The second Provisional Government, July-October
- Created by: Tori
- Created on: 03-06-20 17:24
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- The second Provisional Government, July-October
- Kerensky as prime minister
- Kerensky had many strengths, and his appointment as head of government persuaded many Bolsheviks that they were beaten.
- Strengths:
- Kerensky was a charismatic leader and a gifted public speaker.
- He understood the importance of propaganda and thus had his public appearances filmed, and played in cinemas.
- Understood the importance of patriotism.
- Skilful politician.
- Cultivated good relationships with Mensheviks and liberals in order to ensure that his government worked harmoniously.
- Before the Revolution Kerensky was a lawyer who specialised in defending revolutionaries.
- Thus, he knew many of the Soviet's leaders.
- Strengths:
- Kerensky's weaknesses
- He had very little administrative experience prior to forming his first government.
- Thus, he didn't fully understand how to run the government.
- He was also addicted to cocaine and morphine, which he used to help cope with the pressure of the role.
- He had very little administrative experience prior to forming his first government.
- Kerensky's policies
- Kerensky wanted to restore domestic order.
- Thus, he imposed repression, including:
- -Press censorship
- -The establishment of military courts.
- Set out to punish deserters and Bolsheviks who were spreading anti-war propaganda in the army.
- -The death penalty for insubordination in the army.
- Additionally, he promised more effective and efficient grain distribution to ensure that urban workers had food to eat.
- However, he was unable to persuade the peasants to trade their grain.
- This was because he refused to raise the price the government would pay.
- Thus, his policy failed.
- The amount of bread available in Petrograd in late 1917 was just over half that had been available a year earlier.
- However, he was unable to persuade the peasants to trade their grain.
- Following the failure of the June Offensive, Kerensky abandoned plans to launch new military campaigns.
- Additionally, the Russian army disintegrated due to:
- -Mass desertions
- -Austrian and German forces lanuched new attacks on Russian territory, capturing Riga (capital of Latvia) in August.
- This caused panic that Russia's enemies were preparing to conquer Petrograd.
- Additionally, the Russian army disintegrated due to:
- Thus, he imposed repression, including:
- Kerensky wanted to restore domestic order.
- Kerensky had many strengths, and his appointment as head of government persuaded many Bolsheviks that they were beaten.
- The July Days had threatened to overthrow the government.
- Prince Lvov resigned, and Kerensky responded by forming a 'government of salvation of the revolution'.
- The second PG was based on a new coalition between moderate socialists and the Kadets.
- Prince Lvov resigned, and Kerensky responded by forming a 'government of salvation of the revolution'.
- The membership of the new government
- Kerensky became head of government at a time of crisis.
- Many socalists had lost faith in the government and Kadet leaders refused to serve in a socialist-led government.
- Thus, Kerensky struggled to assemble a coalition.
- Many socalists had lost faith in the government and Kadet leaders refused to serve in a socialist-led government.
- His cabinet contained 3 Kadets.
- The majority of Kadets had abandoned liberalism, believeing that Russia needed a military dictatorship.
- The Kadets in the cabinet didn't represent the mainstream of the party.
- Therefore, they didn't win the support of the majority of Kadets.
- It also contained SRs and Mensheviks.
- However, these parties were also split.
- Additionally, the Srs were suspicious of the Kadets, which made holding the government together difficult.
- However, these parties were also split.
- Soclalist factions
- By July the Mensheviks and the SRs were split.
- The rght-wing factions favoured revolutionary defencism, and support for the PG.
- However, the left-wing factions favoured policies such as Soviet power, workers' control of industry and a separte peace to end the war with Germany.
- The rght-wing factions favoured revolutionary defencism, and support for the PG.
- By July the Mensheviks and the SRs were split.
- Kerensky became head of government at a time of crisis.
- Kerensky as prime minister
- The July Days had threatened to overthrow the government.
- Prince Lvov resigned, and Kerensky responded by forming a 'government of salvation of the revolution'.
- The second PG was based on a new coalition between moderate socialists and the Kadets.
- Prince Lvov resigned, and Kerensky responded by forming a 'government of salvation of the revolution'.
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