February thunderstorm: why did the revolution happen? Why did the 1917 revolution happen?

Event that happened October 25, 1917 in the capital of the then Russian Empire, Petrograd, became just an uprising of the armed people, which stirred up almost the entire civilized world.

A hundred years have passed, but the results and achievements, the impact on the world history of the October events remain the subject of discussions and disputes among numerous historians, philosophers, political scientists, specialists in various fields of law, both in our time and in the past twentieth century.

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Briefly about the date October 25, 1917

Officially in the Soviet Union, this ambiguously assessed event today was called the day of the October Revolution of 1917, it was a holiday for the entire vast country and its peoples. It brought about a radical change in the social and political situation, transformation of political and social attitudes on the position of peoples and each individual individually.

Today, many young people do not even know what year the revolution took place in Russia, but it is necessary to know about it. The situation was quite predictable and brewed for several years, then the significant main events of the October Revolution of 1917 took place, the table briefly:

What is the October Revolution in the historical concept? The main armed uprising led by V. I. Ulyanov - Lenin, L. D. Trotsky, Ya. M. Sverdlov and other leaders of the communist movement in Russia.

The revolution of 1917 is an armed uprising.

Attention! The uprising was carried out by the Military Revolutionary Committee of the Petrograd Soviet, where, oddly enough, the Left Socialist-Revolutionary faction represented the majority.

The success of the coup was ensured by the following factors:

1. Significant level of popular support.
2. The provisional government was inactive and did not solve the problems of Russia's participation in the First World War.
3. The most significant political aspect compared to previously proposed extremist movements.

The faction of the Mensheviks and the Right SRs could not organize a more or less real version of an alternative movement in relation to the Bolsheviks.

A little about the causes of the October events of 1917

Today, no one refutes the idea that this fateful event practically turned not only the whole world upside down, but also radically changed the course of history for many decades to come. Far from being a feudal, bourgeois country striving for progress, it was practically turned upside down directly during certain events on the fronts of the First World War.

The historical significance of the October Revolution, which took place in 1917, is largely determined by the termination. However, as modern historians see it, there were several reasons:

1. The influence of the peasant revolution as a socio-political phenomenon as an aggravation of the confrontation between the peasant masses and the landowners who remained at that time. The reason is the “black redistribution” known in history, that is, distribution of land to the needy. Also in this aspect, the negative impact of the redistribution of land allotments on the number of dependents had an effect.
2. Working sections of society experienced significant city ​​government pressure on the inhabitants of rural areas, state power has become the main lever of pressure on the productive forces.
3. The deepest decomposition of the army and other power structures, where the majority of the peasants went to serve, who could not comprehend certain nuances of the protracted hostilities.
4. revolutionary fermentation of all sections of the working class. The proletariat at that time was a politically active minority, constituting no more than 3.5% of the active population. The working class was largely concentrated mainly in the industrial cities.
5. The national movements of the popular formations of imperial Russia developed and reached their climax. Then they sought to achieve autonomy, a promising option for them was not just autonomy, but a promising autonomy and independence from the central authorities.

To the greatest extent, it was the national movement that became the provoking factor in the beginning of the revolutionary movement on the territory of the vast Russian Empire, which literally disintegrated into its constituent parts.

Attention! The combination of all causes and conditions, as well as the interests of all sections of the population, determined the goals of the October Revolution of 1917, which became the driving force behind the future uprising as a turning point in history.

Popular unrest before the start of the October Revolution of 1917.

Ambiguous about the events of October 17

The first stage, which became the basis and the beginning of a worldwide change in historical events, which became a turning point not only in the domestic, but also on a global scale. For example, the assessment of the October Revolution, the interesting facts of which are the simultaneous positive and negative impact on the socio-political world situation.

As usual, every significant event has objective and subjective reasons. The overwhelming majority of the population had a hard time experiencing wartime conditions, hunger and deprivation peace became necessary. What were the conditions in the second half of 1917:

1. Formed in the period from February 27 to March 03, 1917, the Provisional Government headed by Kerensky didn't have enough tools to solve all problems and questions without exception. The transfer of land and enterprises into the ownership of workers and peasants, as well as the elimination of hunger and the conclusion of peace, became an urgent problem, the solution of which was inaccessible to the so-called "temporary workers".
2. The prevalence of socialist ideas among the general population, a noticeable increase in the popularity of Marxist theory, the implementation by the Soviets of the slogans of universal equality, the prospects for what the people expected.
3. The emergence of a strong opposition movement led by a charismatic leader, which was Ulyanov-Lenin. This party line at the beginning of the last century became the most promising movement to achieve world communism as a concept for further development.
4. In the conditions of this situation, they became as much as possible in demand radical ideas and the problems of society requiring a radical solution - the inability to lead the empire from the thoroughly rotten tsarist administrative apparatus.

The slogan of the October Revolution - "peace to the peoples, land to the peasants, factories to the workers" was supported by the population, which made it possible to radically change the political system in Russia.

Briefly about the course of events on October 25

Why did the October Revolution happen in November? The autumn of 1917 brought an even greater increase in social tension, political and socio-economic destruction was rapidly approaching its peak.

In industry, financial sector, transport and communication systems, agriculture a complete collapse.

Russian multinational empire broke up into separate nation-states, contradictions between representatives of various peoples and intra-tribal disagreements were growing.

