The February Revolution of 1917

History · AS: The Russian Revolution, 1894-1921. The idea in plain words, the rules to remember, the mistake to avoid and a worked example, written and checked by Mega Lecture.

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The idea

The First World War broke the Tsarist system. The army suffered huge defeats and losses. At home the railways served the front, so grain did not reach the cities, and printing money caused inflation. Petrograd was cold and hungry by early 1917.

In 1915 Nicholas II took personal command of the army. He was now blamed for every defeat, and government in the capital was left to the Tsarina and Rasputin, who were widely distrusted.

In February 1917 strikes and bread protests in Petrograd grew for several days. When the garrison mutinied and joined the crowds, the Tsar lost all support and abdicated. The Duma leaders formed the Provisional Government.

Rules to remember

Tannenberg, August 1914: a heavy Russian defeat in East Prussia in the first weeks of the war.
1915: Nicholas II went to army headquarters as commander-in-chief; ministers were changed again and again in his absence.
December 1916: Rasputin was murdered by a group of nobles led by Prince Yusupov.
23 February 1917 (Old Style): International Women's Day marches over bread shortages joined striking workers.
The Petrograd garrison mutinied on 27 February; Nicholas abdicated on 2 March.
Grand Duke Michael refused the throne, ending Romanov rule.
Provisional Government under Prince Lvov: to rule only until an elected Constituent Assembly met. Order No. 1 gave the Petrograd Soviet control over the soldiers.

Common mistake

Do not describe February 1917 as a Bolshevik rising. It was a largely unplanned movement of workers and soldiers; Lenin was in Switzerland and other leading Bolsheviks were in exile.

Worked example

Why was the Provisional Government weak from its first day?

It was formed by Duma politicians and was not elected by the people.
The Petrograd Soviet had the loyalty of workers and soldiers, and Order No. 1 told soldiers to obey the government only when the Soviet agreed.
So the government had responsibility without real control of the army in the capital. This is called dual power.

Answer: It shared power with the Petrograd Soviet, which controlled the soldiers, and it was only temporary and unelected.

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