The February Revolution and Dual Power

The February Revolution of 1917 (March by the Western calendar) brought about the sudden and largely unexpected collapse of the Romanov dynasty after more than 300 years. The revolution was not planned by any political party — it erupted from below, driven by war-weariness, hunger, and accumulated grievances. The resulting dual power system, in which the Provisional Government shared authority uneasily with the Petrograd Soviet, proved inherently unstable and set the stage for the Bolshevik seizure of power in October.

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The Impact of the First World War

The First World War was the decisive catalyst for revolution. By 1917, Russia's military, economic, and social systems were in crisis.

Military Disaster