Significant influence on the acceleration of the overthrow of the Provisional Government had hyperinflation, rising food prices Against the backdrop of lower wages, increased unemployment, a catastrophic situation on the battlefields, the war was artificially dragged out. Government of A. Kerensky did not submit an anti-crisis plan, and the initial February promises were practically abandoned.

These processes in the conditions of their rapid growth only increased influence leftist political movements throughout the country. These were the reasons for the unprecedented victory of the Bolsheviks in the October Revolution. The Bolshevik idea and its support by the peasants, workers and soldiers led to the deputy majority in the new state system - the Soviets in the First Capital and Petrograd. There were two directions in the plans for the Bolsheviks to come to power:

1. Peaceful diplomatically conditioned and legally confirmed the act of transferring power to the majority.
2. The extremist trend in the Soviets demanded armed strategic measures, in their opinion, the plan could only be implemented power grab.

The government, created in October 1917, was called the Soviets of Workers' and Soldiers' Deputies. The shot of the legendary cruiser "Aurora" on the night of October 25 gave signal to start the assault Winter Palace, which led to the fall of the Provisional Government.

October Revolution

October coup

Consequences of the October Revolution

The consequences of the October Revolution are ambiguous. This is the coming to power of the Bolsheviks, the adoption by the Second Congress of Soviets of Workers' and Soldiers' Deputies of the Decrees on Peace, Land, the Declaration of the Rights of the Peoples of the Country. Was created Russian Soviet Republic, later the controversial Treaty of Brest-Litovsk was signed. In various countries of the world, pro-Bolshevik governments began to come to power.

The negative aspect of the event is also important - the protracted that brought more destruction crisis, famine, millions of victims. The collapse and chaos in a vast country led to economic destruction of the global financial system, a crisis that dragged on for more than a decade and a half. Its consequences fell heavily on the shoulders of the poorest segments of the population. This situation has become the basis for a decrease in demographic indicators, a lack of productive forces in the future, human casualties, and unplanned migration.

To understand when there was a revolution in Russia, it is necessary to look back at the era. It was under the last emperor from the Romanov dynasty that the country was shaken by several social crises that caused the people to oppose the authorities. Historians single out the revolution of 1905-1907, the February revolution and the October year.

Background of revolutions

Until 1905, the Russian Empire lived under the laws of an absolute monarchy. The king was the sole autocrat. The adoption of important state decisions depended only on him. In the 19th century, such a conservative order of things did not suit a very small stratum of society from intellectuals and marginals. These people were guided by the West, where the Great French Revolution had long since taken place as a good example. She destroyed the power of the Bourbons and gave the inhabitants of the country civil liberties.

Even before the first revolutions took place in Russia, society learned about what political terror is. Radical supporters of change took up arms and staged assassination attempts on top government officials in order to force the authorities to pay attention to their demands.

Tsar Alexander II ascended the throne during the Crimean War, which Russia lost due to systematic economic lagging behind the West. The bitter defeat forced the young monarch to embark on reforms. The main one was the abolition of serfdom in 1861. Zemstvo, judicial, administrative and other reforms followed.

However, the radicals and terrorists were still unhappy. Many of them demanded a constitutional monarchy or even the abolition of tsarist power. The Narodnaya Volya organized a dozen assassination attempts on Alexander II. In 1881 he was killed. Under his son, Alexander III, a reactionary campaign was launched. Terrorists and political activists were severely repressed. This calmed the situation for a while. But the first revolutions in Russia were still just around the corner.

Mistakes of Nicholas II

Alexander III died in 1894 in the Crimean residence, where he improved his failing health. The monarch was relatively young (he was only 49 years old), and his death came as a complete surprise to the country. Russia froze in anticipation. The eldest son of Alexander III, Nicholas II, was on the throne. His reign (when there was a revolution in Russia) from the very beginning was overshadowed by unpleasant events.

First, in one of his first public speeches, the tsar declared that the desire of the progressive public for change was "meaningless dreams." For this phrase, Nikolai was criticized by all his opponents - from liberals to socialists. The monarch even got it from the great writer Leo Tolstoy. The count ridiculed the emperor's absurd statement in his article, written under the impression of what he heard.

Secondly, during the coronation ceremony of Nicholas II in Moscow, an accident occurred. The city authorities organized a festive event for the peasants and the poor. They were promised free "presents" from the king. So thousands of people ended up on the Khodynka field. At some point, a stampede began, which killed hundreds of passers-by. Later, when there was a revolution in Russia, many called these events symbolic allusions to a future big trouble.

The Russian revolutions also had objective reasons. What were they? In 1904, Nicholas II got involved in the war against Japan. The conflict flared up over the influence of the two rival powers in the Far East. Inept preparation, extended communications, a capricious attitude towards the enemy - all this became the reason for the defeat of the Russian army in that war. In 1905, a peace treaty was signed. Russia gave Japan the southern part of Sakhalin Island, as well as lease rights to the strategically important South Manchurian Railway.

At the beginning of the war, there was a surge of patriotism and hostility to the next national enemies in the country. Now, after the defeat, the revolution of 1905-1907 broke out with unprecedented force. in Russia. People wanted fundamental changes in the life of the state. Discontent was especially felt among the workers and peasants, whose standard of living was extremely low.

