The result of the February Revolution of 1917. February Revolution: briefly

In 1917, the autocratic system that had existed for several centuries collapsed in Russia. This event had a huge impact on the fate of Russia and the whole world.

Russia and World War

In the summer of 1914, Russia found itself embroiled in world war with Germany and its allies.

The Fourth State Duma unconditionally supported the government. She called on the people to rally around Nicholas II - “their sovereign leader.” All political parties, with the exception of the Bolsheviks, put forward the slogan of defense of their fatherland. The liberals, led by Miliukov, abandoned their opposition to tsarism during the war and put forward the slogan: “Everything for the war! Everything for victory!

The people initially supported the war. However, gradually failures at the fronts began to cause anti-war sentiment.

Growing crisis

The civil peace that all parties except the Bolsheviks called for did not last long. The deterioration of the economic situation of the people, which is inevitable in any war, caused open discontent. A wave of demonstrations with demands to improve their financial situation swept across the country. When dispersing demonstrations, troops used weapons (in Kostroma, Ivanovo-Voznesensk, etc.). Protests against the shootings provoked new mass repressions by the authorities.

The opposition actions of the Duma in August 1915 displeased the Tsar. The Duma was dissolved ahead of schedule for the holidays. A political crisis began in the country.

In 1915, an economic crisis was brewing in Russia. Oil and coal production fell, a number industrial sectors reduced production. Due to a lack of fuel, wagons and locomotives, the railways could not cope with transportation. In the country, especially in large cities, cases of shortages of bread and food have become more frequent.

47% of able-bodied men from the village were drafted into the army. The government requisitioned 2.5 million horses for military needs. As a result, the area under cultivation has sharply decreased and yields have decreased. The lack of transport made it difficult to transport food to the cities in a timely manner. Prices for all types of goods grew rapidly in the country. The rise in prices quickly outpaced the increase in wages.

Tension grew in both the city and the countryside. The strike movement revived. The devastation of the village awakened the peasant movement.

Signs of collapse

The internal political situation in the country was unstable. Only six months before the February Revolution of 1917. - three chairmen of the Council of Ministers and two ministers of internal affairs were replaced. The adventurer, “friend” enjoyed unquestionable authority at the top royal family, “holy elder” Grigory Rasputin.

Rasputin ( real name- Novykh) appeared in St. Petersburg in 1905, where he made acquaintances in high society. Possessing the gift of hypnosis, knowing the properties of medicinal herbs, Rasputin, thanks to his ability to stop bleeding in the heir to the throne Alexei, who was sick with hemophilia (blood incoagulability disease), gained enormous influence on the Tsar and Tsarina.

In 1915-1916 Rasputin achieved enormous influence on state affairs. “Rasputinism” was an expression of the extreme decay and decline of morals of the ruling elite. In order to save the monarchy, a conspiracy against Rasputin arose in the highest government circles. In December 1916 he was killed.

By the beginning of 1917, Russia was in a state of revolutionary crisis.

Uprising in Petrograd

February Revolution broke out unexpectedly for everyone political parties. It began on February 23, when about 130 thousand workers took to the streets of Petrograd shouting: “Bread!”, “Down with the war!” Over the next two days, the number of strikers increased to 300 thousand (30% of all Petrograd workers). On February 25, the political strike became general. Demonstrators with red banners and revolutionary slogans from all over the city walked towards the center. The Cossacks sent to disperse the processions began to go over to their side.

On February 26, Sunday, the workers, as in previous days, moved from the outskirts to the city center, but were met with rifle volleys and machine-gun fire. The decisive day of the revolution was February 27, when first the Volyn regiment, and then other military units, went over to the side of the workers. The workers, together with the soldiers, captured the train stations, freed political prisoners from prisons, and took possession of the Main artillery department, an arsenal and began to arm themselves.

At this time, Nicholas II was at Headquarters in Mogilev.

To suppress the uprising, he sent troops loyal to him to the capital, but on the approaches to Petrograd they were stopped and disarmed. The Tsar left Mogilev, intending to return to the capital. However, upon hearing that railways revolutionary detachments appeared, ordered to turn to Pskov, to the headquarters of the Northern Front. Here, at the Dno station, on March 2, Nicholas II signed the Manifesto abdicating the throne in favor of his brother Mikhail. But Michael also abdicated the throne the next day.

Thus, in a matter of days, the 300-year-old autocracy of the Romanov dynasty collapsed.

