russia KQ3- the provisional government and its opponents (feb-oct 1917)

dual power

provisional government and petrograd soviet

composition of pg

a progressive bloc gov dominated by middle class liberals, headed by prince lvov (PM and interior minister), milyukov (kadet), and guchkov (octobrist) and kerensky (socialist)

sources of authority of pg

inherited power from collapsed tsarist state, claimed legitimacy as a temporary gov pending a constituent assembly so had no democratic mandate and was dependent on soviet approval

composition of petrograd soviet

dominated by mensheviks and SRs, represented urban workers and soldiers, controlled soldiers loyalty, railways etc, had mass legitimacy in petrograd, supervised pg

kerensky’s dual role

minister in pg and vice chairman of the soviet, he maintained cooperation and showed the fragility of dual power, his position was exceptional and controversial

flaws with dual power

• unequal distribution of power- pg was official but lacked real power and couldn’t control petrograd garrison and couldn’t enforce decisions, lacked a disciplined police force

• local gov collapsed, provincial governors abolished and zemstva lost credibility

strengths of petrograd soviet

• loyal railway workers, control over transport

• loyal postal/telegraph workers, control of communication

• control of armed forces (petrograd garrison that had 180,000 troops in the city)

• grew in influence, by oct 1917 there were around 1500 soviets across russia

membership of petrograd soviet

elected by industrial workers in petrograd and soldiers of petrograd garrison

representation in petrograd soviet

1 rep per 1000 workers and 250 soldiers, soldiers heavily over represented (around 2/3 of 3000 members were soldiers’ representatives)

elections to petrograd soviet

informal and decentralised, decisions made at grassroots level and representatives did not serve fixed terms = fluidity and instability

executive committee

sect of petrograd soviet that had most power, made up of experienced political activists and ordinary workers/soldiers largely excluded

aims of petrograd soviet

• temporary body to protect workers’ and soldiers’ interests

• safeguard the revolution until a constituent assembly was formed

• monitor and restrain pg - prevent autocracy

• later expanded militarily, became a de facto local gov, and involved in foreign policy