Bloody Sunday

The main reason for the start of the civil confrontation was the tragic events in St. Petersburg. On January 22, 1905, a delegation of workers went to the Winter Palace with a petition to the tsar. The proletarians asked the monarch to improve their working conditions, increase wages, etc. There were also political demands, the main of which was to convene a Constituent Assembly - a popular representation on the Western parliamentary model.

The police dispersed the procession. Firearms were used. According to various estimates, between 140 and 200 people died. The tragedy became known as Bloody Sunday. When the event became known throughout the country, mass strikes began in Russia. The dissatisfaction of the workers was fueled by professional revolutionaries and agitators of leftist convictions, who until then had carried out only underground work. The liberal opposition also became more active.

First Russian Revolution

Strikes and strikes had different intensity depending on the region of the empire. Revolution 1905-1907 in Russia, it raged especially strongly on the national outskirts of the state. For example, the Polish socialists managed to convince about 400,000 workers in the Kingdom of Poland not to go to work. Similar riots took place in the Baltic States and Georgia.

The radical political parties (Bolsheviks and Socialist-Revolutionaries) decided that this was their last chance to seize power in the country with the help of an uprising of the masses. The agitators worked not only on peasants and workers, but also on ordinary soldiers. Thus began the armed uprisings in the army. The most famous episode in this series is the uprising on the battleship Potemkin.

In October 1905, the united St. Petersburg Soviet of Workers' Deputies began its work, which coordinated the actions of the strikers throughout the capital of the empire. The events of the revolution took on a most violent character in December. It led to battles on Presnya and other parts of the city.

October 17 Manifesto

In the autumn of 1905, Nicholas II realized that he had lost control of the situation. He could suppress numerous uprisings with the help of the army, but this would not help get rid of the deep contradictions between the government and society. The monarch began to discuss with those close to him measures to reach a compromise with the dissatisfied.

The result of his decision was the Manifesto of October 17, 1905. The development of the document was entrusted to a well-known official and diplomat Sergei Witte. Prior to that, he went to sign peace with the Japanese. Now Witte needed to have time to help his king as soon as possible. The situation was complicated by the fact that two million people were already on strike in October. Strikes covered almost all industries. Rail transport was paralyzed.

The October 17 Manifesto introduced several fundamental changes to the political system of the Russian Empire. Nicholas II had previously held sole power. Now he has transferred part of his legislative powers to a new body - the State Duma. It was supposed to be elected by popular vote and become a real representative body of power.

Also established such public principles as freedom of speech, freedom of conscience, freedom of assembly, as well as the inviolability of the person. These changes became an important part of the basic state laws of the Russian Empire. Thus, in fact, the first domestic constitution appeared.

Between revolutions

The publication of the Manifesto in 1905 (when there was a revolution in Russia) helped the authorities to take the situation under control. Most of the rebels calmed down. A temporary compromise was reached. The echo of the revolution was still heard in 1906, but now it was easier for the state repressive apparatus to cope with its most implacable opponents who refused to lay down their arms.

The so-called inter-revolutionary period began, when in 1906-1917. Russia was a constitutional monarchy. Now Nicholas had to reckon with the opinion of the State Duma, which could not accept his laws. The last Russian monarch was a conservative by nature. He did not believe in liberal ideas and believed that his sole power was given to him by God. Nikolai made concessions only because he no longer had a way out.

The first two convocations of the State Duma never completed their legal term. A natural period of reaction set in, when the monarchy took revenge. At this time, Prime Minister Pyotr Stolypin became the main associate of Nicholas II. His government could not reach an agreement with the Duma on some key political issues. Because of this conflict, on June 3, 1907, Nicholas II dissolved the representative assembly and made changes to the electoral system. III and IV convocations in their composition were already less radical than the first two. A dialogue began between the Duma and the government.

World War I

The main reasons for the revolution in Russia were the sole power of the monarch, which prevented the country from developing. When the principle of autocracy remained in the past, the situation stabilized. Economic growth has begun. Agrarian helped the peasants to create their own small private farms. A new social class has emerged. The country developed and grew rich before our eyes.

So why did subsequent revolutions take place in Russia? In short, Nicholas made the mistake of getting involved in World War I in 1914. Several million men were mobilized. As in the case of the Japanese campaign, at first the country experienced a patriotic upsurge. When the bloodshed dragged on, and reports of defeats began to arrive from the front, society began to worry again. No one could say for sure how long the war would drag on. The revolution in Russia was approaching again.

February Revolution

In historiography, there is the term "Great Russian Revolution". Usually, this generalized name refers to the events of 1917, when two coup d'etat took place in the country at once. The First World War hit hard on the country's economy. The impoverishment of the population continued. In the winter of 1917 in Petrograd (renamed because of anti-German sentiment) mass demonstrations of workers and townspeople began, dissatisfied with the high prices for bread.

This is how the February Revolution took place in Russia. Events developed rapidly. Nicholas II at that time was at Headquarters in Mogilev, not far from the front. The tsar, having learned about the unrest in the capital, boarded a train to return to Tsarskoye Selo. However, he was late. In Petrograd, the disgruntled army went over to the side of the rebels. The city was under the control of the rebels. On March 2, delegates went to the king, persuading him to sign his abdication. So the February Revolution in Russia left the monarchy in the past.

Restless 1917

After the beginning of the revolution was laid, the Provisional Government was formed in Petrograd. It included politicians previously known from the State Duma. They were mostly liberals or moderate socialists. Alexander Kerensky became the head of the Provisional Government.