Establishment of dual power

Even before the overthrow of tsarism, on February 25-26, workers of a number of factories in Petrograd, on their own initiative, began elections of Soviets of Workers' Deputies. On February 27, the Petrograd Soviet (Petrosovet) was created, which immediately refused any compromises with the autocracy.

He appealed to the population of Russia with a request to support the labor movement, form local cells of power and take all matters into their own hands. The Petrograd Soviet adopted a number of important decisions that strengthened revolutionary power: on the creation of workers' militia at enterprises; about sending commissars to the city districts to organize Soviets there; on control over government institutions; on the publication of the official press organ"News of the Petrograd Soviet".

Along with the Petrograd Soviet, another government arose in the country - the Provisional Government, consisting of cadets and Octobrists. In the first weeks, the Provisional Government carried out a broad democratization of society: political rights and freedoms were proclaimed, national and religious restrictions were abolished, an amnesty was declared, the police were abolished, and the arrest of Nicholas II was authorized. Immediate preparations began for the convening of a Constituent Assembly, which was to establish “the form of government and constitution of the country.” Therefore, the Provisional Government initially enjoyed the support of the population.

Thus, as a result of the February Revolution, a dual power was formed in the country: the Provisional Government and the Petrograd Council of Workers' and Soldiers' Deputies. At the same time, it was an interweaving of two political directions. The Provisional Government was the power of the bourgeoisie, the Petrograd Soviet - the proletariat and peasantry. Real power was in the hands of the Petrograd Soviet, which was dominated by the Socialist Revolutionaries and Mensheviks. Dual power was especially clearly manifested in the army, the mainstay of power: command staff recognized the power of the Provisional Government, and the vast majority of soldiers recognized the power of the Soviets.

Meanwhile, the war continued, the economic situation in the country was increasingly deteriorating. The delay in reforms and elections to the Constituent Assembly, the indecisiveness of the Provisional Government - all this made popular the slogan of transferring power to the Soviets. In addition, the masses, due to their inexperience in political activity, gravitated not towards parliamentary, but towards “forceful” methods of struggle.

On the way to the October Revolution

The victory of the February Revolution made it possible for revolutionaries who were in exile or exile to return to Petrograd. At the beginning of April, Lenin, Zinoviev and others returned to Russia. Lenin gave a speech to the Bolsheviks known as the April Theses. The main points that he put forward boiled down to the following: it is impossible to end the imperialist, predatory war waged by the Provisional Government in peace without the overthrow of capital. Therefore, we must move from the first stage of the revolution, which gave power to the bourgeoisie, to the second stage, which will give power to the workers and poor peasants. Hence - no support for the Provisional Government. Councils of workers' deputies are the only possible form revolutionary government. Not a parliamentary republic, but a Republic of Soviets. It is necessary to nationalize (transfer into state ownership) all lands, and all banks should be merged into one national one. Thus, the Bolsheviks set a course for the implementation of a socialist revolution.

In August 1917, the Soviets suppressed an attempt by right-wing forces to establish a military dictatorship with the help of General L. Kornilov. This further strengthened the authority of the Bolsheviks among the masses. Re-elections to the Soviets, which took place in September, consolidated the advantage of the Bolsheviks. The desire of the broad masses, the majority of workers and peasants for democracy in the communal form of Soviets that they understand (election, collective acceptance decisions, transfer of powers from lower bodies to higher ones, etc.) coincided with the main slogan of the Bolsheviks - “All power to the Soviets!” However, for the Bolsheviks, the Soviets are organs of the dictatorship of the proletariat. People inexperienced in politics did not understand this. Lenin's supporters managed to use the mood of the masses, their impatience, and thirst for equalizing justice to come to power. In October 1917, the Bolsheviks won not under socialist, but under democratic slogans understandable to the masses.

THIS IS INTERESTING TO KNOW

In the first days of the February Revolution, the Bolsheviks numbered only 24 thousand people, in April - 80 thousand, in July - 240 thousand, at the beginning of October - about 400 thousand people, i.e. in 7 months the number of the Bolshevik Party increased by more than 16.5 times. Workers made up the majority in it - over 60%.

Things were different in the village. There, at the end of 1917, there were only 203 Bolshevik cells, which included a little more than 4 thousand people.

By October 1917, the Socialist Revolutionary Party (SRs) numbered about 1 million people.

