5) March 1917 Revolution
The March 1917 Revolution
Early 1917: Few believed Tsar’s regime would survive.
Jan–Feb: Strikes spread across Russia, joined by soldiers (many were new conscripts).
7 March: Putilov steelworks strike → joined by women (International Women’s Day) and other workers.
7–10 March: 250,000 workers striking → industry halted.
Duma formed a Provisional Committee; Tsar ordered it to disband → they refused.
12 March: Tsar ordered army to crush revolt → soldiers refused, some killed officers and joined protesters.
Duma reluctantly took power → aimed for reform, not full revolution.
Same day: Petrograd Soviet re-formed → took control of food supplies and set up soldiers’ committees (weakened officers’ authority).
Soviets spread across Russia, following Petrograd’s lead.
15 March: Tsar abdicated.
His brother Michael refused throne → end of tsarist rule in Russia.
In early 1917, the Tsar’s regime was collapsing. Strikes broke out in January and February, supported by workers and soldiers who sympathised with them. On 7 March, workers at the Putilov steelworks went on strike, joined by women on International Women’s Day and thousands of others demanding bread. Within days, 250,000 workers were striking, halting industry. The Duma set up a Provisional Committee despite the Tsar’s orders to disband, while the army refused to suppress protests and even joined them. On 12 March, soldiers shot their officers and marched to support the Duma. At the same time, the Petrograd Soviet re-emerged, controlling food and soldiers. With soviets spreading nationwide, the Tsar abdicated on 15 March. His brother refused the throne, marking the end of tsarist rule in Russia.
How did the Bolsheviks gain power, and how did they consolidate their rule?
March 1917: Bolsheviks were a small, little-known party.
November 1917: Just 6 months later, they seized power dramatically.
Few expected them to last — many enemies opposed them.
Early problems: couldn’t access money from central bank to run government.
Despite this, they survived and strengthened control.
To understand how, must examine:
Weaknesses of the Provisional Government in 1917.
Reasons Bolsheviks could seize power in Nov 1917.
Why they won the Civil War.
Success/failure of the New Economic Policy (NEP).
In March 1917, the Bolsheviks were a small and little-known party, yet by November they had seized power in Russia. At first, few believed they would survive for long, as they faced many enemies and could not even access funds from the central bank. However, the Bolsheviks did manage to survive and consolidate their rule. Their rise can only be explained by examining the failures of the Provisional Government, the reasons behind their success in November 1917, their eventual victory in the Civil War, and the role of the New Economic Policy.
Dual Power
The Provisional Government and the Petrograd Soviet
After Tsar abdicated, Provisional Government (from the Duma) took charge.
Made up of many different political parties.
Key posts given to leaders from various groups → tried to show fair representation.
Problem: not all Russians accepted it as the real government.
Industrial workers, soldiers, and sailors saw the Petrograd Soviet as their true voice.
This created dual power → both the Provisional Government and Petrograd Soviet claimed authority.
Many Russians stayed cautious, waiting to see which side would win.
Some politicians (e.g. Kerensky) were in both bodies.
Result: confusion, many groups claiming to represent the people.
After the abdication of the Tsar, the Provisional Government, made up of various political parties, took power and tried to present itself as representing all Russians. However, many workers, soldiers, and sailors instead saw the Petrograd Soviet as their true voice. This created a situation of dual power, where both bodies claimed to be the legitimate authority. Many people, unsure which side would triumph, remained cautious, and some politicians, like Alexander Kerensky, even belonged to both. The result was a confusing and unstable political situation, with competing groups all claiming to represent the people.
Major Political Parties in Russia 1917
Kadets (Constitutional Democrats): Middle-class liberals. Wanted parliamentary democracy, equal rights (incl. minorities/Jews), improved living/working conditions. Supported mainly by minorities, middle-class professionals, professors, lawyers.
Progressive Party: Moderate middle-class liberals. Similar to Kadets.
Octobrists: Middle-class, founded 1905. Supported education, industrialisation, constitutional monarchy (outdated after abdication).
Socialist Revolutionary Party (SRs): Radical democratic party. Largest support (peasants + industrial workers). Wanted division of landlords’ estates, better pay/conditions for workers, democratic constitution.
Mensheviks: Socialist (wing of old Social Democrats). Wanted workers to control all land/industry/transport/housing. Willing to work with other groups. Involved in 1905 revolution. Had one minister in Provisional Government.
Bolsheviks: Socialist (other wing of Social Democrats). Led by Lenin. Believed only violent revolution could bring workers to power. Aimed to overthrow existing rulers.
In 1917, Russia’s political scene was divided. The Kadets and Progressives wanted a liberal parliamentary democracy, while the Octobrists supported reforms but also a constitutional monarchy, which became irrelevant. The Socialist Revolutionaries had the most support, demanding land for peasants and better conditions for workers. The Mensheviks, from the Social Democratic Party, wanted worker control but were willing to cooperate with others. The Bolsheviks, led by Lenin, were also socialists but believed only violent revolution could bring workers to power.
I. The Provisional Government, March to October 1917
Success depended on handling three key issues:
Whether to stay in the war or make peace.
How to distribute land to peasants or delay until elections.
How to feed starving city workers.
Ordinary Russians wanted immediate, radical action.
Government dominated by middle-class liberals, mainly Kadets.
Promised to continue the war and urged peasants to wait for land redistribution until a Constituent Assembly could decide.
Message was cautious, not meeting the urgent demands of the population.