Anarchy in the country allowed other radical political forces, such as the Bolsheviks and Socialist-Revolutionaries, to become more active. The struggle for power began. Formally, it was supposed to exist until the convocation of the Constituent Assembly, when the country could decide how to live on by a general vote. However, the First World War was still going on, and the ministers did not want to refuse to help their allies in the Entente. This led to a sharp drop in the popularity of the Provisional Government in the army, as well as among the workers and peasants.

In August 1917, General Lavr Kornilov tried to organize a coup d'état. He also opposed the Bolsheviks, regarding them as a radical left-wing threat to Russia. The army was already moving towards Petrograd. At this point, the Provisional Government and Lenin's supporters briefly united. Bolshevik agitators destroyed Kornilov's army from within. The rebellion failed. The provisional government survived, but not for long.

Bolshevik coup

Of all domestic revolutions, the Great October Socialist Revolution is best known. This is due to the fact that its date - November 7 (according to the new style) - has been a public holiday on the territory of the former Russian Empire for more than 70 years.

At the head of the next coup stood Vladimir Lenin and the leaders of the Bolshevik Party enlisted the support of the Petrograd garrison. On October 25, according to the old style, the armed detachments that supported the communists captured key communication points in Petrograd - the telegraph, post office, and railway. The Provisional Government found itself isolated in the Winter Palace. After a short assault on the former royal residence, the ministers were arrested. The signal for the start of the decisive operation was a blank shot fired on the Aurora cruiser. Kerensky was not in the city, and later he managed to emigrate from Russia.

On the morning of October 26, the Bolsheviks were already the masters of Petrograd. Soon the first decrees of the new government appeared - the Decree on Peace and the Decree on Land. The provisional government was unpopular precisely because of its desire to continue the war with Kaiser's Germany, while the Russian army was tired of fighting and was demoralized.

The simple and understandable slogans of the Bolsheviks were popular with the people. The peasants finally waited for the destruction of the nobility and the deprivation of their landed property. The soldiers learned that the imperialist war was over. True, in Russia itself it was far from peace. The Civil War began. The Bolsheviks had to fight for another 4 years against their opponents (whites) throughout the country in order to establish control over the territory of the former Russian Empire. In 1922 the USSR was formed. The Great October Socialist Revolution was an event that heralded a new era in the history of not only Russia, but the whole world.

For the first time in contemporary history, radical communists came to power. October 1917 surprised and frightened Western bourgeois society. The Bolsheviks hoped that Russia would become a springboard for starting a world revolution and destroying capitalism. This did not happen.

for some time removed the sharpness 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 deterioration of the situation of the people caused by the war, - All of this created widespread discontent.. The internal situation in the country exacerbated the economic crisis emerging in 1915-1916. It was especially sharp food crisis. The peasants, not receiving the necessary industrial goods, refused to supply the products of their economy to the market. In Russia, for the first time, queues for bread appeared.

Speculation flourished. The government's attempts to overcome the crisis proved futile. Russia's defeats on the fronts of the First World War caused a significant blow to the public conscience. 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 sections of the Russian population were aware of 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:

The crisis of the upper classes: they could not govern in the old way, they did not want to govern in the new way, the lower classes do not want to live in the old way;

Deterioration above the usual position of the populace;

Rise above the usual revolutionary activity of the masses.

Causes of the February Revolution:

1) The unresolved agrarian-peasant question: the dominance of landownership, lack of land and landlessness of the peasants.

2) Unresolved labor issue: plight of workers, low wages, lack of labor legislation.

3) The national question, Russification policy of the authorities.

5) The destabilizing effect of war on all aspects of society.

Tasks of the revolution:

The overthrow of the autocracy

Convening a Constituent Assembly to establish a democratic order

Elimination of class inequality

The abolition of landownership and the allocation of land to the peasants

Reducing the length of the working day to 8 hours, the introduction of labor legislation

Achieving equal rights for the peoples of Russia

Cessation of the war

The nature of the revolution - bourgeois-democratic revolution.

Major events of the revolution

In February 1917 disruptions in food supplies to major Russian cities have intensified . By mid-February, 90,000 Petrograd workers went on strike because of a shortage of bread, speculation, and rising prices. On February 18, the workers of the Putilov factory joined them. demanding a raise in wages. The administration not only fired the strikers, but also announced a partial lockout, i.e. closed part of the shops. This was the reason for the beginning of mass demonstrations in the capital.

February 23, 1917 On International Women's Day (according to the new style, this is March 8), workers and women took to the streets of Petrograd with the slogans “Bread!”, “Down with the war!”, “Down with the 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 slogans.

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, who was 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 the troops did not give 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 Pavlovsky 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 "anarchy in the capital". To prevent the development of the revolution, he insisted on the immediate creation of a new government headed by a statesman who enjoys the confidence 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 the holidays. The moment for a peaceful, evolutionary transformation of the country into a constitutional monarchy was lost. Nicholas II sent troops from the Headquarters to suppress the revolution, but they were detained by the rebel railroad workers and soldiers and were not allowed into the capital.

On February 27, the mass defection 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 authorities began.

