Results of the February Revolution of 1917 table. February Revolution: briefly

By January 1917 in Russia, both bourgeois opposition and workers' revolutionary forces were unanimous in their opposition to the tsar and the few senior bureaucrats who remained loyal to him. Any mistake by the authorities hit it like a boomerang with tenfold force. Everyone, even the tsar’s loyal supporters, imagined the betrayals and machinations of the Germans all around.

Two fateful events preceded the start of the revolution. At a meeting with ministers on February 21, Nicholas II suddenly announced that he was going to appear in the Duma and announce the granting of a responsible ministry. Perhaps he was influenced by the visits to Tsarskoye Selo by the Chairman of the 2nd Duma N.V. Rodzianko, who more than once asked the Tsar to create a ministry immediately responsible to the Duma. On his last visit on February 10, Rodzianko predicted that refusal would threaten revolution and such anarchy “that no one can stop” and expressed firm belief that this was his last visit to the autocrat and that in three weeks he would no longer reign. And so it happened: on the evening of February 22, literally on the eve of the revolution, before leaving for Headquarters, Nicholas 2 changed his mind and informed N.D. Golitsyn about changing his decision.

On February 22, at the Putilov plant, a meeting of workers was held with economic demands addressed to the administration. This led to a massive lockout. All participants were counted out, and a crowd of 30,000 workers was thrown onto the streets for several days, which instantly revolutionized all the workers of the capital. When the large plenary session of the IV State Duma opened on February 23, the center of revolutionary events moved to the streets.

The course and main events of the February Revolution of 1917

The events of the revolution began on February 23 (March 8), 1917. At the call of the Russian Bureau of the Central Committee of the RSDLP (b), the St. Petersburg Committee of the RSDLP (b) and the Interdistrict Committee of the RSDLP, a women's anti-war demonstration began in honor of International Day female workers It grew into a large city strike, in which 128 thousand people took part, a third of all the city’s workers. Already on this day they appeared character traits the beginning of the revolution: a combination of organizational spontaneous actions. The next day, the number of strikers reached 214 thousand, and demonstrations and rallies became the predominant form of the movement. On February 25, 305 thousand were already on strike. At city enterprises, especially on the Vyborg and Petrograd sides, strike committees began to be created - prototypes of future factory committees.

The nature of the events on February 26 was already significantly different from the previous three days of the revolution. The evening before, Nicholas 2, after receiving reports on the events, sent a telegram to the Commander-in-Chief of the Petrograd Military District, General Khabalov, demanding “tomorrow,” that is, the 26th, to stop the unrest in the capital. In pursuance of these instructions from the tsar, on the night of February 26, the police arrested over 100 members of revolutionary parties, including five members of the Petrograd Committee and the Russian Bureau of the Central Committee of the RSDLP(b). members of the Vyborg district party committee took over the functions of the citywide party center. It was Sunday. The soldiers received live ammunition and for the most part complied with the order to use their weapons. One of the companies of the Pavlovsk Guards Regiment refused to shoot at the people and fired a volley at a platoon of mounted police guards on the Catherine Canal.

February 27 is considered the day of the February bourgeois-democratic revolution. Its events were truly of a turning point. On the night of February 27, soldiers from many guards regiments in the capitals discussed the results of yesterday and agreed not to shoot at the people. The first such soldier’s “conspiracy” was carried out by the training team of the reserve battalion of the Volyn Guards Regiment. During the morning check, they killed their company commander, dismantled the weapon and took it out onto the city street. On that day, the number of rebel soldiers reached a quarter of them total number in St. Petersburg, in the evening next day- half, and by March 1 there were no law-abiding troops in the capital. At the same time, on February 27, soldiers and workers set fire to the building of the District Court near Orudiyny and Petrogradsky Party, stormed the building of the Pre-trial Detention House located behind the District Court, releasing all the defendants. The soldiers of the outpost of the reserve battalion of the Moscow Guards Regiment refused to shoot at the 20,000-strong demonstration and let it through to the Vyborg side. Some of the soldiers went to the largest city prison, Kresty, took it by storm, and released all the prisoners. On this day, bridges, train stations, the courthouse, and the most important government institutions were taken; the next day, the Peter and Paul Fortress, the Winter Palace and the Admiralty. The crew of the cruiser Aurora rebelled. The uprising in Petrograd was victorious.

“The point was that in all this huge city it was impossible to find several hundred people who would sympathize with the authorities... The fact was that the authorities themselves did not sympathize... There was, in essence, not a single minister who believed in himself...”

Establishment of dual power

On the morning of February 27, 1917, the official meeting of the 4th Duma began in the Tauride Palace. Standing, its participants listened to the royal decree about a break in work until April. The Duma members, obedient to the tsar, decided not to disperse temporarily and, in order to emphasize the informal nature of their meeting, moved from the White Hall to the Semicircular Hall of the palace. But at that moment, a large crowd approached the Tauride Palace, led by armed soldiers and members of the Menshevik Working Group of the Central Military Commission, which had just been liberated from “Krestov”. The Bolsheviks were unable to delay the procession at the Finlyandsky Station, where they intended to organize a revolutionary center in the person of the Council of Workers' Deputies. The call of the Menshevik guards to go to the Duma evoked a warm response from the rebels, for the authority of the Duma since the end of 1916 was great among the soldiers and petty-bourgeois segments of the population. The clash between the rebels and the Duma guard was effectively prevented by the chairman of the Trudovik faction A.F. Kerensky, who stood between the parties and announced that he was removing the old guard and appointing a new one from the approaching soldiers. They carried him in their arms into the palace, which from that moment, unexpectedly for the Duma members, turned into a revolutionary center.

