants, then land shortages persisted. Plus, in wartime, extortions from the population increased monstrously, all horses and people were mobilized. The people did not understand what to fight for and did not share the patriotism experienced by the leaders in the first years of the war.
- The crisis of the tops: in 1916 alone, several high-ranking ministers were replaced, which gave rise to the prominent rightist V.M. Purishkevich to call this phenomenon "ministerial leapfrog". This expression has become catchy.
The distrust of the common people, and even members of the State Duma, grew even more because of the presence at the court of Grigory Rasputin. Shameful rumors circulated about the royal family. Only on December 30, 1916, Rasputin was killed.
The authorities tried to solve all these crises, but to no avail. The Special Conferences that were convened were not successful. Since 1915, Nicholas II took command of the troops, despite the fact that he himself was in the rank of colonel.
In addition, since at least January 1917, a conspiracy against the tsar had been brewing among the top generals of the army (General M.V. Alekseev, V.I. Gurko, etc.) and the Fourth State Duma (Cadet A.I. Guchkov, etc.). ). The king himself knew and suspected of the impending coup. And even ordered in mid-February 1917 to reinforce the Petrograd garrison at the expense of loyal units from the front. He had to give this order three times, since General Gurko was in no hurry to carry it out. As a result, this order was never carried out. Thus, this example already shows the sabotage of the orders of the emperor by the top generals.
Course of events
The course of events of the February Revolution was characterized by the following points:
- The beginning of spontaneous unrest of the people in Petrograd and a number of other cities, presumably due to an acute shortage of food on International Women's Day (old style - February 23).
- Going over to the side of the rebel army. It consisted of the same workers and peasants who were acutely aware of the need for change.
- The slogans "Down with the tsar", "Down with the autocracy" immediately arose, which predetermined the fall of the monarchy.
- Parallel authorities began to emerge: Soviets of Workers', Peasants' and Soldiers' Deputies, based on the experience of the First Russian Revolution.
- On February 28, the Provisional Committee of the State Duma announced the transfer of power into its own hands as a result of the termination of the Golitsyn government.
- On March 1, this committee was recognized by England and France. On March 2, representatives of the committee went to the tsar, who abdicated in favor of his brother Mikhail Alexandrovich, and on March 3, he abdicated in favor of the Provisional Government.
The results of the revolution
- The monarchy in Russia fell. Russia became a parliamentary republic.
- Power passed to the bourgeois Provisional Government and the Soviets, many believe that dual power has begun. But in reality there was no dual power. There are a lot of nuances that I revealed in my video course “History. Preparation for the exam for 100 points.
- Many see this revolution as the first step .
Sincerely, Andrey Puchkov
Causes, course and results of the February Revolution and its features. Causes of the crises of the Provisional Government. Causes, course and results of the October Revolution.
The answer should start with an analysis Causes of the February Revolution. Then one should note the peculiarity of this revolution, its main events and results.
Considering the events of February-October 1917, it is necessary to analyze in detail the causes of the crises of the Provisional Government and their consequences, the reasons for the rapid growth of the influence of the Bolsheviks among the population. In conclusion, it is necessary to express your own (reasoned) opinion on the issue of the inevitability of the Bolsheviks coming to power, as well as on the features of the October events of 1917 (can they be considered a revolution?).
Sample response plan:
1. February Revolution , its main events and results (February 23-27, 1917).
Causes of the Revolution. Economic and political crisis, destabilization of the situation due to the protracted First World War; the fall of the moral authority of tsarism due to “Rasputinism” (what is it? Answer: this refers to the enormous influence of G. Rasputin on the royal family, under whose patronage there were appointments to all the highest posts - an indicator of the decomposition of the regime).
A characteristic feature of the February Revolution is its spontaneous nature (not a single party was ready for a revolution).
Main events:
February 23, 1917. - the beginning of a strike at the Putilov factory (in the beginning, economic slogans prevailed: to improve the supply of St. Petersburg with food, etc.).
February 26- mass demonstrations in Petrograd under anti-war slogans, clashes with the police and troops.
February 27- the transition of the Petrograd garrison to the side of the rebels; the formation of the Petrograd Soviet of Workers' and Soldiers' Deputies (Petrosoviet) and the Provisional Committee of the State Duma.