References:
V. S. Koshelev, I. V. Orzhekhovsky, V. I. Sinitsa / The World History Modern times XIX - early XX century, 1998.

The February Revolution of 1917 formally began on February 18. On this day, more than 30 thousand workers of the Putilov plant went on strike. The government responded to this by immediately closing the Putilov plant. People found themselves unemployed and on February 23, crowds of demonstrators took to the streets of St. Petersburg to protest. By February 25, these unrest had developed into a real strike. People opposed the autocracy. The February Revolution of 1917 entered its active phase.

On February 26, the fourth company of the Peter and Paul Regiment joined the rebels. Gradually, all the troops of the Peter and Paul Regiment joined the ranks of the protesters. Events moved quickly. Nicholas 2, under pressure, was forced to abdicate the throne in favor of his brother Mikhail (March 2), who also refused to lead the country.

Provisional Government of 1917

On March 1, the creation of a Provisional Government was announced, headed by G.E. Lviv. The provisional government worked, and on March 3 it issued a manifesto with tasks for the development of the country. The February Revolution of 1917 continued with a mass amnesty for prisoners. The provisional government, wanting to inspire people's trust, announced the imminent end of the war and the transfer of land to the people.

On March 5, the Provisional Government dismissed all governors and officials who served Emperor Nicholas 2. Instead of provinces and districts, commissariats were created, which resolved issues locally.

In April 1917, the Provisional Government experienced a crisis of people's distrust. The reason for this was the statement of the Minister of Foreign Affairs P.N. Miliukov, who stated that Western countries that Russia will continue the First World War and will participate in it until the very end. People poured into the streets of Moscow and St. Petersburg, expressing disagreement with the actions of the authorities. As a result, Miliukov was forced to resign. The leaders of the new government decided to recruit the most influential socialists among the people, whose positions were still extremely weak. The new Provisional Government made a statement in mid-May that it would begin negotiations on concluding peace with Germany and would immediately begin resolving the land issue.

In June, a new crisis occurred that shook the Provisional Government. The people were dissatisfied that the war was not over and the land was still in the hands of the chosen ones. As a result, on June 18, a demonstration in which about 400 thousand people took part poured into the streets of Petrograd, chanting Bolshevik slogans en masse. At the same time, large movements took place in Minsk, Moscow, Nizhny Novgorod, Kharkov and many other cities.

In July, a new wave of popular movements swept Petrograd. This time people demanded the overthrow of the provisional government and the transfer of all power to the Soviets. On July 8, the socialists who headed individual ministries issued a decree declaring Russia a republic. G.E. Lvov resigned in protest. Kerensky took his place. On July 28, the creation of a coalition provisional government was announced, which included 7 socialists and 8 cadets. This government was headed by Kerensky.

On August 23, a representative of the Provisional Government arrived at the headquarters of Commander-in-Chief Kornilov, who conveyed Kerensky’s request to send the 3rd Cavalry Corps to Petrograd, since the Provisional Government feared possible actions of the Bolsheviks. But Kerensky, seeing the troops near Petrograd, was afraid that Kornilov’s troops would want to put their boss in power, and declared Kornilov a traitor, ordering his arrest. This happened on August 27. The general refused to admit guilt and sent troops to Petrograd. Residents of the city stood up to defend the capital. Ultimately, the townspeople managed to resist the onslaught of Kornilov’s troops.

These were the results of the February Revolution of 1917. Then the Bolsheviks came to the fore, wanting to completely subjugate power to themselves.

for some time relieved the severity of social contradictions. All segments of the population rallied around the government in a single patriotic impulse. However, it did not last long. Defeats at the front in the fight against Germany, the worsening situation of the people caused by the war, - all this gave rise to mass discontent. The internal situation in the country aggravated the economic crisis, which emerged in 1915 - 1916. It turned out to be especially spicy food crisis. The peasants, not receiving the necessary industrial goods, refused to supply the products of their farms to the market. Bread lines appeared for the first time in Russia.

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 disruptions in food supplies intensified big cities Russia . 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 to 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 capture of the arsenal and the 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, 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 of public order and the supply of food 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 big.

February 27 at a meeting of leaders of Duma factions there was decided to form an Interim Committee State Duma led 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 would be impossible to take popular movement control was no longer possible.