At 3 o'clock in the afternoon the climax came political life countries. All left forces gathered in the halls of the Budget and Financial Commissions of the Duma: members of the Menshevik and labor factions of the Duma, members working group TsVPK, several Bolsheviks, workers, representatives of the press. In the course of a rapid and spontaneous discussion, an appeal was adopted to organize a temporary executive committee of the Petrograd Soviet of Workers' Deputies. The created executive committee immediately called for the election of one deputy from 1,000 workers and one deputy from a company of soldiers and to send them to a meeting of the Council in the Tauride Palace by 20 o'clock on the same day.

At the same time, in the Semicircular Hall of the palace, members of the 4th Duma decided to form a Provisional Committee of the State Duma for relations with institutions and individuals. M.V. was elected chairman of the committee, which included almost all members of the Progressive Bloc and one representative each from the Menshevik (N.S. Chkheidze) and Trudovik (A.F. Kerensky) factions. Rodzianko. This is how two centers of power emerged.

Late in the evening of February 27, thousands of people filled the headquarters of the revolution. All the royal ministers were brought here, and A.D. Protopopov came and surrendered himself. IN in full force The Preobrazhensky Regiment approached the Tauride Palace and announced its transition to the side of the revolution. All these events prompted the Provisional Committee of the Duma to decide to take executive power in the country into its own hands. In all the most important government agencies and on railways Duma emissaries were sent.

The Petrograd Council, simultaneously and in the same building, opened its first meeting, to which elected deputies continued to arrive throughout the night. It immediately showed itself as a real organ of revolutionary people's power.

On February 28, the soldiers' section of the Petrograd Soviet was formed. It was the executive commission of this section that, on the night of March 1-2, compiled and published the famous “Order No. 1” the next day, which actually removed the soldiers of the Petrograd garrison from under the command of the officers and subordinated them to the Petrograd Soviet.

The old power of officers over soldiers came to an end, along with it army discipline collapsed and the foundation for the future anarchy of the liberals was laid.

The end of autocracy in Russia

Once in power, the Russian bourgeoisie had no intention of losing its monarchical cover. She was not satisfied with the “old despot”; with hope, she turned her gaze to the heir to the throne, 12-year-old Tsarevich Alexei. Only as a last resort were liberals ready to sacrifice the dynasty.

At the height of the Petrograd uprising, on the night of February 28, the tsar, accompanied by a train of loyal troops, set out towards the capital. But, fearing arrest, he was forced to do so before reaching 160 km. to St. Petersburg, turn to Pskov, where the headquarters of the commander-in-chief of the Northern Front, General N.V., was located. Ruzsky. On March 1, the tsar was already in Pskov. After negotiations via direct wire N.V. Rodzianko with N.V. Ruzsky and N.V. Alekseev’s generals put pressure on Nicholas 2 and he agreed to hand over a manifesto on the formation of a government of trust in the country headed by Rodzianko, responsible to the Duma. But in a conversation with Ruzsky, Rodzianko rejected the manifesto and raised the question of Nicholas 2’s abdication of the throne in favor of his son. Ruzsky reported the contents of the negotiations to Alekseev at the Mogilev headquarters, and he conveyed to all the commanders-in-chief of the dandies and fleets Rodzianko’s demands to send 2 requests to Nikolai in Pskov for his abdication from the throne in favor of his son.

On the morning of March 2, telegrams began to be received in Pskov from front commanders, who unanimously joined in the demand for abdication. Under their influence and at the insistence of Ruzsky and the generals, the tsar announced his abdication of the throne in favor of his son. Nicholas 2 renounces both for himself and for his son. This was a violation of Peter 1’s manifesto on succession to the throne, according to which the tsar had the right to abdicate only for himself. This fact made it possible in the future to declare the renunciation invalid. Guchkov and Shulgin, not anticipating a complex combination, agreed to this option, although they had strict instructions regarding abdication in favor of their son.

The completion of the discussion on the fate of the Russian monarchy took place in St. Petersburg at Putyatin’s apartment, where Mikhail Alexandrovich, the younger brother of Nicholas 2, who was scheduled to become regent for the young Alexei Nikolaevich, his nephew, then lived. But cadet lawyers V.D. Nabokov and B.E. The Nolde drew up an act of Michael’s refusal to accept supreme power. It stated that he would agree to accept the crown only if this was the decision of the Constituent Assembly, elected on the basis of general elections. Thus ended the February Revolution.

Results of the February Revolution of 1917

The most important result of the revolution was the overthrow of the autocracy in Russia, which the revolutionary forces of the country had so dreamed of since the very beginning of the 20th century. A unique political situation developed in the country: two political forces coexisted simultaneously, different in character, but not yet able to establish themselves in an understanding of their differences. Time was needed concrete actions so that the demarcation of positions becomes possible. Both of them had never been in power and had to learn to rule. For the first time in history, the working masses felt their real strength, and there was no turning back to submission, even in relation to their temporary political ally, the liberals. Therefore, the search for compromises on both sides became so important. But as history has shown, the ability to compromise was not developed on either side. The aggravation of contradictions led the country to a new historical milestone.