2nd of March- abdication of Nicholas II for himself and for his son Alexei in favor of his brother Mikhail Alexandrovich (this was Nicholas' trick, since according to the law of succession to the throne he did not have the right to abdicate for his son → apparently he planned to declare his abdication illegal in the near future). At the same time, the Petrograd Soviet and the Provisional Committee of the State Duma agreed to create Provisional Government(should have been in effect until the convocation of the Constituent Assembly) on the basis of the Provisional Committee of the State Duma, but under the control of the Petrograd Soviet (the majority of ministerial portfolios were received by the Cadets and Octobrists, the right SR Kerensky entered the Government from the Petrograd Soviet as Minister of Justice). The Petrograd Soviet also issued Order No. 1(the abolition of servility in the army, the introduction of soldiers' committees and elected commanders). Its meaning is that the soldiers fully supported the Petrograd Soviet, but at the same time the decomposition of the army began, the complete fall of military discipline.
March, 3rd- Michael's abdication from the throne, but Russia was not proclaimed a republic (according to the "party of power" - the Cadets - only the Constituent Assembly could do this).
The results of the revolution: the overthrow of the monarchy, the actual establishment of the republic (officially proclaimed only on September 1, 1917); proclaimed the maximum democratic rights and freedoms of the population, universal suffrage. Thus, the February Revolution of 1917 can be considered completed bourgeois-democratic revolution.
2. dual power regime. Crisis of the Provisional Government. One of the results of the February Revolution was the establishment dual power(the presence of two alternative centers of power: the Petrosoviet and the Provisional Government). This was one of the reasons for the extreme instability of the political situation, which was reflected in the crises of the Provisional Government.
First crisis- April: because of the speech of the leader of the Cadets, Minister of Foreign Affairs Milyukov, with a note about the continuation of the war to a victorious end. Outcome: mass anti-war demonstrations and the resignation of Milyukov and Guchkov (Minister of War, leader of the Octobrists).
Second crisis- June-July. Cause: unsuccessful offensive at the front, in response - mass anti-war demonstrations; an attempt by the Bolsheviks to seize power under their cover → the demonstrations were shot by the troops, the Bolsheviks were outlawed as "German spies"; the composition of the Provisional Government changed (it included the leaders of the Mensheviks and Socialist-Revolutionaries from the Petrosoviet, Kerensky became chairman). Outcome: the end of dual power, the Provisional Government became the center of power.
Third Crisis- August. Cause: an attempt by the supreme commander-in-chief, General Kornilov, to seize power on August 26-27 (tell more about the features of the "Kornilov rebellion", the position of Kerensky, the Cadets, the Socialist-Revolutionaries and other parties). The rebellion was suppressed with the active participation of the Bolsheviks. Consequence- a sharp increase in their authority, Bolshevization of the Soviets in September 1917).
The common cause of the crises of the Provisional Government is stubborn unwillingness to solve urgent problems (about the war, land, political system) before the convocation of the Constituent Assembly. Moreover, the elections to the Constituent Assembly were constantly postponed, which led to a fall in the authority of the government. One of the reasons for such a position of the government is the idea of the Cadets' "non-prejudice" (what is its essence?).
Outcome: catastrophic deterioration of the situation in the country.
Was the coming to power of the Bolsheviks inevitable? Most historians now adhere to the "theory of two alternatives". Its essence: by the autumn of 1917, due to the inaction of the Provisional Government, the situation in the country had deteriorated so much that it was now possible to get out of the crisis only with the help of harsh radical measures, that is, the establishment of a dictatorship either “from the right” (military, Kornilov), or “ on the left" (Bolsheviks). Both those and others promised to quickly solve all problems, without waiting for the elections to the Constituent Assembly. The attempt to establish a dictatorship "from the right" failed, leaving the only alternative - the dictatorship "from the left" of the Bolsheviks.
Conclusion: the coming of the Bolsheviks to power in those specific historical conditions is logical and natural.
3. October Revolution.
Its feature is this is its almost bloodless character (the minimum number of victims during the storming of the Winter Palace and the capture of key objects in Petrograd).
When describing the events of October 24-25, it is necessary to analyze Lenin's plan, to answer the question why the seizure of power was timed to coincide with the opening of the II All-Russian Congress of Soviets (the goal is to put the deputies before the fact of a change of power).
