Возврат на главную страницу Возврат на главную страницу Возврат на главную страницу Возврат на главную страницу Возврат на главную страницу
The subject index / Provisional Government of 1917

Provisional Government of 1917


Categories / Capital/Superior and Central State Institutions

PROVISIONAL GOVERNMENT was the highest state organ of power in Russia, from 2 (15) March until 25 October (7 November) 1917. It was formed after the February Revolution of 1917 by the Provisional Committee of the State Duma in accordance with leaders of the Petrograd City Soviet for the period preceding the calling of the Constituent Assembly. The First Provisional Government (the so-called Bourgeois Provisional Government), from 2(15) March until 2(15) May 1917, consisted of a mixture of party members, including two Octobrists, five Cadets, one centrist, one progressive, and one from the labour party (from March, the socialist-revolutionary party); the President was Prince G.E. Lvov. The Second Provisional Government (the so-called First Coalition Provisional Government), from 6(19) May until 2(15) July 1917, consisted of two Mensheviks, one people's socialist, one labour party member, two socialist-revolutionaries (SRs), one Octobrist, and eight Cadets; the President was Prince Lvov. The Third Provisional Government (the so-called Second Coalition Provisional Government), from 24 July (6 August) until 26 August (8 September) 1917, consisted of seven representatives from socialistic parties and eight representatives from liberal parties; the President was A.F. Kerensky (a socialist-revolutionary). The Forth Provisional Government (the so-called Directory, or the Soviet of the Five), from 1(14) September until 24 September (7 October) 1917, consisted of two socialists, and three non-party members; the President was Kerensky. The Fifth Provisional Government (the so-called Third Coalition Provisional Government), from 25 September (8 October) until 25 October (7 November) 1917, consisted of six representatives of socialistic parties, six representatives of liberal parties, and six non-party members; the President was Kerensky. The Provisional Government's March 3 (16) program proclaimed its accession to power, and its intention to bring the war to a victorious end, confirming treaties with Russia's allies. The Provisional Government made a declaration that they would not prejudge the country's basic political and economic problems before the calling of the Constituent Assembly. The declarations of the Coalition Provisional Governments included articles on the necessity of fighting economic collapse and anarchy, carrying out agricultural reform, and for the attainment of the universal peace. The Provisional Government ratified amnesty for political prisoners, proclaimed democratic freedoms, abolished censorship and capital punishment (it was reintroduced at the front in July, 1917), liquidated the apparatus for political investigations, passed a law for workers' committees (unions) in business enterprises, established Land Committees, accomplished some measures for the democratisation of the Army, and announced the implementation of a state-owned bread monopoly. The Emergency Investigation Commission was established to investigate illegal actions of high ranking officials of the Tsarist regime. On September 1 (14), the Provisional Government proclaimed Russia a republic. A number of new Ministries were created (the Ministry of Labour, the Post and Telegraph Department, the Ministry of Food), but the basic structure of agencies of state power did not undergo major changes. The Provisional Government's activity was contradictory, could not stop the social, economic and political crisis from deepening, and was unable to prevent increasingly radical tendencies among workers and soldiers, especially in Petrograd. By October 1917, the Provisional Government had lost control of the situation in the country, and was overthrown by the Bolsheviks on 25 October (7 November) 1917, when its ministers were arrested. The locations of the Provisional Government were The Tauride Palace (early March); the Mariinsky Palace (March - June); the Winter Palace (June - October).

References: Старцев В. И. Революция и власть: Петрогр. Совет и Врем. правительство в марте-апреле 1917 г. М., 1978; Его же. Крах керенщины. Л., 1982; Набоков В. Д. Временное правительство // Архив русской революции. М., 1991. Т. 1. С. 9-125; Милюков П. Н. История второй русской революции. М., 2001.

