Russian Provisional Government Facts & Worksheets

• The Provisional Government took positive actions despite many obstacles. It ended censorship, legalised free speech and assembly, and separated religion and government. It also abolished the death penalty, though Kerensky reintroduced it for the army in July 1917 after the failed offensive to restore discipline, though it did not apply to civilians. In addition, it supported local self-government. Regions such as Ukraine and Lithuania sought greater autonomy during 1917, while Poland had already declared independence under German occupation in 1916. Their formal independence movements consolidated only after the Bolsheviks seized power.
• Although the Provisional Government introduced some of Europe’s most liberal policies, economic hardship, social unrest, and weak law enforcement prevented these reforms from taking full effect.

Democratisation and the Fall of the Provisional Government

• Following the February Revolution of 1917, Russia entered a brief period of political freedom and reform under the Provisional Government. One of the most significant changes during this period was the growth of democratisation, as local organisations and community-based institutions began to play an active part in governance. New trade unions, peasant groups, and rural councils arose throughout the country. These groups often held real authority in their local areas, particularly because the Provisional Government allowed them some discretion in deciding which laws to implement. In many rural regions, for example, local institutions quickly responded to new national laws regarding the use of idle land by peasants. As historians observed, this period was unique in modern Russian history, as it allowed ordinary people, for the first time, to participate directly in shaping their future.
• Interest groups for various social and professional classes were formed. In 1917, trade unions and professional organisations listened to factory workers. These groups influenced government policies and encouraged political participation. But far-left critics said that this democracy favoured the educated and wealthy over the working poor.
• Representatives were elected by workers to serve on factory committees in industrial centres to supervise production and safeguard worker rights. These committees were compelled to engage in production decisions as a result of their democratic involvement in the workplace. Several workplace committees were transformed into Bolshevik strongholds as workers adopted their aspirations for decisive leadership and equality. Workers raised political consciousness and wanted Bolshevik decisiveness and equality.
• As divisions intensified, the Provisional Government struggled to maintain authority. The September 1917 Kornilov Affair was pivotal. Army commander-in-chief General Lavr Kornilov appeared to be contemplating a military coup to restore order, potentially with Kerensky's assent.
• Kerensky stated that Kornilov was a traitor and called on the Soviet and Red Guards to defend the revolution as his forces approached Petrograd. Kerensky authorised the arming of Red Guards, some of whom were aligned with the Bolsheviks, to defend Petrograd against Kornilov’s advancing forces. Although the latter's soldiers were stopped, the crisis harmed the government's credibility. The Bolsheviks kept their weapons and strengthened, but many soldiers lost faith in the Provisional Government after Kerensky armed them.
• To stabilise the nation, Kerensky proclaimed the Russian Republic on 14 September 1917. This was intended to end uncertainty about Russia’s political system and affirm the government’s commitment to democracy. Plans were made to hold elections for a Constituent Assembly, which would draft a permanent constitution. However, growing unrest and the government’s weakening authority delayed these efforts.
• The final confrontation was triggered in October 1917 by Prime Minister Alexander Kerensky's attempt to suppress the Bolsheviks by charging them with treason. An action proved to be more disastrous as it galvanised the Bolsheviks into action. Under the leadership of Lenin and Trotsky, their militant Red Guards initiated a carefully coordinated coup, occupying essential Petrograd infrastructure, from railway hubs to government offices, and swiftly neutralising the state's ability to respond. 
• Between 24 and 26 October (Old Style calendar), they surrounded and stormed the Winter Palace, the seat of the Provisional Government. As the Bolsheviks seized Petrograd on 25 October (Julian calendar), 
• Kerensky fled the city in an attempt to rally loyal troops, but failed to regain control once the Provisional Government collapsed. This marked the October Revolution, which brought the Bolsheviks to power and led to the creation of the world’s first Communist government in Russia.
• While the Provisional Government encouraged new forms of democracy and participation, it ultimately lacked the stability and authority needed to hold the country together. The same democratic forces that briefly flourished in 1917—local councils, workers’ committees, and political activism—also helped pave the way for the Bolsheviks’ rise to power and the end of Russia’s experiment with liberal democracy.