On the same day, February 27, 1917 , in factories and military units, based on the experience of 1905, were Elections were held for the Petrograd Soviet of Workers' and Soldiers' Deputies . An Executive Committee was elected to direct its activities. The Menshevik N. S. Chkheidze became chairman, and the Socialist-Revolutionary A. F. Kerensky became his deputy. The Executive Committee took upon itself the maintenance of public order and the supply of food to the population. The Petrosoviet was a new form of socio-political organization. He relied on the support of the masses who owned weapons, and his political role was very great.

February 27 at a meeting of the leaders of the Duma factions it was decided to form a Provisional Committee of the State Duma headed by M. V. Rodzianko . The task of the committee was to "restore the state and public order", the creation of a new government. The Provisional Committee took control of all ministries.

On February 28, Nicholas II left Headquarters for Tsarskoye 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 commanders of the fronts, 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 was already impossible to take control of the popular movement.

On March 2, 1917, deputies A. Guchkov and V. Shulgin arrived in Pskov, who accepted the abdication Nicholas II . The emperor signed the Manifesto on abdication 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 , declaring that the Constituent Assembly should decide the further fate of the political system in Russia. The 300-year rule of the Romanov dynasty 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 Petrosoviet Provisional government was formed . Prince G.E. Lvov became chairman and minister of the interior, Minister of Foreign Affairs - Cadet P. N. Milyukov, Minister of War and Naval Affairs - Octobrist A. I. Guchkov, Minister of Trade and Industry - Progressive AI Konovalov. From the "left" parties, the Socialist-Revolutionary A.F. Kerensky, who received the portfolio of the Minister of Justice, entered the government.

Political results of the February Revolution

Abdication of Nicholas II, liquidation of the monarchy in Russia

The conquest of a certain, political freedom, the 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 equalized in civil rights with officers, titles of officers were abolished, rude treatment of lower ranks was prohibited, and traditional forms of army subordination were abolished. Soldiers' committees were legalized. The election of commanders was introduced. The army was allowed to conduct political activities. The Petrograd garrison was subordinate to the Soviet and undertook to carry out only its orders.

The February Revolution won. The old state system collapsed. A new political situation has emerged. However, the victory of the revolution did not prevent the further deepening of the crisis state of the country. Economic disruption intensified. To the former socio-political problems: war and peace, labor, agrarian and national issues, new ones were added: about power, the future state structure and ways out of the crisis. All this determined the peculiarity of the alignment of social forces in 1917.

The time from February to October is a special period in the history of Russia. It has two stages. 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 occupied more radical positions and had the support of the broad masses of the people.

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 (the Cadets) with the "moderate" socialists (Socialist-Revolutionaries, Mensheviks). However, this political alliance failed to achieve the consolidation of society.

Social tensions have increased in the country. On the one hand, the indignation of the masses was growing at the government's delays in carrying out the most urgent economic, social and political transformations. On the other hand, the rightists were dissatisfied with the weakness of the government, with insufficiently decisive measures to curb the "revolutionary element."

Thus, after the February Revolution, the country had the following development alternatives:

1) Monarchists and right-wing bourgeois parties were ready to support establishment of a military dictatorship .

2) The Mensheviks and Socialist-Revolutionaries supported establishment of a democratic socialist government .

The October Revolution of 1917 took place on October 25 according to the old or November 7 according to the new style. The initiator, ideologist and protagonist of the revolution was the Bolshevik Party (Russian Social Democratic Bolshevik Party), led by Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov (party pseudonym Lenin) and Lev Davidovich Bronstein (Trotsky). As a result, power has changed in Russia. Instead of a bourgeois country, a proletarian government headed.

Goals of the October Revolution of 1917

• Building a more just society than capitalist
• Ending the exploitation of man by man
• Equality of people in rights and duties

  The main motto of the socialist revolution of 1917 is "To each according to his needs, from each according to his work"

• Fight against wars
• world socialist revolution

Revolution slogans

• "Power to the Soviets"
• "Peace to the nations"
• "Land - to the peasants"
• "Factories - to workers"

Objective causes of the October Revolution of 1917

• Economic difficulties experienced by Russia due to participation in the First World War
• Huge human losses from the same
• Unsuccessfully developing affairs on the fronts
• The mediocre leadership of the country, first by the tsarist, then by the bourgeois (Provisional) government
• The unresolved peasant question (the issue of allocating land to the peasants)
• Difficult living conditions for workers
• Almost complete illiteracy of the people
• Unfair national politics

Subjective causes of the October Revolution of 1917

• The presence in Russia of a small, but well-organized, disciplined group - the Bolshevik Party
• The primacy in it of the great historical Personality - V. I. Lenin
• The absence in the camp of her opponents of a person of the same magnitude
• The ideological throwing of the intelligentsia: from Orthodoxy and nationalism to anarchism and support for terrorism
• The activities of German intelligence and diplomacy, which had the goal of weakening Russia, as one of Germany's opponents in the war
• Passivity of the population

Interesting: the causes of the Russian revolution according to the writer Nikolai Starikov

Methods for building a new society

• Nationalization and transfer to state ownership of the means of production and land
• Eradication of private property
• Physical elimination of political opposition
• Concentration of power in the hands of one party
• Atheism instead of religion
• Marxism-Leninism instead of Orthodoxy

Trotsky led the direct seizure of power by the Bolsheviks.