A. M. Kulegin.

Persons
Kerensky Alexander Fedorovich
Lvov Georgy Evgenievich, Duke

Bibliographies
Старцев В. И. Революция и власть: Петрогр. Совет и Врем. правительство в марте - апреле 1917 г. М., 1978
Старцев В. И. Крах керенщины. Л., 1982
Милюков П. Н. История второй русской революции. М., 2001
Набоков В. Д. Временное правительство // Архив русской революции. М., 1991

The subject Index
February Revolution of 1917
State Duma
Tauride Palace
Mariinsky Palace
Winter Palace


All-Russian Congress of Workers' and Soldiers' Soviet Deputies, Second

THE SECOND ALL-RUSSIAN CONGRESS OF WORKERS' AND SOLDIERS' SOVIET DEPUTIES, was held at Smolny from 25 to 27 October (7 to 9 November) 1917. Its sitting was delayed on several occasions; from the middle of September until 20 October (2 November)

Antonov-Ovseenko V.A. (1883-1939), revolutionary, political figure

ANTONOV-OVSEENKO (real name Ovseenko) Vladimir Alexeevich (1883-1938), revolutionary. Studied at Nikolaevsky Military Engineering school of St. Petersburg, in 1901 was sacked for his refusal to swear loyalty

Archives, St. Petersburg

ARCHIVES, SAINT PETERSBURG, the Central State Archives of St. Petersburg situated at 15 Varfolomeevskaya Street. They were founded as the Leningrad Regional Archives of the October Revolution in 1936 and renamed as the State Archives of the October

Avksentyev N. D. (1878-1943), socialist revolutionary

AVKSENTYEV Nikolay Dmitrievich (1878-1943) statesman and publicist. He graduated from a Gymnasium in Penza (1897), and attended the Faculty of Law of Moscow University, in 1899; he was expelled for participating in the student movement

Bakhmetyev B.A. (1880-1951), physicist, hydraulic engineer

BAKHMETYEV Boris Alexandrovich (1880-1951), hydraulic engineer, statesman and public figure. Graduated from the Institute of Transport Communications Engineers (1902). From 1905, worked at the Polytechnic Institute, was appointed professor in 1913

Balk A.P., the city guard 1916-17

BALK Alexander Pavlovich (1866-1957), statesman, Major General (1912). He graduated from the First Cadet Corps (he was a classmate of the future last minister of Internal Affairs of the Russian empire A. D

Capital

CAPITAL. St. Petersburg was the capital of Russia from the 1710s until 10-11 March 1918. The city's status as capital came quite spontaneously, and was mostly due to Tsar Peter the Great's having settled there

Central Duma

CENTRAL DUMA (Central City Duma) is the elected organ of city self-government. It was set up by the Provisional Government after the February revolution of 1917, dealing with the same problems as the previous City Duma

Chernov V. M. (1873-1952), Socialist Revolutionary

CHERNOV Viktor Mikhailovich (1873-1952) was a political figure, sociologist, and publicist. On graduating from Derpt Gymnasium (1892) he entered the Faculty of Law of Moscow University, and participated in revolutionary circles

Civil governor

CIVIL GOVERNOR, the head of the provincial administration in St. Petersburg province. Officially the post of civil governor was founded in 1761 (before then, since 1736 the functions of civil governor were performed by the governor of province and

Committee for the Salvation of the Fatherland and the Revolution

COMMITTEE FOR THE SALVATION OF THE FATHERLAND AND THE REVOLUTION, An anti-Bolshevik organisation, established on the night of 26 October (old style: 8 November) 1917

Constituent Assembly, All-Russian

ALL-RUSSIAN CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY, a body of representatives established on the basis of universal suffrage in order to form a government and draft a Constitution for Russia

Dubrovin A. I. (1855-1921), public figure

DUBROVIN Alexander Ivanovich (1855-1921) was a doctor, political and public figure, State Counsellor. On graduating from the Medical Surgical Academy (1879) he served as a military doctor. From 1889, he worked in children's orphanages of St