February (23) revolution 1917

The year 1917 foreshadowed new social upheavals. The imperialist war continued. Russia has already spent most its national treasure. The general decline in production continued, especially in the fuel, metallurgical and engineering industries. The output of consumer goods decreased by half. Transport was hit the hardest by the devastation. Agriculture was experiencing a deep crisis.

The revolution was expected. But she came unexpectedly. It all started in Petrograd due to food difficulties that arose in February 1917 in connection with bad work transport. The political activity of the working masses intensified as a result of the revealing propaganda of the socialist parties. It was carried out primarily by Bolshevik organizations.

· 1 World War

· Work question

· Question about land

· Preservation of autocracy

Feudal remnants

February 27 – mass transition of soldiers to the side of the rebels (a temporary committee of the Duma and the Petrograd Council are created)

March 1 - the front commanders did not support the tsar (the Petrograd council and the provisional committee begin to form a government0

· Abdication of the king, abolition of the monarchy

· Conquest of political freedom

· Prospects for the democratic development of Russia

The emergence of dual power

The most important result of the February Revolution was the abolition of the monarchy.

The victory of the February Revolution turned Russia into the freest country of all the warring powers, providing the masses with the opportunity to widely enjoy political rights.

Throughout the country, workers and peasants created people's organs authorities.

One of the main results of the February Revolution was dual power. The essence of dual power was the implementation of two forms of power: the power of the bourgeoisie - the Provisional Government and the revolutionary democratic dictatorship of the proletariat and peasantry - the Soviets of Workers', Soldiers' and Peasants' Deputies.

Supreme body Russian state after the February revolution, the Provisional Government became.

28. Russia in March-October 1917.\

Russia's development path

Radical socialist

(Bolsheviks-socialism)

Liberal

(cadets-capitalist system)

Moderate socialist

(sensheviks, socialist revolutionaries - capitalism + elements of socialism

Provisional Government (Cadets - support from the bourgeoisie and the intelligentsia, there is power without force)

Petrograd Soviet (Essers and Mensheviks - support by workers, peasants and the army. There is strength without power)

The provisional government has not resolved the issues of the population and is not supported by the population. The Petrograd Soviet with the Mensheviks and Socialist Revolutionaries supported the provisional government.

Crises of the provisional government:

April (creation of a coalition government)

· June (the provisional government survived thanks to the Socialist Revolutionaries and Mensheviks)

· July (end of dual power)

April 18th The first government crisis erupted, ending with the formation of the first coalition government with the participation of socialists on May 5, 1917. It was caused by general social tension in the country. The opposing sides were the Imperialist bourgeoisie and the masses. This led to popular outrage, which spilled over into mass rallies and demonstrations. On May 5, an agreement was reached between the Provisional Government and the Executive Committee of the Petrograd Soviet to create a coalition.

First All-Russian Congress of Workers' and Soldiers' Councils deputies June 3-24, which was dominated by the Socialist Revolutionaries and Mensheviks, supported the bourgeois Provisional Government and rejected the Bolshevik demand to end the war and transfer power to the Soviets. This increased the indignation of the masses. The Cadets, Socialist Revolutionaries, and Mensheviks attacked the Bolsheviks, workers and revolutionary soldiers. Fearing losing the trust of the people, the Socialist-Revolutionary-Menshevik leaders were forced to make a decision at the congress to hold the 18th June (July 1) general political demonstration under the sign of confidence in the Provisional Government. The causes of its occurrence have not been eliminated. The consequence of this was the July Days of 1917...

Elections to the St. Petersburg Council in September

August 17 - the Bolsheviks decided to switch to armed methods of struggle for power

October (25) revolution 1917

· Weakness of the provisional government

· Unresolved basic issues

· Increased influence of the Bolsheviks. Bolshevization of the Soviets

In the fall of 1917, Russia's economic and military situation deteriorated even further. Devastation paralyzed her National economy. There were protests by workers, soldiers, and peasants throughout the country. The Bolsheviks confidently directed the revolutionary struggle. The speedy overthrow of the Provisional Government was the national and international duty of the workers' party. Lenin considered it necessary to immediately begin organizational and military-technical preparations for the uprising. A Temporary Revolutionary Center was allocated for leadership. Red Guard detachments were formed and armed in the capital.

IN October revolution In 1917, the Bolsheviks, according to some historians, won because they represented a centralized political force that had broad connections with the masses. The victory of the October Revolution led to a sharp change in the balance of political forces in Russia. The proletariat became the ruling class, and the Bolshevik party became the ruling class.

The reorganization of society was carried out on socialist principles, so the overthrown exploiting classes offered all possible resistance, which resulted in a bloody civil war.

After the October Revolution, the world split into two camps: capitalist and socialist. Socialism is becoming a real phenomenon of world history; the process of humanity’s transition to a new social quality has taken place.