“By the night of the 24th, the members of the Revolutionary Committee dispersed to the districts. I was left alone. Later came Kamenev. He was opposed to the uprising. But he came to spend this decisive night with me, and we remained together in a small corner room on the third floor, which looked like a captain's bridge on the decisive night of the revolution. There was a telephone booth in the adjoining large and deserted room. They called continuously, about the important and the trifles. The bells emphasized the wary silence even more sharply... Detachments of workers, sailors, and soldiers are awake in the districts. Young proletarians have rifles and machine-gun belts over their shoulders. Street pickets are basking around fires. Two dozen telephones concentrate the spiritual life of the capital, which on an autumn night squeezes its head from one era to another.
In the room on the third floor, news converges from all districts, suburbs and approaches to the capital. As if everything is foreseen, leaders are in place, connections are secured, nothing seems to be forgotten. Let's mentally check again. This night decides.
... I give the order to the commissars to set up reliable military barriers on the roads to Petrograd and send agitators to meet the units called by the government ... "If you don’t keep words, use weapons. You are responsible for this with your head.” I repeat this phrase several times…. The outer guard of Smolny was strengthened by a new machine-gun team. Communication with all parts of the garrison remains uninterrupted. Duty companies are awake in all regiments. Commissioners are in place. Armed detachments move from the districts through the streets, ring the bells at the gates or open them without ringing, and occupy one office after another.
... In the morning I pounce on the bourgeois and compromising press. Not a word about the uprising that had begun.
The government still met in the Winter Palace, but it had already become only a shadow of itself. It no longer existed politically. During October 25, the Winter Palace was gradually cordoned off by our troops from all sides. At one o'clock in the afternoon I reported to the Petrograd Soviet on the state of affairs. Here is how the newspaper report portrays this report:
“On behalf of the Military Revolutionary Committee, I announce that the Provisional Government no longer exists. (Applause.) Individual ministers have been arrested. ("Bravo!") Others will be arrested in the coming days or hours. (Applause.) The revolutionary garrison, at the disposal of the Military Revolutionary Committee, dissolved the meeting of the Pre-Parliament. (Loud applause.) We stayed awake here at night and watched over the telephone wire how detachments of revolutionary soldiers and the workers' guards silently carried out their work. The layman slept peacefully and did not know that at this time one power was being replaced by another. Stations, post office, telegraph, the Petrograd Telegraph Agency, the State Bank are busy. (Loud applause.) The Winter Palace has not yet been taken, but its fate will be decided in the next few minutes. (Applause.)"
This naked report can give the wrong impression of the mood of the meeting. That's what my memory tells me. When I reported on the change of power that had taken place during the night, there was a tense silence for several seconds. Then applause came, but not stormy, but thoughtful ... “Can we overcome it?” – many people asked themselves mentally. Hence a moment of anxious reflection. Let's do it, everyone replied. New dangers loomed in the distant future. And now there was a feeling of great victory, and this feeling sang in the blood. It found its way out in a stormy meeting arranged for Lenin, who first appeared at this meeting after an absence of almost four months.(Trotsky "My Life").

Results of the October Revolution of 1917

• In Russia, the elite has completely changed. The one that ruled the state for 1000 years, set the tone in politics, economics, public life, was a role model and an object of envy and hatred, gave way to others who had really “been nothing” before
• The Russian Empire fell, but its place was taken by the Soviet Empire, which for several decades became one of the two countries (together with the United States) that led the world community
• The tsar was replaced by Stalin, who acquired much more powers than any Russian emperor.
• The ideology of Orthodoxy was replaced by communist
• Russia (more precisely, the Soviet Union) within a few years has turned from an agrarian into a powerful industrial power
• Literacy has become universal
• The Soviet Union achieved the withdrawal of education and medical care from the system of commodity-money relations
• There was no unemployment in the USSR
• In recent decades, the leadership of the USSR has achieved almost complete equality of the population in income and opportunities.
• In the Soviet Union there was no division of people into poor and rich
• In the numerous wars waged by Russia during the years of Soviet power, as a result of terror, from various economic experiments, tens of millions of people died, the fates of probably the same number of people were broken, distorted, millions left the country, becoming emigrants
• The country's gene pool has changed catastrophically
• The lack of incentives to work, the absolute centralization of the economy, huge military spending led Russia (USSR) to a significant technological, technical lag behind the developed countries of the world.
• In Russia (USSR), in practice, democratic freedoms were completely absent - speech, conscience, demonstrations, rallies, press (although they were declared in the Constitution).
• The proletariat of Russia lived materially much worse than the workers of Europe and America.

Revolution 1917 years in Russia.

Late 1916-early 1917. were marked by folding revolutionary situation in Russia, which promptly led to a revolution. They talked a lot about this revolution, they frightened the authorities with it, trying to convince them to go for liberal reforms.

Reasons for the revolution:

The economic crisis caused by World War I and its negative consequences: rising prices, inflation, famine, a sharp rise in the strike movement, activation of the opposition(Nicholas stubbornly refused to understand that it was possible to continue the war in a crisis only by uniting society, and for this it was necessary to make concessions);

The conservative policy of Nicholas II, which only aggravated the situation ( The liberals, represented by the Progressive Bloc, were ready to cooperate with the monarchy and offered to form a "government of trust", but instead of rapprochement, the emperor fought with them, depriving himself of the last force capable of saving the monarchy, at least in a constitutional form).

Unresolved all pre-existing problems.

