Russian Provisional Government Weakness

• The Provisional Government, led by Prince Lvov from March to July 1917, was essentially the old Duma in a new form, assuming authority after Tsar Nicholas II's abdication.
• Paul Milyukov, the new foreign minister, asserted the government's legitimacy by stating it was appointed "by the revolution itself."

Limitations of the Provisional Government

• The Provisional Government faced two major limitations during its eight months: it was not an elected body, lacking legitimate authority, and its authority was shared with the Petrograd Soviet.
• The Provisional Government was formed as a rebellious committee, refusing to disband when ordered by the Tsar, leading to a lack of constitutional claim on the loyalty of the Russian people.
• The Provisional Government's success was dependent on effectively addressing the nation's problems, given the historical challenges between 1855 and 1917.
• Alexander Kerensky, an SR leader and later leader of the Provisional Government from July to October, was briefly chairman of the soviet and a minister in the Provisional Government, highlighting cooperation between the two bodies.

Role of the Petrograd Soviet

• The Petrograd Soviet initially aimed to supervise the Provisional Government, ensuring soldiers' and workers' interests were considered.
• The Provisional Government's uncertainty in its authority led to the Petrograd Soviet gaining prominence.
• Soviets rapidly formed in major Russian cities after the February Revolution, playing an increasingly important role.
• The Petrograd Soviet's ability to restrict the Provisional Government's authority was evident early on through "Soviet Order Number 1."
• "Soviet Order Number 1" declared that the Provisional Government's military orders were only binding if they did not contradict the soviet's orders.
• The Provisional Government lacked control of the army and had to compromise with the Petrograd Soviet.
• The "Dual Authority" arrangement worked reasonably well between February and April 1917, with no serious disputes.

Early Political Cooperation

• The widespread elation in Petrograd following the February Revolution fostered cooperation between the Provisional Government and Petrograd Soviet.
• A shared desire to prevent lawlessness and anarchy promoted the maintenance of state authority.
• Both the Provisional Government and the Petrograd Soviet initially had a wide range of political representation.
• Moderate socialists had more influence than the SRs or SDs in the Petrograd Soviet's first meetings.
• All parties, except the Bolsheviks and monarchists, were represented in the Provisional Government during the early weeks.
• Harmony existed before the Provisional Government shifted to the right and the Petrograd Soviet to the left due to mounting problems throughout the year.
• Socialist parties, less extreme than the Bolsheviks, were hesitant to demand too much too soon, relying on administrators from the old regime initially.

Early Achievements

• On March 3, the Provisional Government adopted progressive measures due to early harmony with the Petrograd Soviet:
  • Amnesty for political prisoners
  • Legal recognition of trade unions
  • An eight-hour day for industrial workers
  • Replacement of the tsarist police state with a people’s militia
  • Granting of full civil and religious freedoms
  • Preparations for the election of a constituent assembly
• Critical issues such as the war and land were not addressed, eventually destroying the Dual Authority.

The Return of the Bolsheviks

• Exiled Bolsheviks, including Stalin, returned to Petrograd after Nicholas II's abdication.
• Stalin and Lev Kamenev became leading voices among the Petrograd Bolsheviks, initially taking an anti-Lenin line.
• Lenin, still in exile, urged Bolsheviks to turn the war into a class war and not cooperate with the Provisional Government or other parties in his "Letters from Afar".
• Stalin and Kamenev ignored Lenin's instructions, advocating for international negotiations and cooperation with the Provisional Government.
• Kamenev supported restoring links with the Mensheviks.
• Kamenev dominated Bolshevik discussions in Petrograd before Lenin's return, advancing "Accommodationism."

Lenin's Return in April 1917

• Lenin arrived in Petrograd on April 3, 1917, with the help of the Germans, who hoped it would lead to Russia's withdrawal from the war.
• Lenin's opponents accused him of being in the pay of the German government, as they provided financial support to the Bolsheviks.
• Lenin wanted Russia to withdraw from the war for political reasons, aligning with Germany's military objectives.
• Anti-Bolsheviks viewed the German government and the Bolshevik Party as cooperating to defeat Russia.

Lenin's Impact

• Lenin's return to Petrograd in April 1917 had great significance.
• A German official likened Lenin's return to releasing a deadly virus into the Russian body politic.
• Lenin rejected the Dual Authority and called for the overthrow of the Provisional Government.
• Lenin declared that the events of February had created a parliamentary-bourgeois republic.

The April Theses

• Lenin issued his April Theses, outlining future Bolshevik policy, condemning all that had happened since the fall of the Tsar.
• Lenin insisted that the Bolsheviks must:
  • Abandon cooperation with all other parties
  • Work for a true revolution entirely by their own efforts
  • Overthrow the Provisional Government
  • Transfer power to the workers
  • Demand that authority pass to the soviets
• Lenin saw the soviets as a power base to grow from, aiming to infiltrate and dominate them to take over the state.
• Lenin's argument was summed up in two Bolshevik slogans: "Peace, Bread and Land" and "All Power to the Soviets."
• "Peace" referred to the continuing war with Germany, "bread" to the chronic food shortage, and "land" to the disruption in the countryside.
• Lenin asserted that the Provisional Government could not solve these problems because they governed in their own class interests.
• Lenin demanded "All Power to the Soviets" and the replacement of the current ministers with a government of the soviets to address the people's needs.
• The Provisional Government’s failure to address issues with the war, food and land led to it's downfall.

Explore the key factors that undermined the Russian Provisional Government after the Tsar's abdication. It focuses on the government's limited authority, the rise of the Petrograd Soviet, and the impact of dual power on Russia's political landscape.