The Russian Provisional Government was formed in Petrograd in 1917 after the February Revolution and the abdication of Tsar Nicholas II.^[1]

When the authority of the Tsar's government began disintegrating after the February Revolution of 1917, two rival institutions, the Duma and the Petrograd Soviet, competed for power. Tsar Nicholas II abdicated on March 2 (Julian calendar) and nominated his brother, Grand Duke Michael as the next tsar. Grand Duke Michael did not want to take the poisoned chalice^[2] and deferred acceptance of imperial power the next day. Legal authorization for the transfer of power was given by a proclamation signed by Grand Duke Michael. The Provisional Government was expected to rule until the Constituent Assembly later determined the form of government in Russia.

The Provisional Government was designed to set up elections to the Assembly while maintaining essential government services, but its power was effectively limited by the Petrograd Soviet's growing authority. The weakness of the Provisional Government is perhaps best reflected in the derisive nickname given to Prime Minister Alexander Kerensky, who became known as the "persuader-in-chief." ^[3] Although at first the Soviet gave support to the Provisional Government, this gradually eroded. Since the Soviet controlled the army, factories, and railways and had the support of the workers, this became a period of dual authority.^[4]

The Provisional Government was led first by Prince Georgy L'vov and then by Alexander Kerensky. It postponed the expected elections. Instead of ending Russia's involvement in World War I, it launched a new offensive against the German and Austro-Hungarian army in July 1917, thereby weakening its popularity among Russia's war-weary people. This Kerensky Offensive, as it was called, was a failure which further eroded support for the government. The Provisional Government was unable to make decisive policy decisions due to political factionalism and a breakdown of state structures.^[5] This weakness led to a challenge from the right in the form of the Kornilov Affair, and then from the left, which organized the October Revolution, transferring power to the Soviets controlled by the Bolsheviks. The Bolsheviks then replaced the government with their own which, until the Russian Constituent Assembly was disbanded, was also called "provisional".

Announcement of its formation

Below is the public announcement of the formation of the Provisional Government, the text of which was published in Izvestia the day after its formation. ^[6]

Prime Ministers of the Provisional Government

• Prince Georgy Yevgenyevich L'vov (March 23?July 8)
• Alexander Kerensky (July 8?November 8)

The October Revolution

Milrevcom proclamation about the overthrowing of the Provisional Government

Some historians, such as Pavel Osinsky, argue that the October Revolution was as much a function of the failures of the Provisional Government as it was of the strength of the Bolsheviks. Osinsky described this as ?socialism by default? as opposed to ?socialism by design.? ^[7]

Riasanovsky argued that the Provisional Government made perhaps its "worst mistake"^[8] by not holding elections to the Constituent Assembly soon enough. They wasted time fine-tuning details of the election law, while Russia slipped further into anarchy and economic chaos. By the time the Assembly finally met, argued Riasanovsky, "the Bolsheviks had already gained control of Russia."^[9]

See also

• List of leaders of Russia
• Alexey Peshekhonov

Additional reading

• Kerensky, Alexander. ''The Catastrophe: Kerensky?s Own Story of the Russian Revolution''. New York: D. Appleton and Company, 1927.
• Medvedev, Roi. The October Revolution. New York: Columbia University Press, 1979.
• Reed, John. ''Ten Days that Shook the World''. New York: Boni & Liveright, 1919.
• Riasanovsky, Nicholas. A History of Russia (sixth edition). New York: Oxford University Press, 2000.
• Trotsky, Leon. ''Lessons of October''. New York: Pioneer Publishers, 1937 (1924).

References

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