Provisional government (Russia)

The Russian provisional government (March 16th (Calendar Julien: March 3rd) 1917 - November 8th (cal. jul. : October 26th) 1917) was formed with Petrograd after the fall of the Russian Empire and the Abdication of the Tsar.

To the Revolution of February 1917, when the governmental authority of the tsar Nicolas II started to fissure, two rival institutions, the Douma and the Soviet of Petrograd, entered in competition for the capacity. Following abdication of the tsar the March 15th and his brother the large-duke Michel the following day, and according to the will of the latter, a provisional government was to direct the country until the constituent assembled determined the new shape of government in Russia. To this end the March 12th was joined together (cal. jul. : February 27th) 1917, the fourth temporary Committee of the duma of state, chaired by the Octobriste Mikhail Rodzyanko.

The provisional government was charged to organize the elections defining this assembly. Its capacity was actually limited by the increasing authority of the Soviet of Petrograd. This one controlled the army, the factories and the railways and had the support of the workmen, which made this period one period of cohabitation, although the Soviet initially supported the provisional government.

The provisional government was initially directed by the prince Georgi the vov then by Alexandre Kerensky. He managed to organize the elections, but not to disengage Russia of the First World War, which weakens its popularity near the people which supported the weight of them. In fact it launched even an offensive against the armies German and Austro-Hungarian in July 1917. This government renâclait to make important political decisions, precisely because it was supposed to be provisional. This breach was exploited as well by the line, in the form of the business Kornilov, as by the left, which put an end to the provisional government by the Révolution of October, transferring the supreme capacity to the Soviet S, then with the hands of the Bolcheviks. The latter replaced the government by theirs. Until the separation of the Russian constituent assembly, the government Bolshevik was described as provisional .

Public advertisement of its formation (March 16th, 1917)

Here below the text of the public advertisement of the formation of the provisional government which was published in the Izvestia the shortly after its formation.

public Advertisement of the formation of the first provisional government .

The temporary Committee of the members of the Duma of state, with the assistance and the support of the army and the inhabitants of the capital, from now on reached such a success against the dark forces of the old mode which it is possible for the committee to undertake the organization of a more stable executive power.

With this objective with the spirit, the temporary Committee of the duma of state nominated the following persons as Ministers for the first government representing the people; their political activities and public last ensure the confidence of the country to them:

  • Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Department: Georgi Evgenevitch the vov (except party)

  • Foreign Minister: Pavel Miliukov (Left constitutional democratic - “Kadet”)
  • Minister for the war and the marine: Alexandre Goutchkov (Octobriste)
  • Minister for transport: Nikolai Vissarionovitch Nekrasov (Kadet)
  • Minister commercial and industry: AD INTERIM Konovalov (Kadet)
  • Minister for Finance: Mikhail Terechtchenko (except party)
  • Minister for education: Andrei Manuilov (Kadet)
  • High-Prosecutor of the Holy synod of Russia: V.N. The vov (center)
  • Minister for agriculture: Andrei Ivanovich Shingarev (Kadet)
  • Minister for justice: Alexandre Kerenski (Socialist-revolutionist)

The true work of the government will be guided by the following principles:

  1. immediate Amnesty and supplements in any business of political or religious nature, including the terrorist acts, military mutinies and country revolts, etc

  2. Freedom of expression, of press and gathering, right to form unions and to strike and extension of political freedom to the people being useful in the armed forces, limited only by the needs for the military and technical circumstances.
  3. Abolition of any restriction based on the class, the religion or nationality.
  4. immediate provisions for the formation of the constituent assembly, on the basis of vote for all, equitable, direct and with secret bulletin, which will determine the shape of the government and the constitution of the country.
  5. the substitution of a popular militia to the police force, with officers elected responsible before the organizations for local car-government.
  6. the elections of the organizations of local car-government must be held on the basis of vote for all, equitable, direct and with secret bulletin.
  7. the military units having taken share with the revolutionary movement should be neither disarmed, nor withdrawn from Petrograd.
  8. while remaining held with a strict military discipline in their duty and lasting their military service, the soldiers must be released from any restriction on the exercise of the civic rights which all the other citizens enjoy.

The provisional government wishes to add that it at all does not intend to benefit from the military situation to delay some manner that it is the achievement of the reforms and measurements mentioned above.

There was in all sixteen ministers in the provisional government.

A coalition government

In the month of May 1917, the government of liberal origin becomes coalition with the entry of Irakli Tsereteli, Menchevik, named with the ministry for the Stations and the Telegraphs; and of the founder of the revolutionary Socialist party, Victor Tchernov, with the ministry for Agriculture.

Prime Ministers for the provisional government

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