The Provisional Government, in power from March to October 1917, faced three major challenges: the war, land distribution, and feeding workers. Most Russians wanted quick, radical change, but the government was dominated by middle-class liberals like the Kadets, who favoured caution. They promised to continue fighting in World War I and told peasants to wait for land reforms until elections for a new Constituent Assembly. This cautious approach frustrated many ordinary Russians who had hoped for immediate improvements after the revolution.
II. The Petrograd Soviet
Held real power in Petrograd, supported by key workers (e.g., railwaymen) and soldiers.
Issued Soviet Order Number One (March 1917): army and navy units to elect representatives and committees controlling weapons, not officers.
Could effectively control the city and undermine the Provisional Government.
More radical than the Provisional Government but dominated by Socialist Revolutionaries who wanted a new Constituent Assembly.
Few Bolsheviks; outnumbered by Mensheviks and Socialist Revolutionaries.
Worked with the Provisional Government in spring/summer 1917, but support was limited and temporary.
The Petrograd Soviet held the real power in Petrograd, backed by workers and crucially, soldiers. In March 1917 it issued Soviet Order Number One, allowing army and navy units to elect representatives and committees to control weapons rather than follow officers. This gave the Soviet the ability to influence the city and undermine the Provisional Government. Dominated by Socialist Revolutionaries, who supported a new Constituent Assembly, the Soviet was generally more radical than the Provisional Government. While it included a few Bolsheviks, the majority were Mensheviks or Socialist Revolutionaries, who worked cautiously with the Provisional Government during spring and summer 1917. Their cooperation, however, was limited and could change at any time.
Lenin and the Rise of the Bolsheviks
Lenin, leader of the Bolsheviks, wanted to push the revolution further despite cooperation with other parties.
Returned from exile in Europe after the March Revolution; Germans provided a train to help him travel.
Published the April Theses:
Condemned Russia’s involvement in the war.
Called for a second revolution to overthrow the Provisional Government.
Demanded land redistribution to peasants.
Proposed state control of banks.
Slogans: “Peace, Land and Bread” and “All power to the soviets.”
Support for the Bolsheviks grew rapidly among soviets and the army.
By October 1917, party membership reached ~500,000; Bolsheviks held majorities in the Petrograd and Moscow Soviets and the All-Russia Congress of Soviets.
Despite the temporary cooperation of other parties, Lenin, leader of the Bolsheviks, was determined to advance the revolution. After the March Revolution, he returned to Russia from exile in Europe, travelling on a special train provided by the Germans to encourage instability. Lenin outlined the Bolsheviks’ programme in his April Theses, condemning Russia’s involvement in the war, calling for a second revolution to overthrow the Provisional Government, demanding land for the peasants, and proposing state control of the banks. His slogans, “Peace, Land and Bread” and “All power to the soviets,” directly opposed the cautious approach of the Provisional Government. Support for the Bolsheviks quickly grew, particularly within the soviets and the army, and by October 1917 the party had around 500,000 members and held majorities in the Petrograd Soviet, Moscow Soviet, and the All-Russia Congress of Soviets.
The Provisional Government Collapses
In the second half of 1917, the Provisional Government steadily lost authority.
War effort failing; thousands of soldiers deserting.
Kerensky became Minister for War and led a June offensive, which failed.
German counter-attacks worsened army collapse; deserters returned home.
Peasants ignored government orders to wait for land reforms and seized land themselves.
Many soldiers, mostly peasants, left the army to take part in land redistribution.
By the second half of 1917, the Provisional Government was losing control. The war was failing, thousands of soldiers deserted, and Kerensky’s June offensive ended in disaster. Peasants ignored orders to wait for land reforms and seized land themselves, while many peasant soldiers left the army to join them, further weakening the government.
July 1917: Kerensky defeats the Bolsheviks
July 1917 (‘July Days’): Bolshevik-led protests against the war became a rebellion.
Kerensky revealed Lenin had German support → Bolshevik backing fell.
Lenin fled to Finland in disguise.
Kerensky used troops to crush the rebellion and took control of the government.
Kerensky became Prime Minister and appointed General Kornilov as army commander.
Cities faced strikes, lawlessness, and violence; upper and middle classes demanded order.
Kerensky struggled with the economic situation; ordinary people remained dissatisfied.
In July 1917, during the ‘July Days’, Bolshevik-led protests escalated into a rebellion. When Kerensky exposed Lenin’s German support, the Bolsheviks lost backing, and Lenin fled to Finland. Kerensky used troops to suppress the revolt, took control of the government, and became Prime Minister, appointing General Kornilov as army commander. Despite this, strikes, lawlessness, and economic problems persisted in the cities, leaving both the middle and upper classes demanding order while ordinary people remained frustrated with the Provisional Government.
September 1917: Kerensky relies on the Bolsheviks
September 1917: General Kornilov and army leaders tried to restore order by attacking the Petrograd Soviet, Provisional Government, and threatening the Bolsheviks.
Kerensky’s forces were too weak to stop Kornilov’s army.
Kerensky sought help from the Soviets, including the Bolsheviks.
Bolshevik leaders, including Trotsky, were released and organised the Red Guards.
Red Guards were armed by Kerensky to defend Petrograd.
Kornilov’s soldiers began deserting rather than fight the Soviets.
The coup failed, saving Petrograd; this event is known as the Kornilov Affair.
In September 1917, General Kornilov and other army leaders attempted to restore order by attacking the Petrograd Soviet, the Provisional Government, and the Bolsheviks. Kerensky, with an underpowered garrison, turned to the Soviets for help and released Bolshevik leaders, including Trotsky. The Bolsheviks organised the Red Guards and were armed to defend Petrograd. Many of Kornilov’s soldiers deserted rather than fight the Soviets, causing the coup to fail and saving the city. This event became known as the Kornilov Affair.