The Provisional Government March–October 1917

The Provisional Government that emerged from the February Revolution faced an impossible task: governing a vast, war-torn empire without democratic legitimacy, military authority, or the ability to satisfy the contradictory demands of its population. Its eight-month existence was marked by progressive radicalisation, escalating crises, and the steady erosion of its authority. Whether the Provisional Government's failure was inevitable or the result of specific mistakes remains one of the most debated questions in Russian revolutionary history.

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The Nature of the Provisional Government

Composition and Legitimacy

The Provisional Government was formed on 2 March 1917 (OS) by members of the Duma's Provisional Committee. It was not elected — it was self-appointed and intended to govern only until a Constituent Assembly could be elected to determine Russia's future political system.