Result: the Bolsheviks came to power, the collapse of the country’s liberal paths of development

The formation of Soviet power:

· A decision was made to conclude a Separatist Peace

· Land socialization carried out

· Decree on power

· Decree on land

· Power to the councils: workers, peasants, soldiers' deputies

· Legislative power (headed by Sverdlov) (VTsIK) - 62% Bolsheviks, left Socialist Revolutionaries

· Executive power (SNK-council people's commissars)

· Council of People's Commissars (Lenin)

· All-Russian Extraordinary Commission (VEC) (Dzerzhinsky at the head)

Decrees of the Soviet government:

· 8 working days

Declaration of the rights of the peoples of Russia

· Sovereignty of all peoples

· Elimination of the class division of society

· Equal rights of men and women

· The church is separated from schools and from the state

· Russian Communist Youth Union

The dictatorship of the prolitariat, the building of socialism is the goal.

Speculation flourished. The government's attempts to overcome the crisis were in vain. Russia's defeats on the fronts of the First World War were caused by significant blow to public consciousness. The population is tired of the protracted war. Worker strikes and peasant unrest grew. At the front, fraternization with the enemy and desertion became more frequent. National movements intensified. By the winter of 1916 - 1917, all segments of the Russian population realized the inability of the tsarist government to overcome the political and economic crisis. Thus, in the winter of 1916 - 1917, a revolutionary situation developed in the country - the situation in the country on the eve of the revolution.

Signs of a revolutionary situation:

Crisis at the top: they couldn’t rule in the old way, they didn’t want to govern in the new way, the lower classes don’t want to live in the old way;

Deterioration above the usual condition of the masses;

An increase above the usual revolutionary activity of the masses.

Reasons for the February Revolution:

1) The unresolved agrarian-peasant question: the dominance of landownership, scarcity of land and landlessness of the peasants.

2) Unresolved labor issue: plight of workers, low wages, lack of labor legislation.

3) The national question, the Russification policy of the authorities.

5) The destabilizing influence of war on all aspects of society.

Objectives of the revolution:

Overthrow of the autocracy

Convening a Constituent Assembly to establish a democratic system

Elimination of class inequality

Abolition of landownership and distribution of land to peasants

Reducing the working day to 8 hours, introducing labor legislation

Achieving equal rights for the peoples of Russia

Ending the war

The nature of the revolution - bourgeois-democratic revolution.

Main events of the revolution

In February 1917 interruptions in food supplies to major Russian cities have intensified . By mid-February, 90 thousand Petrograd workers went on strike due to bread shortages, speculation and rising prices. On February 18, they were joined by workers of the Putilov plant , demanding an increase in wages. The administration not only fired the strikers, but also declared a partial lockout, i.e. closed some workshops. This was the reason for the start of mass protests in the capital.

February 23, 1917 On International Women's Day (according to the new style, this is March 8), workers took to the streets of Petrograd with the slogans “Bread!”, “Down with war!”, “Down with autocracy!”. Their political demonstration marked the beginning of the revolution. On February 24, strikes and demonstrations continued, Clashes with the police and troops began, political slogans were added to economic ones.

On February 25, the strike in Petrograd became general. Demonstrations and rallies did not stop. On the evening of February 25, Nicholas II from Headquarters, located in Mogilev, sent a telegram to the commander of the Petrograd Military District, S.S. Khabalov, with a categorical demand to stop the unrest. Attempts by the authorities to use troops did not produce a positive effect; the soldiers refused to shoot at the people.

However, officers and police February 26 killed more than 150 people. In response, the guards of the Pavlovsk regiment, supporting the workers, opened fire on the police. Chairman of the Duma M. V. Rodzianko warned Nicholas II that the government was paralyzed and “there is anarchy in the capital.” To prevent the development of the revolution, he insisted on the immediate creation of a new government led by statesman enjoying the trust of society. However, the king rejected his proposal. Moreover, he and the Council of Ministers decided to interrupt the meetings of the Duma and dissolve it for vacation. The moment for the peaceful, evolutionary transformation of the country into a constitutional monarchy was missed. Nicholas II sent troops from Headquarters to suppress the revolution, but they were detained by rebel railway workers and soldiers and were not allowed into the capital.

February 27 mass transition of soldiers to the side of the workers, their seizure of the arsenal and Peter and Paul Fortress marked the victory of the revolution. The arrests of tsarist ministers and the formation of new government bodies began.

On the same day, February 27, 1917 , in factories and military units, based on the experience of 1905, there were elections to the Petrograd Soviet of Workers' and Soldiers' Deputies were held . An Executive Committee was elected to manage its activities. The chairman was the Menshevik N. S. Chkheidze, his deputy was the Socialist Revolutionary A. F. Kerensky. The Executive Committee took upon itself the maintenance public order and food supply to the population. The Petrograd Soviet was new uniform socio-political organization. He relied on the support of the masses who owned weapons, and his political role was very great.

February 27 at a meeting of leaders of Duma factions there was it was decided to form a Provisional Committee of the State Duma headed by M. V. Rodzianko . The task of the committee was “restoration of state and public order” and the creation of a new government. The temporary committee took control of all ministries.

On February 28, Nicholas II left Headquarters for Tsarskoe Selo, but was detained on the way by revolutionary troops. He had to turn to Pskov , to the headquarters of the Northern Front. After consultations with the front commanders, he became convinced that there were no forces to suppress the revolution. At the same time, in the highest military and government circles the idea of ​​the need for the abdication of Nicholas II was ripening, since without this it was no longer possible to take control of the popular movement.