In addition to these objective reasons, many also cite the subjective reason expressed by the liberal leaders Milyukov (the Cadets) and Kerensky (the Trudoviks) about Germany's role in deepening the political crisis in Russia. Fighting on two fronts, Germany was interested in Russia's exit from the war, and therefore financially supported those Russian forces that advocated Russia's exit from the war, or rather, the Bolsheviks (there were Bolshevik printing houses in Germany, in addition, it was the German command that helped Lenin urgently in April 1917 to return through the Baltic occupied by the Germans to Petrograd).

Based on this, the liberal Provisional Government subsequently accused Ulyanov (Lenin) of spying for Germany and issued an order for his arrest.

Stage 1. February Revolution 23.02. - 03/02/1917.

February 18 the workers of the fire monitor and stamping workshop of the Putilov plant went on strike, putting forward only economic demands so far. The ensuing dismissal of the strikers sent the entire factory on strike, to which the administration February 22 announced a massive lockout(English lock out, literally - lock the door on someone) - a form of struggle of the owners of factories and factories against workers, expressed in the closure of enterprises and the mass dismissal of employees in order to exert economic pressure on them, prevent strikes .. In solidarity with the workers of the Putilov factory, other enterprises of Petrograd also went on strike, spontaneous pogroms of shops and street disorder.

February 23 the strikers took to the streets, they were joined by students, artisans, employees, intellectuals, etc. 25 February the strike grew into general strike, which moved from economic demands to political ones: “ Down with autocracy!», « Down with the war!».

The government turned to reaction: mass arrests were carried out, troops were rushed against the demonstrators, and in the clashes that began, the victims numbered in the hundreds.

However, the soldiers were not the most reliable defense of the autocracy.

Many units refused to participate in punitive operations against the population, and cases of fraternization between soldiers and workers became more frequent. The workers armed themselves and the general strike turned into armed uprising. The military units, one by one, hung red ribbons on bayonets and hats, and went over to the side of the rebels.

February 26 the king publishes Decree on the dissolution of the IV State Duma, missing the last opportunity to pass through the parliamentary way to a constitutional monarchy and calm the masses. February 27 armed detachments of workers and soldiers captured all the strategic points of the capital (bridges, railway stations, government offices, etc.), which marked the victory of the February Revolution. An atmosphere of anarchy has formed in the capital - the old government is paralyzed, and the new one has not yet been formed. When Petrograd fell into the hands of the rebels, new organs of power began to be feverishly created.

Dual power:

The first authority

The liberals, striving to keep the revolution within the framework of the bourgeois-democratic, formed provisional government, which in its composition repeated " trust government”, offered to Nicholas II back in 1916.

Prince at the head of the government Lviv, the key positions were occupied by:

war minister - Guchkov(Octobrist);

Foreign Secretary - Milyukov(cadet);

Minister of Justice - Kerensky(trudovik).

Second authority.

The left, the socialists, following the example of the revolution of 1905-07. created Soviets of Workers' and Soldiers' Deputies, the central place among which was occupied by the Metropolitan Council - Petrosoviet ( The Bolsheviks did not yet have much authority, and the Socialist-Revolutionaries and Mensheviks dominated the Petrograd Soviet, who took control of the post Chairman of the Petrosoviet(occupied by the Menshevik Chkheidze) and dictated further policy). The socialists were not a defenseless opposition, they had their own real force - armed groups of workers red guard. In order to gain influence in the army, the Petrograd Soviet issued Order No. 1 on the Petrograd garrison, proclaiming democratization of the army:

empowering soldiers with political rights;

the creation in the army of elected soldiers' committees, which received the right to control the actions of the command.

The Petrograd Soviet opposed the monarchy in any form, demanding the proclamation of the Republic.

The liberal Provisional Government considered it possible to preserve the monarchy in a constitutional form by changing the monarch.

On behalf of the Provisional Government Guchkov And Shchulgin went to Nicholas II with a proposal to abdicate in favor of the 13-year-old heir Alexey under the regency of the younger brother of the Grand Duke Mikhail Alexandrovich. This proposal was joined by the commanders of the fronts, fleets and Headquarters. March 2, 1917. the emperor signed Act of renunciation”, but not in favor of Aleksey, a patient with hemophilia, on whom he did not want to take on a burden that he could not handle himself, and whom he did not want to leave as a hostage of the revolution, but in favor of his brother Mikhail, although he did not agree to this.

March, 3rd Mikhail announced his renunciation of the throne, which formally destroyed the monarchy in Russia. Michael's renunciation of the throne came as a complete surprise to the monarchists. Liberal parties were forced to urgently change their programs and repaint themselves as Republicans.

The nature of the revolution: bourgeois, because official power was concentrated in the hands of the provisional government and the bourgeois system was established.

The February Revolution revealed a whole bunch of contradictions:

class: between peasants and landowners; workers and bourgeoisie;

regional: between the outskirts and the Center;

national: between national minorities and the Great Russian government;

religious: between national religions and the state religion.

Such contradictions led to the formation of many parties, public organizations and movements, which during the revolution solved only their own narrow problems. So we can say that in February in Russia there was not one, but many small independent revolutions - social, regional, national, religious, etc., which made it difficult to determine the nature of the revolution.

The leaders of both the right and the left immediately after February began to use the term " Great Russian (Russian) Revolution».

Modern historiography characterizes the February Revolution according to its results:

Political- the autocracy was destroyed and a republic was proclaimed, which followed the path of democratization.