Main events:
October 24- the capture by the Red Guard and the Military Revolutionary Committee of the RSDLP (b) of the key objects of Petrograd.
the 25th of October- the capture of the Winter Palace, the arrest of the Provisional Government, the proclamation of the power of the Soviets.
Decisions of the II All-Russian Congress of Soviets and their significance. The first activities of the Soviet government in the political, economic, social, national and cultural spheres. Causes of the "triumphal procession" of Soviet power.
When preparing this topic, it is necessary to analyze the first decrees of the Soviet government, to identify the reasons for the so-called "triumphant procession" of the Soviet government in November-December 1917. It is also necessary to characterize the new structure of the authorities; the main activities in the socio-economic, political and cultural spheres, their results and consequences.
Sample response plan:
1. II All-Russian Congress of Soviets: the first decrees of the Soviet power.
– "peace decree"- the announcement of Russia's withdrawal from the war, an appeal to all the warring powers to begin peace negotiations "without annexations and indemnities."
– "Land Decree"”- in fact, a program for the socialization of the land of the Socialist-Revolutionaries, which is popular among the peasants, was actually adopted (the abolition of private ownership of land, the gratuitous confiscation of landlord lands and its division among the peasants according to labor and consumer norms) → the demands of the peasants are fully satisfied.
– "decree on power» - the proclamation of the transfer of power to the Soviets; the creation of a new power structure, the elimination of the principle of separation of powers as a bourgeois one.
New power system:
It should be noted that initially the Bolsheviks turned to all socialist parties with a proposal to join the Council of People's Commissars and the All-Russian Central Executive Committee, but only the Left Socialist-Revolutionaries agreed (they received about 1/3 of the seats). Thus, until July 1918, the government was bipartisan.
The reasons for the "triumphant procession of Soviet power", those. relatively peaceful (except Moscow) and quick establishment throughout the country: the almost instant implementation by the Bolsheviks (albeit in a declarative form) of their promises, which at first ensured the support of the population, especially the peasants.
2. Socio-economic activities:
October-November 1917. - Decrees on the introduction of an 8-hour working day and workers' control in enterprises; nationalization of banks and large enterprises;
March 1918. - after the loss of grain regions (Ukraine and others), the introduction of a food monopoly and fixed food prices.
3. Activities in the field of national policy:
November 2, 1917. – "Declaration of the Rights of the Peoples of Russia": the abolition of national privileges and restrictions; the right of nations to self-determination and the creation of their own states (Poland, Finland and the Baltic peoples immediately took advantage of this right).
Outcome: the growth of sympathy for Soviet Russia on the part of the colonial and semi-colonial countries, as well as the national outskirts of Russia itself.
4. Activities in the field of education and culture:
January 1918- a decree on the separation of the church from the state and the school from the church, the decree on the abolition of the class-lesson education system, the introduction of a new calendar.
5. Political activities:
January 3, 1918. – « Declaration of the Rights of the Working and Exploited People"(united all previous decrees on rights; considered as an introduction to the Constitution).
January 5-6, 1918. - the opening and dispersal of the Constituent Assembly by the Bolsheviks (for refusing to recognize the October Revolution and subsequent decrees of Soviet power as legal).
January 10, 1918. - III Congress of Soviets; approved the "Declaration" on January 3, 1918, proclaimed Russia a federation (RSFSR), confirmed the decree of the II Congress on the socialization of the land.
July 1918. - Adoption the first Constitution of the RSFSR(fixed the new power structure of the Soviets), its characteristic feature is a pronounced ideologization (a course towards a world revolution, etc.), deprivation of voting rights of the exploiting classes.
In conclusion, it should be noted that after the conclusion of the Brest peace in March 1918, the Bolsheviks found themselves in an extremely difficult situation and, in order to avoid starvation in the cities, they were forced to start requisitioning bread from the peasants (through the committees of the poor, created in June 1918). Outcome: the growth of discontent among the peasants, which was used by all the counter-revolutionary forces from the Socialist-Revolutionaries and Mensheviks to the monarchists.
July 1918- an unsuccessful rebellion of the Left Socialist-Revolutionaries (opposed the new peasant policy of the Bolsheviks and peace with Germany).
Outcome: the formation of a one-party, only Bolshevik government and a one-party political system in the country.