On March 2, 1917, deputies A. Guchkov and V. Shulgin arrived in Pskov, who accepted the abdication Nicholas II . The Emperor signed a Manifesto abdicating the throne for himself and his son Alexei in favor of his brother, Grand Duke Mikhail Alexandrovich. However, when the deputies brought the text of the Manifesto to Petrograd, it became clear that the people did not want a monarchy. March 3, Michael abdicated the throne , declaring that the future fate political system in Russia must decide constituent Assembly. The 300-year reign of the House of Romanov ended. Autocracy in Russia finally fell .

March 2, 1917 after negotiations between representatives of the Provisional Committee of the State Duma and the Executive Committee of the Petrograd Soviet The Provisional Government was formed . Prince G. E. Lvov became the Chairman and Minister of Internal Affairs, Minister of Foreign Affairs - Cadet P. N. Milyukov, Minister of War and Navy - Octobrist A. I. Guchkov, Minister of Trade and Industry - progressive A.I. Konovalov. From the “left” parties, the Socialist Revolutionary A.F. Kerensky entered the government, receiving the portfolio of Minister of Justice.

Political results of the February Revolution

Abdication of Nicholas II, liquidation of the monarchy in Russia

Conquering a certain political freedom, prospects for the democratic development of the country

A specific solution to the question of power, the emergence of dual power

Dual power (March - July 1917)

On March 1, 1917, the Petrograd Soviet issued “Order No. 1” on the democratization of the army . The soldiers were equalized civil rights with officers, the title of officers was abolished, rough treatment of lower ranks was prohibited, and traditional forms of army subordination were abolished. Soldiers' committees were legalized. The election of commanders was introduced. In the army it was allowed to conduct political activity. The Petrograd garrison was subordinate to the Council and was obliged to carry out only its orders.

The February Revolution was victorious. Old government system collapsed. A new political situation has emerged. However, the victory of the revolution did not prevent the further deepening of the country's crisis. Economic devastation intensified. To the previous socio-political problems: war and peace, labor, agrarian and national issues, new ones were added: about power, the future state structure and ways out of the crisis. All this determined the unique alignment of social forces in 1917.

Time from February to October - special period in Russian history. There are two stages in it. On the first (March - early July 1917)) There was a dual power in which the Provisional Government was forced to coordinate all its actions with the Petrograd Soviet, which took more radical positions and had the support of the broad masses.

At the second stage (July - October 25, 1917) dual power was over. The autocracy of the Provisional Government was established in the form of a coalition of the liberal bourgeoisie (Cadets) with “moderate” socialists (Socialist Revolutionaries, Mensheviks). However, this political alliance also failed to achieve the consolidation of society.

Social tension has increased in the country. On the one hand, there was growing indignation among the masses over the government's delays in carrying out the most pressing economic, social and political changes. On the other hand, the right was dissatisfied with the weakness of the government and insufficiently decisive measures to curb the “revolutionary element.”

Thus, after the February Revolution, the country faced the following development alternatives:

1) Monarchists and right-wing bourgeois parties were ready to support establishment of military dictatorship .

2) The Mensheviks and Socialist Revolutionaries advocated creation of a democratic socialist government .

The February Revolution was bourgeois-democratic in nature and had sad consequences For Russia. We’ll figure out which ones exactly in this article.

Causes of the revolution

The First World War became a litmus test for the unresolved problems of Russian society. By 1917, various political meetings, as well as anti-monarchist and anti-war protests, became more frequent in the country.

At the front there was a crisis in the army, which included 13 million peasants. On the front line, cases of fraternization with enemy soldiers and desertion were observed. Revolutionary sentiments grew among the mass of soldiers.

The loss of many European territories created Russian Empire threat of famine in major cities due to disruptions in food supplies and the orientation of industry towards war.

There were no strong personalities around Nicholas who could solve the accumulated problems, and the tsar’s authority before the people fell lower and lower every day.

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Results of the February Revolution

The historical significance of the Second Russian Revolution is to provide Russia with the opportunity to follow a democratic path of development. The main result of the February Revolution of 1917 was the abdication of Nicholas II and the coming to power of the bourgeois-democratic Provisional Government chaired by G.E. Lvov.

Another result of the February Revolution was the proclamation of broad political rights and freedoms. The Provisional Government almost instantly abolished national, class and religious restrictions, military courts were abolished at the front and the death penalty was abolished, and an eight-hour working day was declared on Russian territory. Russia was proclaimed a republic.

Rice. 1. Meeting of the Provisional Government.

After the overthrow of the monarchy, the new government granted amnesty to all political prisoners. Many revolutionaries and socialists, who used, among other things, illegal methods of struggle against the tsarist government, received freedom.

The proletariat was given the opportunity to once again create democratic labor organizations, which were prohibited during the war. Trade unions and factory committees began to appear in the country.

Having become an ordinary citizen of Russia, Nicholas II asked the Provisional Government for permission to leave Petrograd and move to Murmansk with his family in order to emigrate to Great Britain from there, however, the temporary workers decided to play it safe and took former emperor under arrest and ordered him to stay in Tsarskoe Selo.

Rice. 2. Portrait of Nicholas II.

While solving many socio-economic issues, the Provisional Government left the solution of political problems to the post-war period. As a result, dual power was formed in Russia, splitting Russian society into two opposing camps - monarchists and their opponents.

The Provisional Government's promise to resolve major social issues at the end of the war was left unresolved, including the land issue.

The February Revolution did not give Russia a solution to pressing socio-political problems, which gave rise to an even greater economic and political crisis.