February Revolution of 1917

FEBRUARY REVOLUTION OF 1917 is the Second Russian Revolution, which dethroned the Monarchy. Decisive events developed in Petrograd. On 23 February (8 March) 1917

First All-Russian Congress of Soviets of Workers' and Soldiers' Deputies

FIRST ALL-RUSSIAN CONGRESS OF SOVIETS OF WORKERS' AND SOLDIERS' DEPUTIES. Held on 3-24 June (16 June - 7 July) 1917. Most of the sittings were held in the 1st Cadet Corps building (3/1 Kadetskaya Line); some were held at Tauride Palace

Gendarmerie

GENDARMERIE, 1) military police, which secured the rear of the standing army, aiming to prevent marauding and desertion. Gendarmerie was founded by M. B. Barclay de Tolly in 1815

Highest Organs of State Power (entry)

HIGHEST ORGANS OF STATE POWER. The first higher organ of state power to function in St. Petersburg was the Senate founded by Tsar Peter the Great in 1711. The Supreme Privy Council was founded under Empress Catherine I (1725-30)

Kerensky A.F. (1881-1970), political figure

KERENSKY Alexander Fedorovich (1881-1970), political figure and statesman, lawyer. In 1899, he entered the History and Philology Faculty of Petersburg University; in 1900, he moved to the Faculty of Law; after graduating (1904)

Kirov S.M. the 1st secretary of the regional party committee in 1926-34

KIROV (born Kostrikov) Sergey Mironovich (1886-1934, Leningrad), statesman and party worker. He graduated from Kazan Elementary Mechanical-technical School (1904)

Kornilov Affair

KORNILOV AFFAIR (Kornilov's Advance, in Soviet literature - Kornilov's Revolt and "Kornilovshchina"), an attempt by the Supreme Commander-in-Chief General L.G. Kornilov in August (September) 1917 to avert the seizure of power by left-wing radicals

Kornilov L.G. (1870-1918), military commander, General

KORNILOV Lavr Georgievich (1870-1918), military commander, Infantry General (1917). Graduated from the Infantry Academy (1890), and the General Staff Academy (1896)

Kschessinska Mansion

KSCHESSINSKA MANSION (2 Kuybysheva Street /1 Kronverksky Avenue), a modernist architectural monument. The building was constructed in 1904-06 (architect. A. I. von Gogen) for ballet dancer M.F. Kschessinska

Lansere N.E. (1879-1942), architect

LANSERE Nikolay Evgenyevich (1879, St. Petersburg -1942), architect and graphic artist, architectural historian and teacher. He was the brother of E.E. Lansere and Z.E. Serebryakova

Lyceum

LYCEUM, Tsarskoe Selo Lyceum renamed Alexandrovsky Lyceum in 1843, a privileged higher education institution providing training for state officials. It was founded in 1810 and opened on 19 October 1811

Mariinsky Palace

MARIINSKY PALACE (6 St. Isaac's Square), an architectural monument of late Neoclassicism. It was constructed in 1839-1844 (architect A.I. Stakensсhneider) on the left bank of the Moika River, close to the Siny Bridge

Mikhail Alexandrovich (1878-1918), Grand Prince

MIKHAIL ALEXANDROVICH (1878, St. Petersburg - 1918), Grand Prince, Lieutenant General (1916), Adjutant General (1914), Member of the State Assembly (from 1901)

Military Industrial Committees

MILITARY INDUSTRIAL COMMITTEES (VPK), public administration for military and economic regulation, established during the First World War of 1914-18 for the mobilisation of private enterprises to producing military goods

Milyukov P.N. (1859-1943), statesman, historian

MILYUKOV Pavel Nikolaevich (1859-1943), statesman, historian, essayist, honorary doctor of Cambridge University (1916). He graduated from the Faculty of History and Philology of Moscow University in 1882. From 1886, he was a private tutor there

October Revolution (October Armed Revolt) of 1917

OCTOBER REVOLUTION (OCTOBER ARMED REVOLT) of 1917, the name accepted in Soviet historical literature of the events in Petrograd of 24 -26 October (6 -8 November) 1917

