The Provisional Government of 1917 was the highest executive and legislative body of state power in Russia. It was formed after the bourgeois-democratic revolution. There was a Provisional Government from March 15 to November 7. Its formation began after the abdication of Tsar Nicholas 2 from the throne.
The leadership of the 4th State Duma formed an Interim Committee on February 27. The chairman was M.V. Rodzianko. The members of the interim government were the ministers:
- Internal Affairs and Minister-Chairman E. G. Lvov (prince);
- Justice - A.F. Kerensky (Trudovik, and then SR);
- agriculture - A. I. Shingarev (cadet);
- finance - M. I. Tereshchenko (non-partisan);
- naval and military - A.I. Guchkov (Octobrist);
- foreign affairs - P. N. Milyukov and other figures.
The formed government called itself "Provisional" until a Constituent Assembly is convened .
His first declaration was published on March 3, which indicated a further political program. The activities of the Provisional Government were accompanied by widespread democratic changes. Thus, amnesty was adopted for religious and political affairs, restrictions on religion were lifted, and estates were abolished. This contributed to the development of the popularity of the new government.
At the very beginning of its existence, the Provisional Government received massive popular support. In addition, the ruling circles of France, Britain, the United States also supported him.
However, the "new government" did not solve and could not solve a single basic issue in the country. The solution of the agrarian problem, the elimination of hunger, the devastation in the country, the formation of the political line, state structure and other fundamental issues were postponed to the Constituent Assembly.
The failure of the Provisional Government led to anti-government protests. In April, the first crisis of power developed. The statement of the Provisional Government on further actions on the foreign political arena accelerated its appearance (to wage war to the end, steadily fulfilling the agreements and treaties concluded between the tsar and the allied powers).
As a result of the crisis, the authorities resigned A.I. Guchkov and P.N. Milyukov. They were replaced by M. I. Tereshchenko and A. F. Kerensky. In May, a coalition government was convened. It included six socialist ministers. Having become a party in power, the associations of the Mensheviks and Socialist-Revolutionaries were given the opportunity to realize their program ideas.
On May 6, the Provisional Government issued a declaration in which it promised to implement radical agrarian changes. The promises were not realized. The situation in the country has noticeably worsened. Soon, the discontent of the people provoked a second crisis of power.
On June 18, a mass demonstration took place under the Bolshevik slogans and under the leadership of the leaders of the Executive Committee in the Petrograd Soviet.
After the third government crisis, Cadet ministers resign on July 2. The next day, soldiers from a machine gun regiment took to the streets of Petrograd. The interim government shot this demonstration, and then declared martial law in Petrograd.
September 1 A.F. Kerensky formed the new state agency - the Directory (Council of Five). The new government declared Russia a republic, dissolving the 4th State Duma. However, A.F. Kerensky began to lose public support very quickly. At the Democratic meeting on September 14, it was supposed to resolve the issue of government, but the participating parties could not come to the same opinion.
Kerensky created the third coalition government. But the Bolsheviks decide to seize power by force. As a result, the Provisional Government in 1917 was arrested on October 26 (at two hours ten minutes).