How far would you agree that the February/March revolution that overthrew the Russian monarchy was a “spontaneous uprising”? Answer this question and develop a deep analysis.
The second revolution in Russia at the time of World War One, following the first revolt in 1905, took place in February (March for the rest of Europe) of the year 1917. At the time, the conditions of the nation were strained under almost every aspect. The decision of the Tsar Nicholas II to appoint himself as supreme commander of the military forces had lead to a series of serious military defeats, and the number of casualties was extremely high. While Russia was occupied in the fighting, in the attempt to organize its forces, the population was suffering from severe food shortages, and a high inflation and unemployment rate, which had lead to workers demanding better living standards and peasants land redistribution through multiple strikes and demonstrations. Although some were still in support of the war, the public dissent indicated that most demanded the end of the conflict.
The February Revolution began officially on February 23 (March 8) when various incidents took place in the same few days. Rioters, in particular numerous women from working class families in occasion of the socialist’s International Women’s Day, had taken to the streets as a sign of protest for the high bread prices and shortage. They were then joined by thousand of factory workers who had been locked out of the Putilov Iron Works factory for demanding a higher salary and had gone on strike. The combined forces of many other industrial workers and people in the streets of Petrograd, the capital (St. Petersburg), gained momentum as the dissenters marched towards the center. The Tsar ordered the police units and the regiments to disperse the protesting masses, however most of the military garrison mutinied and joined the demonstrators. The troops did kill 40 unarmed people, yet