Oldenburg S.F., (1863-1934), orientalist

Oldenburg Sergey Fedorovich (1863-1934, Leningrad), orientalist and scientific organiser, public figure, member of the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences (from 1900). He moved to St. Petersburg in 1881

Panina S.V. (1871-1957), political figure

PANINA Sofia Vladimirovna, (1871, St. Petersburg - 1957), countess, educator and patron of the arts, political and public figure. Came from the family of Count Panin. Panina was one of the wealthiest women in Russia

Political Parties (entry)

POLITICAL PARTIES, groups of people united by political opinions and goals fixed in party documents; possessing certain membership requirements, internal structure and types of activities stated in the regulations; relying on a certain social base

Prokopovich S. N. (1871-1955), public figure

PROKOPOVICH Sergey Nikolaevich (1871-1955) was a public figure, economist, statistician, a theorist of cooperation, Ph. D. in philosophy from Bern University (1913)

Provincial Gendarme Administration

PROVINCIAL GENDARME ADMINISTRATION of St. Petersburg, the local organ of gendarmerie. It was formed in 1867, after the abolishment of gendarme districts. The administration was located at 8/15 Ochakovskaya Street

Rodichev F. I. (1854-1933), the public and political figure

RODICHEV Fedor Izmailovich (1854, St. Petersburg - 1933), public and political figure. On graduating from the First St. Petersburg Vocational Gymnasium (1870) he studied at the Department of Natural History in the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics

Rodzyanko M.V. (1859-1924), political and public figure

RODZYANKO Mikhail Vladimirovich (1859-1924), public and political figure, author of memoirs. After graduating from the Page Corps in 1877, he served with the Mounted Regiment (transferred to the reserve in 1882, retired in 1885)

Roerich N.K., (1874-1947), artist, archaeologist, writer

ROERICH Nikolay Konstantinovich (1874, St. Petersburg - 1947), painter, theatre artist, philosopher and public figure. Studied at the Faculty of Law of St. Petersburg University and at the Academy of Arts (1893-97) under A.I

Shingarev A.I. (1869-1918), public and political figure

SHINGAREV Andrey Ivanovich (1869-1918, Petrograd), public and political figure, physician. After graduating from the Faculty of Medicine at Moscow University in 1894, he worked as a doctor in the Voronezh Province

St. Peter and Paul fortress

ST. PETER AND PAUL FORTRESS, the historical centre of St. Petersburg, a monument of military engineering, the oldest engineering and architectural sight of the city

State Duma

STATE DUMA (1905-17), the lower house of the Russian Parliament. It was established on 6 August 1905 as a deliberating representative body for preliminary discussions of legislative proposals

Tauride Palace

TAURIDE PALACE (47 Shpalernaya Street), an architectural monument of Neoclassical. It was constructed in 1783-1789 (architect I.E. Starov) for Prince G.A. Potemkin-Tavrichesky (hence the name)

Trubetskoy Bastion

TRUBETSKOY BASTION, one of 6 bastions of Peter and Paul Fortress, situated in its south-western part. The bastion was built in 1703, of earth and wood under the supervision of prince Y.Y

Tsereteli I.G. (1881-1959), political figure

TSERETELI Irakly Georgievich (1881-1959), statesman, public and political figure. After graduating from Tiflis Gymnasium (1900) he entered the School of Law of Moscow University, in 1902

Winter Palace

WINTER PALACE, the Great Winter Palace (38 Dvortsovaya (Palace) Embankment), a Baroque architectural monument (1754-1762, architect F.B. Rastrelli). Up until 1917, it remained the main Imperial residence in St

Zarudny A.S. (1863-1934), lawyer, public and political figure

ZARUDNY Alexander Sergeevich (1863, St. Petersburg - 1934, Leningrad), public and political figure, lawyer. After graduating from the St. Petersburg Jurisprudence College in 1885, he worked at the St