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Sentinels guard the arrested royal ministers.

February revolution(Also February bourgeois-democratic revolution) - a revolution in the Russian Empire, the result of which was the fall of the monarchy, the proclamation of a republic and the transfer of power to the Provisional Government.

Reasons and prerequisites: economic, political, social

Society's lack of opportunity to influence power is the limited capabilities of the State Duma and the lack of control of the government (and at the same time limited powers of the government).

The emperor could no longer single-handedly decide all issues, but he could radically interfere with pursuing a consistent policy without bearing any responsibility.

Under these conditions, politics could not express the interests of not only the majority, but also any significant part of the population, which caused spontaneous discontent, and restrictions on public expression of protest led to the radicalization of the opposition.

The draft composition of the Provisional Government, represented by representatives of the Cadets, Octobrists and a group of members of the State Council. Edited by Emperor Nicholas II.

The February Revolution was not only a consequence of the failures of the Russian government during the First World War. But it was not the war that was the cause of all the contradictions that existed in Russia at that time; the war exposed them and accelerated the fall of tsarism. The war accelerated the crisis of the autocratic system.

The war affected the system of economic ties - primarily between city and countryside. The food situation in the country has worsened; the decision to introduce “food appropriation” did not improve the situation. Famine began in the country. The highest state power was also discredited by a chain of scandals surrounding Rasputin and his entourage, who were then called “dark forces.” By 1916, outrage over Rasputinism had already reached the Russian armed forces - both officers and lower ranks. The fatal mistakes of the tsar, combined with the loss of confidence in the tsarist government, led it to political isolation, and the presence of an active opposition created fertile ground for a political revolution.

On the eve of the February Revolution in Russia, against the backdrop of an acute food crisis, the political crisis is deepening. For the first time, the State Duma came forward with demands for the resignation of the tsarist government; this demand was supported by the State Council.

The political crisis was growing. On November 1, 1916, at a meeting of the State Duma, P. N. Milyukov made a speech. “Stupidity or treason?” - with this question P. N. Milyukov characterized the phenomenon of Rasputinism on November 1, 1916 at a meeting of the State Duma.

The State Duma's demand for the resignation of the tsarist government and the creation of a “responsible government” - responsible to the Duma, led to the resignation on November 10 of the chairman of the government, Sturmer, and the appointment of a consistent monarchist, General Trepov, to this post. The State Duma, trying to defuse discontent in the country, continued to insist on the creation of a “responsible government” and the State Council joins its demands. Nicholas II sends on December 16 State Duma and the State Council for the Christmas holidays until January 3.

Growing crisis

Barricades on Liteiny Prospekt. Postcard from the State Museum of Political History of Russia

On the night of December 17, Rasputin was killed as a result of a monarchist conspiracy, but this did not resolve the political crisis. On December 27, Nicholas II dismissed Trepov and appointed Prince Golitsyn chairman of the Council of Ministers. During the transfer of affairs, he received from Trepov two decrees signed by the tsar on the dissolution of the State Duma and the State Council with undated dates. Golitsyn had to find a compromise through behind-the-scenes negotiations with the leaders of the State Duma and resolve the political crisis.

In total, in Russia in January-February 1917, only at enterprises subject to the supervision of the factory inspection, 676 thousand people went on strike, including participants political strikes in January were 60%, and in February - 95%).

On February 14, State Duma meetings opened. They showed that events in Russia were beyond the control of the authorities, the State Duma abandoned the demand for the creation of a “responsible government” and limited itself to agreeing to the creation by the tsar of a “government of trust” - a government that the State Duma could trust, the Duma members were in complete confusion.

Subsequent events showed that there were more powerful forces in Russian society that did not want the political crisis to be resolved, and more deep reasons for a democratic revolution and the transition from monarchy to republic.

Difficulties in supplying the city with bread and rumors about the imminent introduction of bread rationing led to the disappearance of bread. Long queues lined up at the bread shops - “tails”, as they called it then.

February 18 (on Saturday at the Putilov plant - the largest artillery plant in the country and Petrograd, which employed 36 thousand workers - the workers of the Lafetno-stamping workshop (shop) went on strike, demanding a 50% increase in wages. February 20 (Monday) Administration The plant agreed to increase wages by 20% on the condition that they “start work immediately." The workers’ delegates asked for the Administration’s consent to begin work the next day. The administration did not agree and closed the gun-stamping “workshop” on February 21. In support of the strikers, they began to stop work on February 21 work and other workshops. On February 22, the plant administration issued an order to dismiss all workers of the Lafetno-stamping “workshop” and close the plant for an indefinite period - declared a lockout. .

As a result, 36 thousand workers of the Putilov plant found themselves in war conditions without work and without armor from the front.

On February 22, Nicholas II leaves Petrograd for Mogilev to the Headquarters of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief.

The main events

• On February 24, demonstrations and rallies of Putilov workers resumed. Workers from other factories began to join them. 90 thousand workers went on strike. Strikes and political protests began to develop into a general political demonstration against tsarism.