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 be decided by the 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 . Soldiers were given equal civil rights with officers, the titles of officers were abolished, rough treatment of lower ranks was prohibited, traditional forms army chain of command. 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, workers, agrarian and national issues- new ones have been added: about power, the future state structure and ways out of the crisis. All this determined the unique alignment of social forces in 1917.

The time from February to October is a special period in the history of Russia. 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 of 1917 received this name because the main events began to take place in February according to the then current Julian calendar. It should be borne in mind that the transition to the Gregorian calendar occurred in 1918. Therefore, these events became known as the February revolution, although, in fact, we were talking about the March uprising.

Researchers point out that there are certain complaints about the definition of “revolution”. This term was introduced into circulation by Soviet historiography following the government, which thus wanted to emphasize the popular nature of what was happening. However, objective scientists point out that this is, in fact, a revolution. Despite loud slogans and objectively brewing discontent in the country, the broad masses were not drawn into the main events of the February revolution. The working class that was then beginning to form became the basic driving force, but it was too small in number. The peasantry was largely left out.

The day before, a political crisis was brewing in the country. Since 1915, the emperor had formed a fairly strong opposition, which gradually increased in strength. Its main goal was the transition from autocracy to constitutional monarchy similar to Great Britain, and not what the February and October revolutions of 1917 ultimately led to. Many historians note that such a course of events would have been smoother and would have made it possible to avoid numerous human casualties and sharp social upheavals, which subsequently resulted in civil war.

Also, when discussing the nature of the February revolution, one cannot help but note that it was affected by the First World War, which drew too much strength from Russia. People lacked food, medicine, and basic necessities. A large number of The peasants were busy at the front; there was no one to sow. Production was focused on military needs, and other industries suffered noticeably. The cities were literally flooded with crowds of people who needed food, work, and housing. At the same time, the impression was created that the emperor was simply watching what was happening and was not going to do anything, although in such conditions it was simply impossible not to react. As a result, the coup could also be called an outbreak of public discontent that had accumulated towards the imperial family over many years.

Since 1915, the role of Empress Alexandra Feodorovna in the government of the country has sharply increased, who was not particularly popular among the people, especially due to her unhealthy attachment to Rasputin. And when the emperor assumed the responsibilities of commander-in-chief and moved away from everyone at Headquarters, problems began to accumulate like a snowball. We can say that this was a fundamentally wrong move, deadly for the entire Romanov dynasty.

The Russian Empire at that time was also very unlucky with its managers. Ministers were almost constantly changing, and most of them did not want to delve into the situation; some simply did not have leadership abilities. And few people understood the real threat looming over the country.

At the same time, certain social conflicts issues that had remained unresolved since the 1905 revolution have escalated. Thus, when the revolution began, the beginning launched a huge mechanism resembling a pendulum. And he demolished the entire old system, but at the same time got out of control and destroyed a lot of things that were needed.

Grand Ducal Fronde

It is worth noting that the nobility is often accused of not doing anything. Actually this is not true. Already in 1916, even his close relatives found themselves in opposition to the emperor. In history, this phenomenon was called the “grand-ducal front.” In short, the main demands were the formation of a government responsible to the Duma and the removal of the Empress and Rasputin from actual control. The move, according to some historians, is correct, just a little late. When real action began, in fact, the revolution had already begun, the beginning of serious changes could not be stopped.

Other researchers believe that in 1917 the February revolution would have only occurred in connection with internal processes and accumulated contradictions. And the October war was already a successful attempt to plunge the country into civil war, into a state of complete instability. Thus, it has been established that Lenin and the Bolsheviks as a whole were quite well supported in financially from abroad. However, it is worth returning to the February events.

Views of political forces

A table will help to demonstrate quite clearly the political mood that reigned at that time.

From the above it is clearly seen that the then existing political forces united only in opposition to the emperor. Otherwise, they did not find understanding, and their goals were often opposite.

Driving forces of the February revolution

Speaking about what actually drove the revolution, it is worth noting several points at the same time. Firstly, political discontent. Secondly, the intelligentsia, who did not see the emperor as the leader of the nation, he was not suitable for this role. The “ministerial leapfrog” also had serious consequences, as a result of which there was no order within the country; officials were dissatisfied, who did not understand who to obey, in what order to work.

Analyzing the prerequisites and causes of the February revolution of 1917, it is worth noting: mass workers’ strikes were observed. However, a lot happened on the anniversary of “Bloody Sunday,” so not everyone wanted a real overthrow of the regime and a complete change in the country; it is likely that these were simply performances timed to coincide with a specific date, as well as a means to attract attention.

