In February 1917 the monarchy of the Romanovs ended. It left a vacuum of power in avast country. The most urgent question for Russia was who would fill the existing gap and how the problems shall be solved, which the country faced. The new liberal regime ended after only eight month by the Bolshevik overthrow. The opinions concerning the inevitability of the events are divided. Some scholar might argue that: “No statesmen, no cabinet, even if possessed the quintessence of liberal wisdom and combined the talents of Gladstone, Cavour and Lloyd George could have achieved the goals the Provisional Government pursued.” On the other hand it seems wrong to accept that the development was predetermined. Actors and decisions affected the events crucially. The essay attempts to determine factors which contributed to the fall of the Februarian Regime. It tries to enlight the policy of the new regime in order to determine to which extent it could be made responsible for outcome. These policy as well as the emergence of the Bolsheviks as a power contender shall be examined. Therefore the focus will be put on the most crucial problems the country faced and the approaches which are provided to solve them. Dates are given using the older Russian way of counting.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Starting situation
3. The armed forces and the war question
4. Economy, Provision and the countryside
5. The Bolsheviks as contenders
6. Conclusion
Research Objective and Core Topics
This essay explores the factors contributing to the collapse of the Russian Liberal Regime in 1917, specifically examining the regime's inability to solve pressing national crises and the subsequent rise of the Bolsheviks as a viable power contender.
- The impact of the "dual power" system between the Provisional Government and the Soviet.
- The military crisis, the war question, and the loss of authority over the armed forces.
- Economic hardship, food supply shortages, and the unresolved land reform demands.
- The political agitation and alternative program offered by the Bolsheviks to the masses.
Excerpt from the Book
3. The armed forces and the war question
If we follow Marc Ferro and assume that the army is the keystone of the social order and the upholder of the national interest, we can´t overestimate the significance controlling the armed forces. “In February, the great question had not been what the army was supposed to do, but wether the Revolution would regenerate it, or weaken its capacity for offence or defence. The answer a few weeks later, was unanimous: the country´s ability to fight was being underminded, and the Revolution was destroying the army.”10 Why does he give this answer? Several aspects must be considered. In the revolutionary days of the february revolution the notorious Order No.1 was issued. This order deprived the state of the weapon monopoly, since it claimed (amongst other things) that the troops should recognize the authority of the Soviet (and only of the Soviet) on all policy questions involving the armed forces.11 The outcome was: No resolutions could be made without the approval of the Soviet, the Provisional Government lost control over its armed forces before it even start gaining control. The order led to a situation “in which the enlisted men in the armed forces recognized only the authority of the Petrograd Soviet, while the officer corps recognized only the authority of the Provisional Government.”12 Effectively the Liberal Regime was disarmed. Furthermore: The order tried to democratize the army – commitees arose, elections were held. Also the resolutions of the order deepened the distance between officers and mere soldiers. The consequence: “In February 1917, the officers lost control over their soldiers, and they could never reestablish their authority.”13
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Outlines the power vacuum following the fall of the Romanov monarchy and sets the research focus on the failure of the Provisional Government.
2. Starting situation: Describes the emergence of the "dual power" system between the Provisional Government and the Soviet, highlighting the instability of the nascent Russian democracy.
3. The armed forces and the war question: Analyzes how Order No.1 undermined the military and how the continuation of World War I alienated both the population and the soldiers.
4. Economy, Provision and the countryside: Examines the severe economic crisis, the breakdown of food supply in cities, and the government's failure to address peasant demands for land reform.
5. The Bolsheviks as contenders: Discusses the Bolsheviks' ability to capitalize on public discontent by providing clear, alternative solutions to the problems that the Liberal Regime could not solve.
6. Conclusion: Summarizes that the failure of the Liberal Regime was not inevitable but the result of inherited difficulties compounded by crucial policy mistakes.
Keywords
Russia 1917, Provisional Government, Bolsheviks, dual power, Russian Revolution, Romanov, Soviet, Petrograd, land reform, World War I, regime collapse, authority, political instability, Marxism, Kornilov affair
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental subject of this essay?
The essay examines the political failure of the Russian Liberal Regime in 1917, specifically analyzing why the Provisional Government collapsed within eight months of taking power.
What are the central themes discussed in the work?
Key themes include the structural weaknesses of the Provisional Government, the disintegration of the military, the economic crisis, the unresolved land question, and the rise of the Bolshevik party.
What is the primary research goal?
The goal is to determine the specific factors and policy failures that led to the fall of the Februarian Regime and to evaluate to what extent the rise of the Bolsheviks was facilitated by these failures.
Which scientific methodology is applied?
The author utilizes a qualitative historical analysis, incorporating theoretical approaches from political scientists like Charles Tilly, Theda Skocpol, and Michael Freeman to explain revolutionary processes.
What aspects are covered in the main body?
The main body systematically addresses the "dual power" system, the loss of control over the armed forces, the economic and agrarian crises, and the strategic positioning of the Bolsheviks as an alternative power.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
Key terms include Russia 1917, Provisional Government, Bolsheviks, dual power, regime collapse, and the revolutionary role of the Soviet.
How did Order No.1 specifically contribute to the regime's failure?
Order No.1 effectively disarmed the Provisional Government by transferring authority over the armed forces to the Soviet, creating a situation where the government held office but lacked the power to command military and revolutionary forces.
Why does the author argue that the Bolsheviks were successful?
The author argues that the Bolsheviks provided concrete, albeit radical, solutions to issues like the war, land redistribution, and economic hardship, effectively exploiting the incompetence and passivity of the existing Liberal government.
- Quote paper
- Martin Röw (Author), 2004, Russia 1917 - on the failure of the Liberal Regime, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/38203