Announcement by the commander of the Petrograd Military District S.S. Khabalov on the use of weapons to disperse demonstrations. February 25, 1917

• On February 25, a general strike began, which covered 240 thousand workers. Petrograd was declared in a state of siege; by decree of Nicholas II, meetings of the State Duma and State Council were suspended until April 1, 1917. Nicholas II ordered the army to suppress workers' protests in Petrograd
• On February 26, columns of demonstrators moved towards the city center. Troops were brought into the streets, but the soldiers began to refuse to shoot at the workers. There were several clashes with the police, and by evening the police cleared the city center of demonstrators.
• On February 27 (March 12), early in the morning, an armed uprising of soldiers of the Petrograd garrison began - the training team of the reserve battalion of the Volyn regiment, numbering 600 people, rebelled. The soldiers decided not to shoot at the demonstrators and to join the workers. The team leader was killed. The Volynsky regiment was joined by the Lithuanian and Preobrazhensky regiments. As a result, a general workers' strike was supported by an armed uprising of soldiers. (On the morning of February 27, the rebel soldiers numbered 10 thousand, in the afternoon - 26 thousand, in the evening - 66 thousand, the next day - 127 thousand, on March 1 - 170 thousand, that is the entire garrison Petrograd.) The rebel soldiers marched in formation to the city center. On the way, the Arsenal - Petrograd artillery warehouse was captured. The workers received 40 thousand rifles and 30 thousand revolvers. The Kresty city prison was captured and all prisoners were released. Political prisoners, including the “Gvozdyov group,” joined the rebels and led the column. The City Court was burned. The rebel soldiers and workers occupied the most important points of the city, government buildings and arrested ministers. At approximately 2 p.m., thousands of soldiers came to the Tauride Palace, where the State Duma was meeting, and occupied all its corridors and the surrounding territory. They had no way back; they needed political leadership.

• The Duma was faced with a choice: either join the uprising and try to take control of the movement, or perish along with tsarism. Under these conditions, the State Duma decided to formally obey the tsar’s decree on the dissolution of the Duma, but by decision of a private meeting of deputies, at about 17 o’clock it created the Temporary Committee of the State Duma, chaired by the Octobrist M. Rodzianko, by co-opting 2 deputies from each faction. On the night of February 28, the Provisional Committee announced that it was taking power into its own hands.

• After the rebel soldiers came to the Tauride Palace, deputies of the left factions of the State Duma and representatives of trade unions created the Temporary Executive Committee of the Petrograd Council of Workers' Deputies in the Tauride Palace. He distributed leaflets to factories and military units calling for them to elect their deputies and send them to the Tauride Palace by 7 p.m., 1 deputy from every thousand workers and from each company. At 21 o'clock, meetings of workers' deputies opened in the left wing of the Tauride Palace and the Petrograd Council of Workers' Deputies was created, headed by the Menshevik Chkheidze and the deputy chairman of the Executive Committee, Trudovik A.F. Kerensky. The Petrograd Soviet included representatives of socialist parties (Mensheviks, Socialist Revolutionaries and Bolsheviks), trade unions and non-party workers and soldiers. The Mensheviks and Socialist Revolutionaries played a decisive role in the Soviet. The Petrograd Council of Workers' Deputies decided to support the Provisional Committee of the State Duma in the creation of the Provisional Government, but not to participate in it.
• February 28 (March 13) - Chairman of the Provisional Committee Rodzianko negotiates with the Chief of Staff of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, General Alekseev, about support for the Provisional Committee from the army, and also negotiates with Nicholas II, in order to prevent revolution and the overthrow of the monarchy.

Order number 1 disintegrated the Russian army, eliminated the main components of any army at all times - the most severe hierarchy and discipline.

The Provisional Committee formed a Provisional Government headed by Prince Lvov, who was replaced by the socialist Kerensky. The provisional government announced elections to the Constituent Assembly. The Council of Workers' and Soldiers' Deputies was elected. Dual power was established in the country.

The development of the revolution in Petrograd after the overthrow of the monarchy:

• March 3 (16) - the killing of officers began in Helsingfors, among whom were Rear Admiral A.K. Nebolsin and Vice Admiral A.I. Nepenin.
• March 4 (17) - two manifestos were published in newspapers - the Manifesto on the abdication of Nicholas II and the Manifesto on the abdication of Mikhail Alexandrovich, as well as the Political Program of the 1st Provisional Government.

Consequences

The fall of autocracy and the establishment of dual power

The uniqueness of the revolution was the establishment of dual power in the country:

bourgeois-democratic power was represented by the Provisional Government, its local bodies (public security committees), local self-government (city and zemstvo), the government included representatives of the Cadets and Octobrist parties;

revolutionary democratic power - Councils of workers', soldiers', and peasants' deputies, soldiers' committees in the army and navy.

Negative results of the fall of autocracy

The main negative results of the overthrow of the Autocracy by the February Revolution in Russia can be considered:

1. The transition from the evolutionary development of society to development along a revolutionary path, which inevitably led to an increase in the number of violent crimes against individuals and attacks on property rights in society.
2. Significant weakening of the army(as a result of revolutionary agitation in the army and Order number 1), a decline in its combat effectiveness and, as a consequence, its ineffective further struggle on the fronts of the First World War.
3. Destabilization of society, which led to a deep split in the existing civil society in Russia. As a result, there was a sharp increase in class contradictions in society, the growth of which during 1917 led to the transfer of power into the hands of radical forces, which ultimately led to the Civil War in Russia.