Moreover, if you look for information on the topic “presentation of the February revolution of 1917,” you can find evidence that the most depressive mood reigned in Petrograd. Which was frankly strange, because even at the front the general mood turned out to be much more cheerful. As eyewitnesses of the events later recalled in their memoirs, it resembled mass hysteria.

Start

In 1917, the February Revolution began, in fact, with mass panic raised in Petrograd over a shortage of bread. At the same time, historians subsequently established that such a mood was created largely artificially, and grain supplies were deliberately blocked, since the conspirators were going to take advantage of the popular unrest and get rid of the king. Against this background, Nicholas II leaves Petrograd, leaving the situation to the Minister of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Protopopov, who did not see the whole picture. Then the situation developed incredibly rapidly, gradually getting more and more out of control.

First, Petrograd completely rebelled, followed by Kronstadt, then Moscow, and the unrest spread to other large cities. It was mainly the “lower classes” who rebelled, overwhelming them with their massive numbers: ordinary soldiers, sailors, workers. Members of one group drew the other into confrontation.

Meanwhile, Emperor Nicholas II could not make a final decision. He was slow to react to a situation that required more stringent measures, he wanted to listen to all the generals, and in the end he abdicated, but not in favor of his son, but in favor of his brother, who was categorically unable to cope with the situation in the country. As a result, on March 9, 1917, it became clear that the revolution had won, the Provisional Government was formed, and the State Duma as such ceased to exist.

What are the main results of the February revolution?

The main result of the events that took place was the end of the autocracy, the end of the dynasty, the renunciation of the emperor and his family members from the rights to the throne. Also on March 9, 1917, the country began to be governed by the Provisional Government. According to some historians, the significance of the February Revolution should not be underestimated: it was it that subsequently led to the civil war.

The revolution also showed ordinary workers, soldiers and sailors that they could seize control of the situation and take power into their own hands by force. Thanks to this, the foundation was laid for the October events, as well as the Red Terror.

Revolutionary sentiments arose, the intelligentsia began to welcome the new system, and began to call the monarchical system the “old regime.” New words began to come into fashion, for example, the address “comrade”. Kerensky gained enormous popularity, creating his own paramilitary political image, which was subsequently copied by a number of leaders among the Bolsheviks.

Prerequisites and nature of the February Revolution

The prerequisites for the February Revolution were the incompleteness of the first revolution of 1905-1907, during which the tasks of democratizing society and convening the Constituent Assembly were not finally resolved, which caused discontent among liberals. The basic demand of the workers - the introduction of an 8-hour working day - was not satisfied. Despite the reforms of P. Stolypin, the agrarian question was not finally resolved, which became the reason for the discontent of the peasants. The lack of political rights and freedoms has intensified the illegal activities of opposition parties. With the exception of small concessions made by the Manifesto of October 17, 1905, democratic transformations in Russia remained unfinished, which means that what caused the first revolution had to appear again. New social upheavals were inevitable.

It is characteristic that even those who were involved in the events of the revolution explained the reasons for the revolution differently. Monarchists believed that the revolution was the result of a Masonic conspiracy between liberals and the bourgeoisie. The Octobrists and Cadets saw their origins in the failure of all attempts at compromise with the government, believing that the revolution was a popular, democratic and national one. The Bolsheviks believed that the revolution began because the government “could no longer” carry out reforms, and the lower classes no longer “wanted” government reforms. The February bourgeois revolution for them was only the first step towards the socialist revolution.

Social tension was facilitated by Russia's entry into the First World War), failures at the front, the death of millions of soldiers, deterioration of living conditions. The political crisis on the eve of the war worsened even more. The activities of G. Rasputin, the short-sighted policy of the government, the frequent change of ministers, the radicalization of cadets and monarchists ( they killed Rasputin), the emergence in the IV State Duma in 1915 of the Cadet-Octobrist “Progressive Bloc”, which demanded “to create a government that enjoys the country’s confidence” - these factors became decisive at the beginning of the revolution.