Economic- the destruction of the remnants of feudal remnants and the establishment of a bourgeois system.

Stage 2. From February to October. 2 ( 15 ) March 1917 - October 26 (November 8), 1917

Associated with the activities of the Provisional Government. Provisional government- the highest legislative and executive body of state power in Russia in the period between the February and October revolutions.

Main activities.

Press committees, police and gendarme departments have been liquidated.

The abolished posts and institutions were replaced by commissars of the Provisional Government.

A program of activities of the ministry for the near future has been created: the revision of criminal, civil, judicial and judicial laws. In particular, "Jewish equality in its entirety", granting women political rights. Subsequently, a special commission of inquiry was also established to investigate and bring to justice former officials and private individuals.

On March 2, Kerensky issued a decree instructing the country's prosecutors to release all political prisoners (and convey to them congratulations on behalf of the new government).

On March 6, a general amnesty was announced in Russia. About 90 thousand prisoners were released, among which were thousands of thieves and raiders, popularly nicknamed "Kerensky's chicks".

April 18 (May 1), 1917 - May 5 (18), 1917 - the first government crisis, culminating in the formation first coalition government with the participation of socialists.

April Crisis. It was caused by the general social tension in the country. The catalyst was P. N. Milyukov’s note dated April 18 to the governments of England and France (in it, Milyukov declared that the Provisional Government would continue the war to a victorious end and would fulfill all the agreements of the tsarist government). This led to popular indignation, which spilled over into mass rallies and demonstrations demanding an immediate end to the war, the resignation of P. N. Milyukov and A. I. Guchkov, and the transfer of power to the Soviets. After P. N. Milyukov and A. I. Guchkov left the government. On May 5, an agreement was reached between the Provisional Government and the Executive Committee of the Petrograd Soviet to create a coalition

June and July crises. The June crisis of 1917, the second (after the April crisis of 1917).

Caused by irreconcilable contradictions between the masses of the people and the imperialist bourgeoisie on questions of peace and land, on the struggle against economic ruin. The First All-Russian Congress of Soviets of Workers' and Soldiers' Deputies on June 3-24 (June 16 - July 7), which was dominated by the Social Revolutionaries and Mensheviks, supported the bourgeois Provisional Government and rejected the Bolsheviks' demand for an end to the war and the transfer of power to the Soviets.

The July Crisis of 1917 is the third (after the April and June ones) On July 3, a delegation of the Provisional Government, headed by ministers Tereshchenko and Tsereteli, recognized the autonomy of the Ukrainian Central Rada. In protest against these actions, on July 2 (15), 1917, the Kadet ministers resigned. . On July 4 (17), 1917, the Provisional Government introduced martial law in Petrograd, began the persecution of the Bolsheviks, disbanded the units that had taken part in the demonstration on July 3 (16), 1917, and introduced the death penalty at the front.

In the midst of the July crisis, the Finnish Sejm proclaimed Finland's independence from Russia in internal affairs and limited the competence of the Provisional Government, demanding recognition of the "inalienable rights of Finland." On July 3 (August 6), 1917, a second coalition government was formed. Kerensky became chairman of the government. He pursues a policy of maneuvering between the main political forces of the country ("Bonapartism"), which, however, causes discontent in both camps.

Kornilov's speech ("case", "putsch", "conspiracy", "mutiny", "uprising") - an unsuccessful attempt to establish a military dictatorship on August 27-31 (September 9-13), 1917, undertaken by the Supreme Commander of the Russian Army of the General Staff, General from infantry by L. G. Kornilov in order to put pressure on the Provisional Government to force him:

1. Exclude from its composition those ministers who, according to the available [gen. Kornilov] according to information were obvious traitors to the Motherland; 2. Reorganize so that the country is guaranteed a strong and firm government.

According to some reports, the purpose of the Kornilov speech was to prevent the radical left (Bolsheviks) from coming to power with the help of military force; according to other sources, Kornilov did not distinguish left socialists from right ones at all, and since April he considered the Petrograd Soviet, which at that time was headed by right socialists, Mensheviks and Socialist-Revolutionaries, as his sworn enemy.

Stage 3. October Revolution (full official name in the USSR - Great October Socialist Revolution , alternative names: October coup , Bolshevik coup , third Russian revolution ) - the stage of the revolution that took place in Russia in October 1917.

As a result of the October Revolution, the Provisional Government was overthrown and a government formed by the Second All-Russian Congress of Soviets came to power, the absolute majority of the delegates of which were the Bolsheviks and their allies, the Left Socialist-Revolutionaries, also supported by some national organizations, a small part of the Menshevik internationalists, and some anarchists. In November, the new government was also supported by the majority of the Extraordinary Congress of Peasants' Deputies. The provisional government was overthrown during an armed uprising on October 25-26 (November 7-8, according to a new style), the main organizers of which were V. I. Lenin, L. D. Trotsky, Ya. M. Sverdlov and others. The uprising was directly led The Military Revolutionary Committee of the Petrograd Soviet, which also included the Left SRs.

At 22:40 the 25th of October ( November 7 ), opened Second All-Russian Congress of Soviets of Workers' and Soldiers' Deputies , on which the Bolsheviks, together with the Left SRs, received a majority, were proclaimed: "Decree on Power", "Decree on Peace", "Decree on Land".