Positive results of the fall of autocracy

Main positive result overthrow of the Autocracy The February Revolution in Russia can be considered a short-term consolidation of society due to the adoption of a number of democratic legislative acts and a real chance for society, on the basis of this consolidation, to resolve many long-standing contradictions social development countries. However, as subsequent events showed, which ultimately led to a bloody civil war, the country's leaders, who came to power as a result of the February revolution, were unable to take advantage of these real, albeit extremely small (considering Russia was at war at that moment) chances to do so.

Change of political regime

• Old government bodies were abolished. The most democratic law on elections to the Constituent Assembly was adopted: universal, equal, direct with secret ballot. On October 6, 1917, by its resolution, the Provisional Government dissolved the State Duma in connection with the proclamation of Russia as a republic and the beginning of elections to the All-Russian Constituent Assembly.
• The State Council of the Russian Empire was dissolved.
• The Provisional Government established an Extraordinary Commission of Inquiry to investigate the malfeasance of the Tsarist ministers and senior officials.
• On March 12, a Decree was issued on the abolition of the death penalty, which was replaced in especially serious criminal cases by 15 years of hard labor.
• On March 18, an amnesty was announced for those convicted for criminal reasons. 15 thousand prisoners were released from places of detention. This caused a surge in crime in the country.
• On March 18-20, a series of decrees and resolutions were issued on the abolition of religious and national restrictions.
• Restrictions on the choice of place of residence and property rights were abolished, complete freedom of occupation was proclaimed, and women were given equal rights with men.
• The Ministry of the Imperial Household was gradually eliminated. Property of the former imperial house, members royal family- palaces with artistic values, industrial enterprises, lands, etc. in March-April 1917 became the property of the state.

• Resolution “On the Establishment of the Police”. Already on February 28, the police were abolished and a people's militia was formed. 40 thousand people's militia guarded enterprises and city blocks instead of 6 thousand police officers. People's militia units were also created in other cities. Subsequently, along with the people's militia, combat workers' squads (Red Guard) also appeared. According to the adopted resolution, uniformity was introduced into the already created workers' militia units and the limits of their competence were established.
• Decree “On meetings and unions.” All citizens could form unions and hold meetings without restrictions. There were no political motives for closing unions; only a court could close a union.
• Decree on amnesty for all persons convicted for political reasons.
• The Separate Corps of Gendarmes, including the railway police and security departments, and special civil courts were abolished (March 4).

Trade union movement

On April 12, the law on meetings and unions was issued. Workers restored democratic organizations banned during the war (trade unions, factory committees). By the end of 1917, there were more than 2 thousand trade unions in the country, led by the All-Russian Central Council of Trade Unions (chaired by the Menshevik V.P. Grinevich).

Changes in the local government system

• On March 4, 1917, a resolution was adopted to remove all governors and vice-governors from office. In the provinces where the Zemstvo worked, the governors were replaced by the chairmen of the provincial zemstvo boards, where there were no zemstvos, the places remained unoccupied, which paralyzed the local government system.

Preparation for elections to the Constituent Assembly

Immediately after the February Revolution, preparations began for elections to the constituent assembly. The most democratic law on elections to the Constituent Assembly was adopted: universal, equal, direct with secret ballot. Preparations for the elections dragged on until the end of 1917.

Crisis of power

The inability of the Provisional Government to overcome the crisis caused an increase in revolutionary ferment: mass demonstrations took place on April 18 (May 1), in July 1917. The July uprising of 1917 - the period of peaceful development ended. Power passed to the Provisional Government. The dual power is over. The death penalty was introduced. The failure of the August speech of the Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Army, Infantry General L. G. Kornilov became prelude to Bolshevism, since the elections to the Soviets that followed shortly after the victory of A.F. Kerensky in his confrontation with L.G. Kornilov brought victory to the Bolsheviks, which changed their composition and the policies they pursued.

Church and revolution

Already on March 7-8, 1917, the Holy Synod issued a decree that ordered the entire clergy of the Russian Orthodox Church: in all cases during divine services, instead of commemorating the reigning house, offer a prayer for the God-protected Russian Power and its Blessed Provisional Government .

Symbol

The symbol of the February Revolution was a red bow and red banners. The previous government was declared “tsarism” and the “old regime”. The word “comrade” was included in the speech.

Notes

Links

• On the causes of the Russian revolution: a neo-Malthusian perspective
• Journal of meetings of the Provisional Government. March-April 1917. rar, djvu
• Historical and documentary exhibition “1917. Myths of revolutions"
• Nikolay Sukhanov. “Notes on the revolution. Book one. March coup February 23 - March 2, 1917"
• A. I. Solzhenitsyn. Reflections on the February Revolution.
• NEFEDOV S. A. FEBRUARY 1917: POWER, SOCIETY, BREAD AND REVOLUTION
• Mikhail Babkin "OLD" AND "NEW" OATH OF STATE

Bibliography

• Archive of the Russian Revolution (edited by G.V. Gessen). M., Terra, 1991. In 12 volumes.
• Pipes R. Russian Revolution. M., 1994.
• Katkov G. Russia, 1917. The February Revolution. London, 1967.
• Moorhead A. The Russian Revolution. New York, 1958.
• Dyakin V.S. ABOUT ONE FAILED ATTEMPT OF TSARISM TO “SOLVE” THE LAND QUESTION DURING THE FIRST WORLD WAR. (Goals and nature of the so-called liquidation of German land ownership in Russia)

Photos and documents