Progress of the February Revolution

At the beginning of 1917, the situation in the country sharply worsened. The level of the strike movement reached unprecedented heights. A critical situation developed in Petrograd, where, due to a failure in food supplies to the city on February 23, discontent grew into spontaneous rallies, demonstrations and strikes. More than 120 thousand workers went on strike. The Bolsheviks, Mensheviks and other socialist parties called for revolution and the overthrow of the monarchy. On February 25, the protests grew into a general political strike, involving 305 thousand people. February 26 was a decisive day for the revolution. If the troops had not used weapons before, then on February 6, 1917, a large demonstration on Nevsky Prospect was shot, and mass arrests took place. The shooting of the demonstration caused mutinies in the army. The Pavlovsk regiment refused to move against the demonstrators. On February 27, 1917, an armed uprising began in Petrograd. And "the revolutionary masses were joined by about 70 thousand soldiers of the reserve battalions of the Volyn, Preobrazhensky, Lithuanian, Moscow reserve regiments. During the day, the rebels captured train stations, bridges, and the main arsenal. The building of the District Court and the House of Pre-trial Detention were stormed. Together with the revolutionaries, liberated 4 thousand criminals were also released from prisons and police stations.The Tsar was at the Russian Army Headquarters at that time.

The Chairman of the IV State Duma M. Rodzianko telegraphed Nicholas II on February 26 about mortal danger looming over Russia, and the need to immediately create a new government that enjoys the confidence of the country. The king did not answer. The next day, on behalf of the Provisional Committee of the State Duma, an appeal was issued to the population, which stated that this new government body had taken into its own hands the restoration of state and public order. On the evening of February 27, Nicholas II sent to the capital special squad(more than 800 people) under the command of General N. Ivanov to suppress the “unrest” in the capital, he, however, did not dare to use force before the arrival of the emperor. From Headquarters, Nicholas II headed to Tsarskoe Selo, but important news stopped him in Pskov. On March 2, Nicholas II signed documents suspending Ivanov’s punitive expedition. Here he learned from Rodzianko that the Provisional Committee of the State Duma had already appointed its commissars to the ministries and demanded abdication in favor of the emperor’s son.

At the same time, the Petrograd Council of Workers' Deputies and its Temporary Executive Committee began work in Petrograd, which included 6 Mensheviks, 2 Socialist Revolutionaries, 2 Bolsheviks and 5 Social Democrats. The Menshevik N. Chkheidze was elected Chairman of the Council, the Trudovik A. Kerensky and the Menshevik M. Skobelev were his deputies. At the meeting, it was decided to create the Military and Food Commissions, take under the protection of train stations, state banks, bridges and the most important government agencies. On March 1, the Council issued the famous “order No. 1” for the army, according to which many important functions power passed from officers to elected soldiers' committees, soldiers were provided with all civil rights etc. On March 1, 1917, the Petrograd Council of Workers' Deputies was transformed into the Petrograd Council of Workers' and Soldiers' Deputies. In total, in March 1917, more than 500 Soviets of workers, soldiers and peasants' deputies arose in Russia, playing important role in the fight against the Provisional Committee and the tsarist administrative apparatus.

On March 2, 1917, General Ruzsky informed Nicholas II of the demand of the Provisional Committee to resolve the issue of abdication. As a result, the tsar wrote a telegram addressed to Rodzianko about abdication in favor of his son, but sending the telegram was delayed. After a conversation with representatives of the Provisional Committee of the State Duma A. Guchkov and V. Shulgin, who arrived in Pskov, on the night of March 2-3, 1917, Nicholas II signed a Manifesto on his abdication and the abdication of his son Alexei from the throne in favor of his brother Mikhail Alexandrovich. On March 2, after negotiations between the Petrograd Soviet and the Duma, a bourgeois Provisional Government was created. The Provisional Committee of the Duma insisted on preserving the monarchy, but after receiving the Tsar's Manifesto in favor of Mikhail and not Alexei, the majority of members of the Provisional Committee changed their minds and began to lean toward the idea that it was impossible to preserve the monarchy. Mikhail Romanov, having learned from Duma representatives that his life was in danger, signed an act of abdication (March 4, 1917). It said that Michael agreed to accept the crown only if such was the decision of the Constituent Assembly, convened on the basis of general elections.

On March 3, 1917, a declaration was published on the composition and program of the Provisional Government, which included Prince G. Lvov, P. Milyukov, A. Guchkov, A. Konovalov, M. Tereshchenko, A. Kerensky. From that time on, power actually passed to the Provisional Government; real power was in the hands of the Petrograd Soviet of Workers' and Soldiers' Deputies. Dual power was established in the country.